Hayward Lakes Sherry
06-15-2010, 10:36 AM
June 14, 2010
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
We enjoyed a good week of cool nights, moderate days, and – though disappointing for some – much needed rain. The need remains, but most people (visitors and residents alike) are ready for a few days of sun.
Steve Genson at Pastika’s reports several large muskies, a couple more than 50 inches, were caught in the past week.
“Action should stay consistent with warm water,” says Genson. “Fish will start moving toward deeper weeds and bars, and night fishing will improve toward the end of this month. For now, Bull Dawgs and bucktails are getting considerable action around shallow weeds, particularly in the afternoon and evening hours.”
Randy at Jenk’s says minnows are the best choice for scattered crappies, and cooler temperatures moved bluegills to deeper water. John at Stone Lake Bait says anglers are still seeing spawning bluegills and having very good success with waxies on plain hooks.
“These rains will stabilize the lakes,” says Pat at Happy Hooker, “and will in a small way raise water levels a smidgen higher than they have been. Warmer weather is on tap, and that will make for very good fishing.”
Northern zone bass harvest season opens June 19 and runs through March 6. According to DNR fisheries biologists, bass populations are high and fishing has never been better. Some lakes have special restrictions, so be sure to check the current fishing regulations.
“Bass are very active and fishing should be good for this Saturday’s Northern Zone bass opener,” says Bob at Hayward Bait. “And with rising water temperatures, we should see increasing activity.”
Cathy at Minnow Jim’s recommends scented worms, spinnerbaits, poppers, and frogs for Nelson Lake’s largemouth bass. Brian at Outdoor Creations says bass are in huge numbers, fun to catch, and tossing spinnerbaits next to docks and trees are good spots to start.
DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt says that although the Northern Zone bass harvest season opens Saturday June 19, many bass are still guarding schools of fingerling fish and anglers should practice a lot of catch-and-release.
Fishing Reports
Muskies:
Musky action is fair to very good, with afternoon and evening hours producing the best success. Concentrate on break areas, bar edges, and shallow weed beds, particularly those with new weeds. Bucktails, plastics, jerk, glide, twitch, crank, stick, and surface baits are all catching fish, and large musky suckers on quick-strike rigs are doing well, too.
Walleye:
Walleye fishing is inconsistent, and the mayfly hatches on many lakes are largely responsible for the situation. Target weeds, weed edges, bars, mid-lake humps, breaks, and rock bars in 4-20 feet of water. Early morning and late evening into after dark continue to offer the best fishing. Leeches and crawlers on jigs, bait harnesses/spinner rigs, Lindy Rigs, or under slip bobbers are the baits and presentations of choice, and walleye suckers and fatheads are still producing a few fish. Crankbaits, Rapalas, plastics, and Beetle Spins can also be effective, particularly for the shallow evening bite.
Northern:
Northern action is very good around shallow weeds/weed lines, bars, bays in water down to 15 feet of so. Larger pike will be in the deeper water. When pike are on the move, it’s difficult to pick a “wrong” bait. For artificials, try spoons, spinners, spinnerbaits, crank, stick, twitch, and topwater baits, chatter and buzz baits. Northern suckers under bobbers or on a Lindy Rig can also be very good.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth are mostly done spawning and beginning their summer patterns. You might still find a few fish spawning on the deep, clear water lakes. Work shallow bays, weeds, wood, rock, docks, and other structures in 3-12 feet of water with plastic worms, spinnerbaits, Beetle Spins, crankbaits, jigs/pigs, topwaters/frogs, leeches, and crawlers.
Smallmouth Bass:
With the exception of the deep, clear lakes, smallmouth are generally post-spawn. Look for deeper water rock, wood, humps, bars, and points in 10-20 feet of water, adjacent to spawning areas and drop-offs. Tubes, plastics, crank, jerk, spinner and topwater baits are very effective, and for live bait, use fatheads and leeches.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is good to excellent. Fish are scattered, suspending, and some are in deeper water. Focus on areas with weeds, woods, stumps, and cribs in depths down to 20 feet. Crappie minnows, small fatheads, leeches, waxies, and plastics under slip bobbers are all working, but small spinners and Beetle Spins are also catching fish.
Bluegill:
Bluegill action is very good to excellent, and on the deeper lakes some fish are still spawning. Look for sandy bottom shallow water bays and weeds, deeper weedlines, cribs, and stumps down to 20 feet. You can’t go wrong with small dressed jigs, ice jigs, or plain hooks tipped with waxies, leaf, garden, or red worms, small leeches, or plastics under slip bobbers. Small spinners or minnows fished in deeper water might help you avoid small fish.
Upcoming Events
June 19: Northern Zone bass season changes from catch-and-release to daily bag limits. (See regs.)
June 24-27: 61st annual Musky Festival (715-634-8662.)
June 25-27: Hayward Lions “Dr. John Ryan” Musky Fest fishing contest.
July 16-18: 36th annual Honor the Earth Powwow (715-634-8924.)
July 16-18: Birchwood Bluegill Festival (800-236-2252.)
July 23-25: Lumberjack World Championships (715-634-2484.)
Through July 31: Illegal to run dogs on WPA lands. (See regs.)
Aug. 1: Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. Kid’s Fishing Day (715-634-2921.)
Aug. 2: Application Deadline: Fall turkey; Sharp-tailed grouse; Bobcat; Otter; Fisher; Horicon and Collins goose zones.
Aug. 19-22: 103rd annual Sawyer County Fair (715-934-2721.)
Aug. 27-29: Mega Bass Shootout at Musky Tale Resort (715-462-3838.)
