walleyemaxx
07-14-2010, 08:11 PM
Hi everyone,
Here is this weeks HLVCB report.
July 12, 2010
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
Difficult as it is to believe, we are suddenly in mid-July! If you are still talking about "what you plan to do this summer" - you'd best stop talking and get to doing.
Both the 36th annual Honor the Earth Powwow and Birchwood Bluegill Festival are this coming weekend. (See the Upcoming Events Calendar below for contact information.)
The Hayward DNR station reports Tuscobia State Trail is in good condition and offers great wildlife and wildflower viewing. Flambeau River State Forest reports all ATV trails are open and in good condition following some closures due to washouts. Flambeau River's North Fork is at a normal level; the South Fork is somewhat high.
DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt says water levels on the major flowages are near normal.
"Water levels on the natural lakes have come up four to six inches, but many remain very low from more than six years of drought. Stream and river levels are near normal, or slightly high, following recent rains.
"And watch out for the bugs. The recent rains provided a fresh hatch of mosquitoes, deer flies, and ankle-biters!"
Fishing Reports
Muskies:
Musky fishing is reasonably good and getting better. Fish for them on weeds and weed beds, points, breaks, mid-lake bars, drop-offs, and other structure in 4-18 feet of water. Baits of choice at this time include bucktails, spinner, crank, swim, and jerk baits, topwaters, and live suckers on quick-strike rigs.
Walleye:
Walleyes remain scattered, action is somewhat slow and challenging (though improving), and anglers fishing at night and in early morning hours continue to have the best success. Target weeds and weed edges, cribs, rocks, brush, bars, and mid-lake humps. Depths range from 6-30 feet or deeper, and vary from lake to lake. On flowages, concentrate on channel areas. Leeches on slip bobbers and crawlers on harnesses are the top producers. Fatheads on jigs, walleyes suckers on bottom bouncers, and trolled stick, crank, and minnow baits are all catching fish, too.
Northern:
Northern action is excellent on bucktails, spoons, spinners and spinnerbaits, buzz, chatter, and crank baits, and of course with northern suckers fished under bobbers or on Lindy Rigs. Look for them in/on weeds and weed edges, bay openings, and any areas you find panfish, in shallow water to as deep as 20 feet or more for trophy pike. And at the risk of being repetitious (have I said that before?) northerns are great on the table.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth action is slower than normal at this time of year, fishing early and late should increase your chances for success. Fish in/on/around weeds (both deep and along the shoreline), wood, brush, lily pads, slop, docks, and bog edges. Depths vary from very shallow to 20 feet. The most productive baits are crank, buzz, topwater, and spinner baits, spinners, tubes, artificial worms, plastics, and live bait offerings of crawlers, suckers, and leeches.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action ranges from sub-fair to good. You might find smallies on hard-bottoms, rocks/rock bars, mid-lake humps, points, wood, weeds, and transition areas in 8-25 feet of water. That's the first challenge. Next is selecting the particular bait they want on that particular day. Tubes and plastics, spinners and spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and topwaters can all be productive. For live bait, try leeches, suckers, or crawlers under slip bobbers or on drop-shot rigs.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is good, though success is better in the early morning and late evening/after dark. It's difficult to beat crappie minnows or plastics, but crappies are also taking fatheads, waxies, worms, crawlers, and spinners. Fish the live bait on plain/dressed jigs or plain hooks, and/or under a slip bobber. Once you find the correct depth, a slip bobber will allow you to bounce the bait on the crappie's noses - and the correct depth could be somewhere between 3-25 feet. Look for weeds, cribs, bogs, brush, or stumps, and some fish are suspending over deeper water and near mid-depth cover.
Bluegill:
Bluegill fishing is very good, though bigger fish will require bigger effort. Look for weeds, brush, cribs and stumps at various depths, from 3-20 feet. Some fish, those larger ones, are suspending over deeper water and along deep cover and weed beds. Top baits are the usual bluegill fare of waxies, worms, red worms, crawlers/chunks, panfish leeches, and plastics. (Those big 'gills will readily take minnows, too.) Fish them on small dressed or plain jigs, plain hooks, with or without a bobber. Whether you vertical jig, drift fish, or cast to the cover, you should experience excellent action.
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.
Thanks for reading!
Sherry Beckman
Hayward Lakes Visitors and Convention Bureau
Enjoy and respect the outdoors everyone
Walleyemaxx
Here is this weeks HLVCB report.
