Hayward Lakes Sherry
09-08-2009, 10:54 AM
September 7, 2009
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
If you were in the north woods for Labor Day weekend and the weather did not meet your expectations – your expectations were totally unreasonable. Clear skies, warm days for swimming, cool nights for sleeping ... a perfect, made to order, three-day holiday weekend, and a most pleasant way to close out summer. (Sorry, but someone had to say it.)
According to DNR fisheries biologist Frank Pratt, autumn is the time for trophy brown trout on the Namekagon River. He says now that insect hatches are waning and small forage fish are the main food item, streamers, spinners, and crankbaits are the hot ticket.
“My three favorites – muddler (mottled sculpin), gray squirrel tail (common shiner or blacknose dace), and red squirrel tail (horny head chub) imitate four of the most common forage species on the Namekagon and other large, cool-water streams in northern Wisconsin.”
He adds that the Namekagon summer survey showed 30 pounds/acre of small forage fish, and abundant populations of native crayfish, creating a smorgasbord for big browns and smallmouth.
Hunters: Fall wild turkey, ruffed grouse, archery deer, cottontail rabbit, crow, and squirrel seasons open Sept. 12.
Tickets are still available for the Sept. 12 Wilderness Wings Chapter (Ruffed Grouse Society) fundraiser. The schedule includes grouse hunting (anywhere in the area) until the 2 p.m. bird registration and skeet shoot; social hour and raffle sales at 5 p.m.; and dinner at 7 p.m., followed by awards and raffle drawings. For tickets or information, contact Phil Johnson (715) 354-7241); Dave Reardon 634-2674.
Muskies:
Musky fishing reports range from fair to excellent. Excellent can be a matter of being in the right place at the right time. (I tend toward one or the other. Or neither.) Late evening and after dark continue to load the dice in your favor. Fish locations appear to be quite variable, and if one type of area isn’t providing action, try another. Start with shallower weeds and weed edges, and then move to deeper bars and drop-offs. Topwater baits are producing good results, as are big bucktails, jerk and crank baits, and suckers. It’s all a matter of giving a musky what it wants – and it could be even they don’t know until they see it.
Walleye:
Walleye action is fair to very good, but action is somewhat inconsistent, and better success is coming in the evening. As is often the case with walleyes, locating them can be the biggest challenge. Concentrate on deeper weeds and weed edges, rocks, brush, and bars in 15-35 feet and deeper, with larger fish in the deeper water. Leeches and crawlers on harnesses continue to be the best producing baits, though some fish are also being caught on minnows, crank and stick baits, Beetle Spins, and Rapalas.
Northern:
Northern pike are locating on deeper weeds, weed edges, and bars. Spoons, spinner and buzz baits, and northern suckers will catch pike. If you are looking for fast action, fish shallower water weeds. If you are in search of trophy pike you will have to fish deeper water and accept fewer battles. But what a battle when you hook a big one!
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth fishing is fairly good, and you can still catch some fish in the lily pads and slop with topwater baits. If you don’t find fish there, work deeper weed lines with spinners and spinnerbaits, stickbaits, plastics, scented worms, leeches, and crawlers.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action is also fairly good, though your chances of success are much better in the early morning and evening hours. You will find smallmouth bass holding in and around deeper water around rocks, weeds, and cribs. Plastics will work best during daytime hours, but in the evening, the top choices are topwaters, leeches, crawlers, and walleye suckers.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is good on most Hayward area lakes. Look for fish around weeds, cribs, bogs, and structure in depths from 6-20 feet, as well as suspending over deeper water. Crappie minnows, waxies, worms, and plastics are the baits of choice, and small spinners can also get their attention.
Bluegill:
Bluegills do not get much pressure this time of year, and yet fishing can be quite good. You will find the ‘gills near cribs, bogs, and suspending on weedlines in 6-15 feet of water. Waxies, leaf worms, crawler pieces, minnows, plastics and tubes can all be very effective and provide lots of action – and good eating.
Upcoming Events
Sept. 9: Bear season opens.
Sept. 12: Seasons open: Ruffed grouse; Turkey; Crow; Archery deer; Cottontail rabbit; Squirrel.
Sept. 12: RGS Sportsmen’s Banquet (354-7241; 634-2674.)
Sept. 13: Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame Kids Fish O’Rama (715-634-4440.)
Sept. 19: Woodcock season opens.
Sept. 25-26: Cable Area Fall Festival (800-533-7454.)
Sept. 26: 25th Annual Hayward Fall Festival (715-634-8662.)
Sept: 30: Trout season closes on most inland streams. (See regs for exceptions.)
Oct. 2-4: Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. 32nd Annual Fall Muskie Tournament (715 634 2921.)
For more information on area events and activities, see the Calendar of Events, visit Hayward Lakes Visitor and Convention Bureau, or call 1-800-724-2992.
