walleyemaxx
04-07-2010, 10:22 AM
Hi everyone,
Here's your weekly report sponsored by the hayward Lakes Visitor and Convention Bureau.
April 05, 2010
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
Spring weather in the north woods continues to be just about perfect, and nearly all area lakes are now free of ice. Turkeys are gobbling, deer are looking “raggedy” as they lose their winter coats, sandhill cranes are on their nesting sites, and even a few bears are out and about, roaming the countryside. And destroying bird feeders.
“In general, activity is a little slow right now,” says Pat at Happy Hooker, “but we are selling a bunch of licenses. Folks are installing their docks, a few anglers are on the lakes, and some people going up to fish Lake Superior for coho report good success.”
Nelson at Hayward Bait says they, too, are selling a lot of new licenses.
“Anglers are fishing or getting ready for the game fish opener, and hunters are preparing for spring turkey hunting season. Quite a few anglers are fishing for redhorse and crappies, and some are going up to the Brule River for steelhead.”
At Outdoor Creations, Brian says they are selling licenses and bait as anglers are fishing and getting ready for the May 1 opener. As a side note, he mentions this area is very much in need of rain.
“Action is just starting for bluegill, crappie, and perch,” says Al at Pastika’s. “I recommend waxies, worms, and plastics for bluegills, crappie minnows, plastics, and jigs for crappies, and fatheads, crappie minnows, waxies, and leaf worms for perch.
“Redhorse anglers are having some decent success, but it’s mostly for smaller fish. Reports from the Brule River are good, though there are a lot of anglers and they are struggling to catch legal-size fish.”
The 2010 DNR Spring Fish and Wildlife Rule Hearings and Conservation Congress county meetings are Monday April 12, starting at 7 p.m., at locations in every county. This year, the Sawyer County hearing and meeting is at Winter High School.
Proposals concerning wildlife include the use of atlatls for hunting small game, allowing youth 16-17 to participate in youth deer and turkey hunts, and the use of magnifying scopes on muzzleloaders for deer hunting.
Proposals of interest to anglers include two issues specifically applicable to northwest Wisconsin lakes. One issue is a walleye recovery plan for 21 lakes with declining walleye populations. Another is the opening of all waters in Ashland, Iron, Price and Sawyer counties to motor trolling. Currently in Sawyer County, only Chetac, Grindstone, Lac Courte Oreilles, Nelson, Round, Whitefish and Windigo lakes allow motor trolling.
More information is available on the hearings pages of the DNR website.
The first of six, five-day spring turkey hunting periods opens April 14. The season runs through May 23, and seven zones, 15 state parks, and Fort McCoy are open for hunting. The DNR made more than 225,700 permits available for this spring’s hunt, and issued more than 149,000 permits in the preference drawing. Sale of the 76,636 leftover tags began March 22, and remaining permits are available until sold out or the season ends.
As of Monday April 5, permits are available for periods E (May 12-16) and F (May 19-23) as follows:
Zone 1: Period E - 5392; Period F - 9798.
Zone 3: Period E - 5205; Period F - 8595.
Zone 4: Period F - 918.
The spring season success rate for Wisconsin hunters during the past few years ranges from 23-25-percent.
Wisconsin’s Youth Turkey Hunt is April 10-11, the weekend prior to the regular season opener. Under the new Mentored Hunting Program, youth ages 10-15 can participate in the two-day hunt without completing hunter education if they 1) hunt with a qualified adult mentor and 2) follow the rules. Adults (hunters born on or after January 1, 1973) who do not possess hunter education certification are eligible for the mentored hunting program for the regular season. For specific details on youth hunts and the Mentored Hunting Program, visit the DNR website.
A two-year pilot program recently signed into law may again allow utility terrain vehicles (UTV) – also known as lightweight utility vehicles or side-by-sides – on select county ATV trails and routes statewide. The new program is significantly different than the previous program that expired last September.
Gary Eddy, DNR ATV administrator, says a county must pass a resolution to participate, and it is important people understand they must wait until counties opt into this new program. He says anyone operating a UTV on trails or roads not officially open will receive a ticket.
Upcoming Events
March 31: Your 2009 hunting/fishing licenses expired!
April 10-11: Youth spring turkey hunt.
April 12: Fish & Wildlife Spring Hearings/Conservation Congress county meetings (7 p.m.)
April 14-May 23: Spring turkey season.
April 15-July 31: Illegal to run dogs on WPA lands. (See regs.)
April 25: Early catch-and-release only trout season closes at midnight.
Spring turkey hunting periods:
A: April 14-16; B: April 21-25; C: April 28-May 2; D: May 5-9; E: May 12-16; F: May 19-23.
