Hayward Lakes Sherry
06-29-2010, 10:23 AM
June 28, 2010
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
Musky Festival weather was acceptable, though rain showers did move through the area Friday and Sunday. The current forecast (with no promises!) indicates a week of clear skies and very pleasant temperature.
DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt says recent heavy rains have alleviated low water conditions on most flowages and drainage lakes in the area, but many seepage lakes still have very low water levels, and some have difficult access.
“Another interesting observation,” adds Sommerfeldt, “is that the low-water, drought conditions earlier this year had produced some fairly clear water on many water bodies. The heavy runoff of recent weeks, however, has resulted in a medium to dark stain returning to many of these waters, and, some anglers claim, this has contributed to the disrupted fishing patterns.”
In an attempt to educate boaters and anglers about a new invasive species law, the DNR will have wardens out “in force” during the July Fourth holiday. Be aware: The new law makes it illegal to leave a boat launch and drive on public roads with aquatic plants and animals attached to boats, trailers, or equipment. The first offense will cost between $232 to $767.50. A second offense within three years could cost you up to $2,657.
The North and South forks of the Flambeau River are at flood stage, and the DNR advises paddlers to wait until the water recedes before making a river trip. Heavy rains are causing flooding and washouts on many Flambeau River State Forest roads and trails, causing some temporary closures.
The graveled surface of Tuscobia State Trail is in good condition and UTVs are now allowed on the trail in Price, Sawyer, and Washburn counties.
Fishing Reports
Muskies:
Musky fishing is fair to good, with late afternoon offering the best action. Target weeds, weed lines, and submerged weed beds, and mid-lake bars in 3-20 feet of water. Anglers are catching muskies on bucktails, jerk, surface, and glide baits, Bull Dawgs, plastics, spinners and spinnerbaits, and suckers on quick-strike rigs.
Walleye:
Walleyes are scattered, the bite is inconsistent, and fishing is challenging. Best action is early morning and late evening into after dark. Depths vary from 4-30 feet, depending on the time, lake, and location on the lake. Concentrate on weeds, drop-offs, rocks, and mid-lake humps. In general, fish shallow on stained water lakes and during low light hours, and deeper water on clear lakes and during daytime hours. However ... some anglers are catching walleyes in shallow weeds during the day. (See first sentence.) Top baits include leeches and crawlers on jigs, spinner rigs, and under slip bobbers; fatheads and walleye suckers; trolled crank and stick baits; and cast stickbaits, crankbaits, Shad Raps, Flat Raps, and Beetle Spins.
Northern:
Northern action is very good in shallow water down to about 12 feet around panfish and bays, points, and weeds. Fish deeper water weed lines for larger pike. Bucktails, spoons, spinners and spinnerbaits, buzz, chatter, surface, and stick baits, and plastics will all catch pike. Northern suckers on jigs or under a bobber are also very effective for northern.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth fishing is excellent and most local waters hold good populations. Look for shallow bays with weed flats, wood, lily pads, docks, fallen trees, brush, stumps, and slop, but don’t neglect deeper weeds and weedlines down to 12 feet and deeper. Hungry largemouth are “less than selective” so odds are good what you throw will work. Suggested artificials include crank, spinner, buzz, and surface baits, Texas-rigged worms, plastic frogs, wacky rigs, X-Raps, and swim jigs. For live bait, try leeches, crawlers, or fatheads under bobbers.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action is good, but fish are somewhat scattered. Look for rocks, hard bottom/gravel, drop-offs, points, mid-lake humps and bars, and transition areas in depths ranging from 3-20 feet of water. Tube jigs, rubber worms, plastics, (it’s hard to beat crawdad colors), jerk, spinner, crank, and topwater baits will all catch smallies. If your choice is live bait, use northern suckers, fatheads, and leeches on jigs or under slip bobbers.
Crappie:
Crappie action is fair to very good, depending on the lake, often with best fishing in the evening hours. Fish are suspending in 3-20 feet of water around weeds/weedlines, cribs, bogs, wood, stumps, and along outside weed edges. Try plain and dressed jigs or plain hooks with under slip bobbers crappie minnows or small fatheads, leeches, waxies, crawlers, worms, plastics, and Gulp! panfish baits. Small crankbaits, spinners, and topwaters will also catch crappies.
Bluegill:
Bluegill action is very good on most all area waters. Weeds, cribs, wood, stumps, brush, downed trees, and other shoreline structure can all hold bluegills. Depending on the lake, depths can very from very shallow down to 20 feet, but fish will be in and around cover. Best baits include waxies, crawler chunks, leaf worms, leeches, minnows, plastics, and Gulp! panfish baits. Fish them on small jigs, ice jigs, or plain hooks, with or without bobbers or slip bobbers. Small crankbaits, poppers, and other small surface baits are both fun and effective.