July 12, 2010
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
Difficult as it is to believe, we are suddenly in mid-July! If you are still talking about "what you plan to do this summer" - you'd best stop talking and get to doing.
Both the 36th annual Honor the Earth Powwow and Birchwood Bluegill Festival are this coming weekend. (See the Upcoming Events Calendar below for contact information.)
The Hayward DNR station reports Tuscobia State Trail is in good condition and offers great wildlife and wildflower viewing. Flambeau River State Forest reports all ATV trails are open and in good condition following some closures due to washouts. Flambeau River's North Fork is at a normal level; the South Fork is somewhat high.
DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt says water levels on the major flowages are near normal.
"Water levels on the natural lakes have come up four to six inches, but many remain very low from more than six years of drought. Stream and river levels are near normal, or slightly high, following recent rains.
"And watch out for the bugs. The recent rains provided a fresh hatch of mosquitoes, deer flies, and ankle-biters!"
Fishing Reports
Muskies:
Musky fishing is reasonably good and getting better. Fish for them on weeds and weed beds, points, breaks, mid-lake bars, drop-offs, and other structure in 4-18 feet of water. Baits of choice at this time include bucktails, spinner, crank, swim, and jerk baits, topwaters, and live suckers on quick-strike rigs.
Walleye:
Walleyes remain scattered, action is somewhat slow and challenging (though improving), and anglers fishing at night and in early morning hours continue to have the best success. Target weeds and weed edges, cribs, rocks, brush, bars, and mid-lake humps. Depths range from 6-30 feet or deeper, and vary from lake to lake. On flowages, concentrate on channel areas. Leeches on slip bobbers and crawlers on harnesses are the top producers. Fatheads on jigs, walleyes suckers on bottom bouncers, and trolled stick, crank, and minnow baits are all catching fish, too.
Northern:
Northern action is excellent on bucktails, spoons, spinners and spinnerbaits, buzz, chatter, and crank baits, and of course with northern suckers fished under bobbers or on Lindy Rigs. Look for them in/on weeds and weed edges, bay openings, and any areas you find panfish, in shallow water to as deep as 20 feet or more for trophy pike. And at the risk of being repetitious (have I said that before?) northerns are great on the table.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth action is slower than normal at this time of year, fishing early and late should increase your chances for success. Fish in/on/around weeds (both deep and along the shoreline), wood, brush, lily pads, slop, docks, and bog edges. Depths vary from very shallow to 20 feet. The most productive baits are crank, buzz, topwater, and spinner baits, spinners, tubes, artificial worms, plastics, and live bait offerings of crawlers, suckers, and leeches.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action ranges from sub-fair to good. You might find smallies on hard-bottoms, rocks/rock bars, mid-lake humps, points, wood, weeds, and transition areas in 8-25 feet of water. That's the first challenge. Next is selecting the particular bait they want on that particular day. Tubes and plastics, spinners and spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and topwaters can all be productive. For live bait, try leeches, suckers, or crawlers under slip bobbers or on drop-shot rigs.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is good, though success is better in the early morning and late evening/after dark. It's difficult to beat crappie minnows or plastics, but crappies are also taking fatheads, waxies, worms, crawlers, and spinners. Fish the live bait on plain/dressed jigs or plain hooks, and/or under a slip bobber. Once you find the correct depth, a slip bobber will allow you to bounce the bait on the crappie's noses - and the correct depth could be somewhere between 3-25 feet. Look for weeds, cribs, bogs, brush, or stumps, and some fish are suspending over deeper water and near mid-depth cover.
Bluegill:
Bluegill fishing is very good, though bigger fish will require bigger effort. Look for weeds, brush, cribs and stumps at various depths, from 3-20 feet. Some fish, those larger ones, are suspending over deeper water and along deep cover and weed beds. Top baits are the usual bluegill fare of waxies, worms, red worms, crawlers/chunks, panfish leeches, and plastics. (Those big 'gills will readily take minnows, too.) Fish them on small dressed or plain jigs, plain hooks, with or without a bobber. Whether you vertical jig, drift fish, or cast to the cover, you should experience excellent action.
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.
Thanks for reading!
Sherry Beckman
Hayward Lakes Visitors and Convention Bureau
Enjoy and respect the outdoors everyone
Walleyemaxx