Here's your weekly report sponsored by the hayward Lakes Visitor and Convention Bureau.
April 05, 2010
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
Spring weather in the north woods continues to be just about perfect, and nearly all area lakes are now free of ice. Turkeys are gobbling, deer are looking “raggedy” as they lose their winter coats, sandhill cranes are on their nesting sites, and even a few bears are out and about, roaming the countryside. And destroying bird feeders.
“In general, activity is a little slow right now,” says Pat at Happy Hooker, “but we are selling a bunch of licenses. Folks are installing their docks, a few anglers are on the lakes, and some people going up to fish Lake Superior for coho report good success.”
Nelson at Hayward Bait says they, too, are selling a lot of new licenses.
“Anglers are fishing or getting ready for the game fish opener, and hunters are preparing for spring turkey hunting season. Quite a few anglers are fishing for redhorse and crappies, and some are going up to the Brule River for steelhead.”
At Outdoor Creations, Brian says they are selling licenses and bait as anglers are fishing and getting ready for the May 1 opener. As a side note, he mentions this area is very much in need of rain.
“Action is just starting for bluegill, crappie, and perch,” says Al at Pastika’s. “I recommend waxies, worms, and plastics for bluegills, crappie minnows, plastics, and jigs for crappies, and fatheads, crappie minnows, waxies, and leaf worms for perch.
“Redhorse anglers are having some decent success, but it’s mostly for smaller fish. Reports from the Brule River are good, though there are a lot of anglers and they are struggling to catch legal-size fish.”
The 2010 DNR Spring Fish and Wildlife Rule Hearings and Conservation Congress county meetings are Monday April 12, starting at 7 p.m., at locations in every county. This year, the Sawyer County hearing and meeting is at Winter High School.
Proposals concerning wildlife include the use of atlatls for hunting small game, allowing youth 16-17 to participate in youth deer and turkey hunts, and the use of magnifying scopes on muzzleloaders for deer hunting.
Proposals of interest to anglers include two issues specifically applicable to northwest Wisconsin lakes. One issue is a walleye recovery plan for 21 lakes with declining walleye populations. Another is the opening of all waters in Ashland, Iron, Price and Sawyer counties to motor trolling. Currently in Sawyer County, only Chetac, Grindstone, Lac Courte Oreilles, Nelson, Round, Whitefish and Windigo lakes allow motor trolling.
More information is available on the hearings pages of the DNR website.
The first of six, five-day spring turkey hunting periods opens April 14. The season runs through May 23, and seven zones, 15 state parks, and Fort McCoy are open for hunting. The DNR made more than 225,700 permits available for this spring’s hunt, and issued more than 149,000 permits in the preference drawing. Sale of the 76,636 leftover tags began March 22, and remaining permits are available until sold out or the season ends.
As of Monday April 5, permits are available for periods E (May 12-16) and F (May 19-23) as follows:
Zone 1: Period E - 5392; Period F - 9798.
Zone 3: Period E - 5205; Period F - 8595.
Zone 4: Period F - 918.
The spring season success rate for Wisconsin hunters during the past few years ranges from 23-25-percent.
Wisconsin’s Youth Turkey Hunt is April 10-11, the weekend prior to the regular season opener. Under the new Mentored Hunting Program, youth ages 10-15 can participate in the two-day hunt without completing hunter education if they 1) hunt with a qualified adult mentor and 2) follow the rules. Adults (hunters born on or after January 1, 1973) who do not possess hunter education certification are eligible for the mentored hunting program for the regular season. For specific details on youth hunts and the Mentored Hunting Program, visit the DNR website.
A two-year pilot program recently signed into law may again allow utility terrain vehicles (UTV) – also known as lightweight utility vehicles or side-by-sides – on select county ATV trails and routes statewide. The new program is significantly different than the previous program that expired last September.
Gary Eddy, DNR ATV administrator, says a county must pass a resolution to participate, and it is important people understand they must wait until counties opt into this new program. He says anyone operating a UTV on trails or roads not officially open will receive a ticket.
Upcoming Events
March 31: Your 2009 hunting/fishing licenses expired!
April 10-11: Youth spring turkey hunt.
April 12: Fish & Wildlife Spring Hearings/Conservation Congress county meetings (7 p.m.)
April 14-May 23: Spring turkey season.
April 15-July 31: Illegal to run dogs on WPA lands. (See regs.)
April 25: Early catch-and-release only trout season closes at midnight.
Spring turkey hunting periods:
A: April 14-16; B: April 21-25; C: April 28-May 2; D: May 5-9; E: May 12-16; F: May 19-23.