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
We enjoyed a good week of cool nights, moderate days, and – though disappointing for some – much needed rain. The need remains, but most people (visitors and residents alike) are ready for a few days of sun.
Steve Genson at Pastika’s reports several large muskies, a couple more than 50 inches, were caught in the past week.
“Action should stay consistent with warm water,” says Genson. “Fish will start moving toward deeper weeds and bars, and night fishing will improve toward the end of this month. For now, Bull Dawgs and bucktails are getting considerable action around shallow weeds, particularly in the afternoon and evening hours.”
Randy at Jenk’s says minnows are the best choice for scattered crappies, and cooler temperatures moved bluegills to deeper water. John at Stone Lake Bait says anglers are still seeing spawning bluegills and having very good success with waxies on plain hooks.
“These rains will stabilize the lakes,” says Pat at Happy Hooker, “and will in a small way raise water levels a smidgen higher than they have been. Warmer weather is on tap, and that will make for very good fishing.”
Northern zone bass harvest season opens June 19 and runs through March 6. According to DNR fisheries biologists, bass populations are high and fishing has never been better. Some lakes have special restrictions, so be sure to check the current fishing regulations.
“Bass are very active and fishing should be good for this Saturday’s Northern Zone bass opener,” says Bob at Hayward Bait. “And with rising water temperatures, we should see increasing activity.”
Cathy at Minnow Jim’s recommends scented worms, spinnerbaits, poppers, and frogs for Nelson Lake’s largemouth bass. Brian at Outdoor Creations says bass are in huge numbers, fun to catch, and tossing spinnerbaits next to docks and trees are good spots to start.
DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt says that although the Northern Zone bass harvest season opens Saturday June 19, many bass are still guarding schools of fingerling fish and anglers should practice a lot of catch-and-release.
Fishing Reports
Muskies:
Musky action is fair to very good, with afternoon and evening hours producing the best success. Concentrate on break areas, bar edges, and shallow weed beds, particularly those with new weeds. Bucktails, plastics, jerk, glide, twitch, crank, stick, and surface baits are all catching fish, and large musky suckers on quick-strike rigs are doing well, too.
Walleye:
Walleye fishing is inconsistent, and the mayfly hatches on many lakes are largely responsible for the situation. Target weeds, weed edges, bars, mid-lake humps, breaks, and rock bars in 4-20 feet of water. Early morning and late evening into after dark continue to offer the best fishing. Leeches and crawlers on jigs, bait harnesses/spinner rigs, Lindy Rigs, or under slip bobbers are the baits and presentations of choice, and walleye suckers and fatheads are still producing a few fish. Crankbaits, Rapalas, plastics, and Beetle Spins can also be effective, particularly for the shallow evening bite.
Northern:
Northern action is very good around shallow weeds/weed lines, bars, bays in water down to 15 feet of so. Larger pike will be in the deeper water. When pike are on the move, it’s difficult to pick a “wrong” bait. For artificials, try spoons, spinners, spinnerbaits, crank, stick, twitch, and topwater baits, chatter and buzz baits. Northern suckers under bobbers or on a Lindy Rig can also be very good.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth are mostly done spawning and beginning their summer patterns. You might still find a few fish spawning on the deep, clear water lakes. Work shallow bays, weeds, wood, rock, docks, and other structures in 3-12 feet of water with plastic worms, spinnerbaits, Beetle Spins, crankbaits, jigs/pigs, topwaters/frogs, leeches, and crawlers.
Smallmouth Bass:
With the exception of the deep, clear lakes, smallmouth are generally post-spawn. Look for deeper water rock, wood, humps, bars, and points in 10-20 feet of water, adjacent to spawning areas and drop-offs. Tubes, plastics, crank, jerk, spinner and topwater baits are very effective, and for live bait, use fatheads and leeches.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is good to excellent. Fish are scattered, suspending, and some are in deeper water. Focus on areas with weeds, woods, stumps, and cribs in depths down to 20 feet. Crappie minnows, small fatheads, leeches, waxies, and plastics under slip bobbers are all working, but small spinners and Beetle Spins are also catching fish.
Bluegill:
Bluegill action is very good to excellent, and on the deeper lakes some fish are still spawning. Look for sandy bottom shallow water bays and weeds, deeper weedlines, cribs, and stumps down to 20 feet. You can’t go wrong with small dressed jigs, ice jigs, or plain hooks tipped with waxies, leaf, garden, or red worms, small leeches, or plastics under slip bobbers. Small spinners or minnows fished in deeper water might help you avoid small fish.
Upcoming Events
June 19: Northern Zone bass season changes from catch-and-release to daily bag limits. (See regs.)
June 24-27: 61st annual Musky Festival (715-634-8662.)
June 25-27: Hayward Lions “Dr. John Ryan” Musky Fest fishing contest.
July 16-18: 36th annual Honor the Earth Powwow (715-634-8924.)
July 16-18: Birchwood Bluegill Festival (800-236-2252.)
July 23-25: Lumberjack World Championships (715-634-2484.)
Through July 31: Illegal to run dogs on WPA lands. (See regs.)
Aug. 1: Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. Kid’s Fishing Day (715-634-2921.)
Aug. 2: Application Deadline: Fall turkey; Sharp-tailed grouse; Bobcat; Otter; Fisher; Horicon and Collins goose zones.
Aug. 19-22: 103rd annual Sawyer County Fair (715-934-2721.)
Aug. 27-29: Mega Bass Shootout at Musky Tale Resort (715-462-3838.)
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.