Upcoming Events
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
Musky Festival weather was acceptable, though rain showers did move through the area Friday and Sunday. The current forecast (with no promises!) indicates a week of clear skies and very pleasant temperature.
DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt says recent heavy rains have alleviated low water conditions on most flowages and drainage lakes in the area, but many seepage lakes still have very low water levels, and some have difficult access.
“Another interesting observation,” adds Sommerfeldt, “is that the low-water, drought conditions earlier this year had produced some fairly clear water on many water bodies. The heavy runoff of recent weeks, however, has resulted in a medium to dark stain returning to many of these waters, and, some anglers claim, this has contributed to the disrupted fishing patterns.”
In an attempt to educate boaters and anglers about a new invasive species law, the DNR will have wardens out “in force” during the July Fourth holiday. Be aware: The new law makes it illegal to leave a boat launch and drive on public roads with aquatic plants and animals attached to boats, trailers, or equipment. The first offense will cost between $232 to $767.50. A second offense within three years could cost you up to $2,657.
The North and South forks of the Flambeau River are at flood stage, and the DNR advises paddlers to wait until the water recedes before making a river trip. Heavy rains are causing flooding and washouts on many Flambeau River State Forest roads and trails, causing some temporary closures.
The graveled surface of Tuscobia State Trail is in good condition and UTVs are now allowed on the trail in Price, Sawyer, and Washburn counties.
Fishing Reports
Muskies:
Musky fishing is fair to good, with late afternoon offering the best action. Target weeds, weed lines, and submerged weed beds, and mid-lake bars in 3-20 feet of water. Anglers are catching muskies on bucktails, jerk, surface, and glide baits, Bull Dawgs, plastics, spinners and spinnerbaits, and suckers on quick-strike rigs.
Walleye:
Walleyes are scattered, the bite is inconsistent, and fishing is challenging. Best action is early morning and late evening into after dark. Depths vary from 4-30 feet, depending on the time, lake, and location on the lake. Concentrate on weeds, drop-offs, rocks, and mid-lake humps. In general, fish shallow on stained water lakes and during low light hours, and deeper water on clear lakes and during daytime hours. However ... some anglers are catching walleyes in shallow weeds during the day. (See first sentence.) Top baits include leeches and crawlers on jigs, spinner rigs, and under slip bobbers; fatheads and walleye suckers; trolled crank and stick baits; and cast stickbaits, crankbaits, Shad Raps, Flat Raps, and Beetle Spins.
Northern:
Northern action is very good in shallow water down to about 12 feet around panfish and bays, points, and weeds. Fish deeper water weed lines for larger pike. Bucktails, spoons, spinners and spinnerbaits, buzz, chatter, surface, and stick baits, and plastics will all catch pike. Northern suckers on jigs or under a bobber are also very effective for northern.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth fishing is excellent and most local waters hold good populations. Look for shallow bays with weed flats, wood, lily pads, docks, fallen trees, brush, stumps, and slop, but don’t neglect deeper weeds and weedlines down to 12 feet and deeper. Hungry largemouth are “less than selective” so odds are good what you throw will work. Suggested artificials include crank, spinner, buzz, and surface baits, Texas-rigged worms, plastic frogs, wacky rigs, X-Raps, and swim jigs. For live bait, try leeches, crawlers, or fatheads under bobbers.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action is good, but fish are somewhat scattered. Look for rocks, hard bottom/gravel, drop-offs, points, mid-lake humps and bars, and transition areas in depths ranging from 3-20 feet of water. Tube jigs, rubber worms, plastics, (it’s hard to beat crawdad colors), jerk, spinner, crank, and topwater baits will all catch smallies. If your choice is live bait, use northern suckers, fatheads, and leeches on jigs or under slip bobbers.
Crappie:
Crappie action is fair to very good, depending on the lake, often with best fishing in the evening hours. Fish are suspending in 3-20 feet of water around weeds/weedlines, cribs, bogs, wood, stumps, and along outside weed edges. Try plain and dressed jigs or plain hooks with under slip bobbers crappie minnows or small fatheads, leeches, waxies, crawlers, worms, plastics, and Gulp! panfish baits. Small crankbaits, spinners, and topwaters will also catch crappies.
Bluegill:
Bluegill action is very good on most all area waters. Weeds, cribs, wood, stumps, brush, downed trees, and other shoreline structure can all hold bluegills. Depending on the lake, depths can very from very shallow down to 20 feet, but fish will be in and around cover. Best baits include waxies, crawler chunks, leaf worms, leeches, minnows, plastics, and Gulp! panfish baits. Fish them on small jigs, ice jigs, or plain hooks, with or without bobbers or slip bobbers. Small crankbaits, poppers, and other small surface baits are both fun and effective.
Upcoming Events
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.