Hayward Lakes Sherry
07-19-2010, 12:39 PM
July 19, 2010
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
Some rough summer storms moved through the Hayward area in the past week, disrupting both fish feeding patterns and people’s pursuits. This week’s forecast appears to call for fairly comfortable and stable weather, good for both fun and fish.
“Our lakes now have more ‘normal’ summertime conditions,” says Pat at Happy Hooker, “with higher water levels and water temperatures near 80 degrees. We could still use more rain – but it would be nice if it would come at night.
“You will see lots of boating activity through the middle of August, and as a result, fishing is better in the early mornings and evenings than during the mid-day periods.
“Also, if you are going to spend some time in the woods, be sure to bring along some insect lotion for mosquitoes and, most especially, for wood ticks.”
DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt says constantly changing weather conditions during the past week made for real inconsistent fishing action and kept anglers watchful of the skies.
“Weed abundance seems relatively low for this time of year,” Sommerfeldt adds. “On many lakes and flowages, areas with typically thick weed beds have only light to moderate weed growth. The dark-stained run-off water, the result of heavy rains, limited plant growth, and many mid-depth weed beds will continue to be rather sparse throughout the summer.”
Fishing Reports
Muskies:
Musky action continues to improve with warming water temperatures, but it also continues to be somewhat inconsistent. Anglers are seeing quite a few fish and getting follows, but not all are hooking fish. Late afternoons and evenings offer you the best odds. Night fishing, if you are so inclined, can be very good. Muskies are holding on mid-lake bars, weed beds, and thick weed cover in 4-18 feet, and suspending over deeper water. The most favored baits at this time are topwaters, jerkbaits, bucktails, Bull Dawgs, and suckers on quick-strike rigs
Walleye:
Walleyes remain scattered and anglers are (and have been) having a tough go of it. You can greatly increase your catch-rate success by fishing in the low light hours of early morning or in the evening into after dark. Work deep water if you fish during the day. Look for weeds, mid-lake humps and bars, brush, and river/flowage channels in 6-30 feet of water, depending on the time. Leeches under slip bobbers and crawlers on bottom bouncers or harnesses are the predominant baits. Jigs and minnows, and trolled stick and crank baits, are also catching fish.
Northern:
Northern pike continue to be aggressive and providing very good action for those who choose to pursue them ... and even for some who do not. Find weeds and panfish, and the pike will be nearby, in water down to about 20 feet. Northerns will hit just about anything you throw when they are hungry – and they always seem to be hungry. Spinners, spinnerbaits, stickbaits, spoons, bucktails, and northern suckers are all very productive baits for northern. Go deep for larger pike, and once again, northern are terrific on the table!
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth action is very good, with evening hours offering the best success. Weeds, wood, brush, stumps, docks, lily pads, and trees along the shoreline, in depths down to 18 feet, can all hold bass. The current top baits are spinners and spinnerbaits, buzz and crank baits, topwaters and poppers, large plastic and scented worms, lizards, and frogs, and crawlers and leeches.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action is very good on some waters ... and not so great on others. Look for them on hard bottoms, transition areas, weeds, cribs, flats, rocks, and humps in 6-25 feet of water. Plastics, tubes, spinners, spinner and crank baits, and topwaters are all catching smallmouth. Baits simulating crawdads in both color and action can be exceptionally effective at this time. For live bait, try leeches under slip bobbers.
Crappie:
Crappie action is fair to great, with best success in the evening hours. Concentrate your efforts on weeds and weed beds, bogs, brush, and cribs out to about 23 feet. Tip jigs (plain or dressed) or plain hooks with minnows, waxies, worms, crawlers, leeches, and plastics, and fish them under a slip bobber. Keep moving and trying different depths until you find the fish.
Bluegill:
Bluegills are plentiful in most Hayward waters and are offering good action, particularly, as with crappies, in the evening hours. You will probably have to do some sorting for a limit to provide a meal. Look for them near weeds/weed beds, wood, brush, bogs, and cribs out to about 20 feet of water. Baits of choice include waxies, worms, leeches, and plastics on plain hooks or dressed jigs, and poppers and other small surface baits. Work deeper water for larger ‘gills, and using minnows can deter smaller fish.
Upcoming Events
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: Musky Tale Resort Mega Bass Shootout (715-462-3838.)
Sept. 17-19: Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival.