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
If you were in the north woods for Labor Day weekend and the weather did not meet your expectations – your expectations were totally unreasonable. Clear skies, warm days for swimming, cool nights for sleeping ... a perfect, made to order, three-day holiday weekend, and a most pleasant way to close out summer. (Sorry, but someone had to say it.)
According to DNR fisheries biologist Frank Pratt, autumn is the time for trophy brown trout on the Namekagon River. He says now that insect hatches are waning and small forage fish are the main food item, streamers, spinners, and crankbaits are the hot ticket.
“My three favorites – muddler (mottled sculpin), gray squirrel tail (common shiner or blacknose dace), and red squirrel tail (horny head chub) imitate four of the most common forage species on the Namekagon and other large, cool-water streams in northern Wisconsin.”
He adds that the Namekagon summer survey showed 30 pounds/acre of small forage fish, and abundant populations of native crayfish, creating a smorgasbord for big browns and smallmouth.
Hunters: Fall wild turkey, ruffed grouse, archery deer, cottontail rabbit, crow, and squirrel seasons open Sept. 12.
Tickets are still available for the Sept. 12 Wilderness Wings Chapter (Ruffed Grouse Society) fundraiser. The schedule includes grouse hunting (anywhere in the area) until the 2 p.m. bird registration and skeet shoot; social hour and raffle sales at 5 p.m.; and dinner at 7 p.m., followed by awards and raffle drawings. For tickets or information, contact Phil Johnson (715) 354-7241); Dave Reardon 634-2674.
Muskies:
Musky fishing reports range from fair to excellent. Excellent can be a matter of being in the right place at the right time. (I tend toward one or the other. Or neither.) Late evening and after dark continue to load the dice in your favor. Fish locations appear to be quite variable, and if one type of area isn’t providing action, try another. Start with shallower weeds and weed edges, and then move to deeper bars and drop-offs. Topwater baits are producing good results, as are big bucktails, jerk and crank baits, and suckers. It’s all a matter of giving a musky what it wants – and it could be even they don’t know until they see it.
Walleye:
Walleye action is fair to very good, but action is somewhat inconsistent, and better success is coming in the evening. As is often the case with walleyes, locating them can be the biggest challenge. Concentrate on deeper weeds and weed edges, rocks, brush, and bars in 15-35 feet and deeper, with larger fish in the deeper water. Leeches and crawlers on harnesses continue to be the best producing baits, though some fish are also being caught on minnows, crank and stick baits, Beetle Spins, and Rapalas.
Northern:
Northern pike are locating on deeper weeds, weed edges, and bars. Spoons, spinner and buzz baits, and northern suckers will catch pike. If you are looking for fast action, fish shallower water weeds. If you are in search of trophy pike you will have to fish deeper water and accept fewer battles. But what a battle when you hook a big one!
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth fishing is fairly good, and you can still catch some fish in the lily pads and slop with topwater baits. If you don’t find fish there, work deeper weed lines with spinners and spinnerbaits, stickbaits, plastics, scented worms, leeches, and crawlers.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action is also fairly good, though your chances of success are much better in the early morning and evening hours. You will find smallmouth bass holding in and around deeper water around rocks, weeds, and cribs. Plastics will work best during daytime hours, but in the evening, the top choices are topwaters, leeches, crawlers, and walleye suckers.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is good on most Hayward area lakes. Look for fish around weeds, cribs, bogs, and structure in depths from 6-20 feet, as well as suspending over deeper water. Crappie minnows, waxies, worms, and plastics are the baits of choice, and small spinners can also get their attention.
Bluegill:
Bluegills do not get much pressure this time of year, and yet fishing can be quite good. You will find the ‘gills near cribs, bogs, and suspending on weedlines in 6-15 feet of water. Waxies, leaf worms, crawler pieces, minnows, plastics and tubes can all be very effective and provide lots of action – and good eating.
Upcoming Events
Sept. 9: Bear season opens.
Sept. 12: Seasons open: Ruffed grouse; Turkey; Crow; Archery deer; Cottontail rabbit; Squirrel.
Sept. 12: RGS Sportsmen’s Banquet (354-7241; 634-2674.)
Sept. 13: Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame Kids Fish O’Rama (715-634-4440.)
Sept. 19: Woodcock season opens.
Sept. 25-26: Cable Area Fall Festival (800-533-7454.)
Sept. 26: 25th Annual Hayward Fall Festival (715-634-8662.)
Sept: 30: Trout season closes on most inland streams. (See regs for exceptions.)
Oct. 2-4: Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. 32nd Annual Fall Muskie Tournament (715 634 2921.)
For more information on area events and activities, see the Calendar of Events, visit Hayward Lakes Visitor and Convention Bureau, or call 1-800-724-2992.