Sept. 25: Hayward Fall Festival.
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
Some rough summer storms moved through the Hayward area in the past week, disrupting both fish feeding patterns and people’s pursuits. This week’s forecast appears to call for fairly comfortable and stable weather, good for both fun and fish.
“Our lakes now have more ‘normal’ summertime conditions,” says Pat at Happy Hooker, “with higher water levels and water temperatures near 80 degrees. We could still use more rain – but it would be nice if it would come at night.
“You will see lots of boating activity through the middle of August, and as a result, fishing is better in the early mornings and evenings than during the mid-day periods.
“Also, if you are going to spend some time in the woods, be sure to bring along some insect lotion for mosquitoes and, most especially, for wood ticks.”
DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt says constantly changing weather conditions during the past week made for real inconsistent fishing action and kept anglers watchful of the skies.
“Weed abundance seems relatively low for this time of year,” Sommerfeldt adds. “On many lakes and flowages, areas with typically thick weed beds have only light to moderate weed growth. The dark-stained run-off water, the result of heavy rains, limited plant growth, and many mid-depth weed beds will continue to be rather sparse throughout the summer.”
Fishing Reports
Muskies:
Musky action continues to improve with warming water temperatures, but it also continues to be somewhat inconsistent. Anglers are seeing quite a few fish and getting follows, but not all are hooking fish. Late afternoons and evenings offer you the best odds. Night fishing, if you are so inclined, can be very good. Muskies are holding on mid-lake bars, weed beds, and thick weed cover in 4-18 feet, and suspending over deeper water. The most favored baits at this time are topwaters, jerkbaits, bucktails, Bull Dawgs, and suckers on quick-strike rigs
Walleye:
Walleyes remain scattered and anglers are (and have been) having a tough go of it. You can greatly increase your catch-rate success by fishing in the low light hours of early morning or in the evening into after dark. Work deep water if you fish during the day. Look for weeds, mid-lake humps and bars, brush, and river/flowage channels in 6-30 feet of water, depending on the time. Leeches under slip bobbers and crawlers on bottom bouncers or harnesses are the predominant baits. Jigs and minnows, and trolled stick and crank baits, are also catching fish.
Northern:
Northern pike continue to be aggressive and providing very good action for those who choose to pursue them ... and even for some who do not. Find weeds and panfish, and the pike will be nearby, in water down to about 20 feet. Northerns will hit just about anything you throw when they are hungry – and they always seem to be hungry. Spinners, spinnerbaits, stickbaits, spoons, bucktails, and northern suckers are all very productive baits for northern. Go deep for larger pike, and once again, northern are terrific on the table!
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth action is very good, with evening hours offering the best success. Weeds, wood, brush, stumps, docks, lily pads, and trees along the shoreline, in depths down to 18 feet, can all hold bass. The current top baits are spinners and spinnerbaits, buzz and crank baits, topwaters and poppers, large plastic and scented worms, lizards, and frogs, and crawlers and leeches.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action is very good on some waters ... and not so great on others. Look for them on hard bottoms, transition areas, weeds, cribs, flats, rocks, and humps in 6-25 feet of water. Plastics, tubes, spinners, spinner and crank baits, and topwaters are all catching smallmouth. Baits simulating crawdads in both color and action can be exceptionally effective at this time. For live bait, try leeches under slip bobbers.
Crappie:
Crappie action is fair to great, with best success in the evening hours. Concentrate your efforts on weeds and weed beds, bogs, brush, and cribs out to about 23 feet. Tip jigs (plain or dressed) or plain hooks with minnows, waxies, worms, crawlers, leeches, and plastics, and fish them under a slip bobber. Keep moving and trying different depths until you find the fish.
Bluegill:
Bluegills are plentiful in most Hayward waters and are offering good action, particularly, as with crappies, in the evening hours. You will probably have to do some sorting for a limit to provide a meal. Look for them near weeds/weed beds, wood, brush, bogs, and cribs out to about 20 feet of water. Baits of choice include waxies, worms, leeches, and plastics on plain hooks or dressed jigs, and poppers and other small surface baits. Work deeper water for larger ‘gills, and using minnows can deter smaller fish.
Upcoming Events
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: Musky Tale Resort Mega Bass Shootout (715-462-3838.)
Sept. 17-19: Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival.
Sept. 25: Hayward Fall Festival.
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.