Hayward Lakes Sherry
08-30-2010, 11:42 AM
August 30, 2010
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
Participants in numerous activities and events in Hayward enjoyed warm and windy weather this past weekend.
Surface temperatures are in the mid-70s, says Pat at Happy Hooker, and fishing will only get better as the water cools. Mike at Pastika’s says walleye and panfish anglers continue to use leeches, Mark at Hayward Bait, says bass fishing is best after dark, and Randy at Jenk’s says Chippewa Flowage walleye fishing is best with crawlers fished on brushy humps.
According to DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt, anglers found good fishing last week despite several inches of rain and continued high water levels.
“The almost constantly changing weather kept anglers on the lookout for approaching storms,” Sommerfeldt says, “but they found fairly active muskies and bass.”
The 2010 Quiet Lakes Crappie-A-Thon runs through October 16 and tagged crappies worth up to $500 in cash prizes are swimming in Lost Land, Teal, and Ghost lakes. Pick up your $3 tournament badge (before fishing!) at participating Quiet Lakes resorts and bait shops. Every entrant is eligible for the year-end drawings – you could win a prize without catching a fish!
Local guide Jim Stroede is the featured speaker at the Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. meeting Sept. 7 at Dick-Sy Roadhouse, 10 miles east of Hayward on Highway 77. Stroede’s presentation, “Using Live Bait and Casting for Fall Muskies,” begins at 7 p.m. There is no charge and the public is welcome to attend.
The Wilderness Wings Chapter - Ruffed Grouse Society annual Sportsmen’s Hunt, Shoot, and Dinner Saturday is Sept. 18 at Summit Lake Game Farm. Two-person teams hunt during the day, return at 4 p.m. for check-in and a round of sporting clays, and dine at 6:30 p.m. Individual membership/dinner tickets are $75. For tickets or information, contact Dave Reardon (715) 634-2674.
Fishing Reports
Muskies:
Muskie action is improving as the water temperatures are cooling, and DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt says it appears the activity depends more on the weather than time of day. Look for fish at varied depths along weed edges, on points and bars, and suspending over deep water. Bucktails, Bull Dawgs, plastics, stick and glide baits, and topwaters are all taking muskies at this time.
Walleye:
Walleye continue to be consistently inconsistent. Best action is during early morning, late evening, and after dark. Overcast, low-light days can also be good. The fish are still scattered at various depths, from shallow weeds to 35 feet of water. Target weeds and weed lines, humps, brush, and rocks with leeches, crawlers, fatheads, and walleye suckers, and cast or trolled crank and stickbaits can be very effective along weed edges in the evening.
Northern:
Northerns are in the weeds, with smaller fish shallower and larger fish in deeper water. Bucktails, crankbaits, spinners and spinnerbaits, spoons, stickbaits, and northern suckers are all good baits. For fast action, target the small pike, but for trophies, fish deeper water weeds and weed lines with larger baits. (Pike make great table fare!)
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth are “less cooperative” than anglers should expect at this time of year. You can find these disobliging bucketmouths from shallow to deep, but nearly always close to weeds, wood, brush, rock, slop, bogs, or cribs. Extracting them is the challenge. Fish tight to the cover with crank and spinner baits, tubes, plastics, plastic worms, jig combinations, surface baits, crawlers, and suckers.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action is decent, but the best fishing is currently in river and flowages. Regardless of where you fish, look for rocks, humps, bars, cribs, weeds, and wood in depths to about 30 feet. Leeches, crawlers, fatheads, and suckers are preferred for live bait, while tubes, swim jigs, plastics plastic worms, and medium crankbaits – particularly in crayfish colors – are the choice in artificials.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is good and should only improve as we move into fall. For now, look for crappies in 10-30 feet of water, suspending at various levels in the water column, or near weeds, cribs, bogs, stumps, and brush. Crappie minnows, waxies, worms, plastics, and tubes are working well, and Gulp! baits are exceptionally productive. Tip the baits on small jigs or plain hooks, and once you find the correct depth, a slip bobber can increase your catch rate.
Bluegill:
Bluegill fishing is good for smaller fish, but larger ‘gills are the exception, not the rule. Concentrate your efforts on weeds, bogs, cribs, brush, and stumps in 10-20 feet of water. Work baits close to cover, but also look for suspending fish. Waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawlers, minnows, plastics, and Gulp! baits are all catching fish. Tip your bait choice on small plain or dressed jigs, ice jigs, or plain hooks, with or without a bobber.
Upcoming Events
Sept. 1-15: Early Canada goose season (see regs.)
Sept. 1: Mourning dove season opens.
Sept. 4: Lake sturgeon season opens on designated waters. (See regs.)
Sept. 4-5: Exeland Trout Festival (715-266-4181.)
Sept. 5: Cable Rod & Gun Club annual Pig Roast & Turkey Shoot (715-798-4459.)
Sept. 7: Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. meeting 7 p.m. (715-634-4543.)
Sept. 8: Bear season opens. (See regs.)
Sept. 18: Seasons Open: Archery deer; Ruffed grouse (Zone A); Canada goose (northern zone); Turkey; Cottontail rabbit (northern zone); Gray and fox squirrel; Crow.
Sept. 18: Ruffed Grouse Society Sportsmen’s Hunt, Shoot, and dinner (Dave Reardon 715-634-2674.)
Sept. 18-19: Youth Waterfowl Hunt.
Sept. 25: Seasons Open: Duck and Canada goose (Northern Zone) at 9 a.m.; Woodcock.
Sept. 30: Seasons Close: Trout on inland waters (see regs.); Lake trout (Lake Superior); Sturgeon.
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
Participants in numerous activities and events in Hayward enjoyed warm and windy weather this past weekend.
Surface temperatures are in the mid-70s, says Pat at Happy Hooker, and fishing will only get better as the water cools. Mike at Pastika’s says walleye and panfish anglers continue to use leeches, Mark at Hayward Bait, says bass fishing is best after dark, and Randy at Jenk’s says Chippewa Flowage walleye fishing is best with crawlers fished on brushy humps.
According to DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt, anglers found good fishing last week despite several inches of rain and continued high water levels.
“The almost constantly changing weather kept anglers on the lookout for approaching storms,” Sommerfeldt says, “but they found fairly active muskies and bass.”
The 2010 Quiet Lakes Crappie-A-Thon runs through October 16 and tagged crappies worth up to $500 in cash prizes are swimming in Lost Land, Teal, and Ghost lakes. Pick up your $3 tournament badge (before fishing!) at participating Quiet Lakes resorts and bait shops. Every entrant is eligible for the year-end drawings – you could win a prize without catching a fish!
Local guide Jim Stroede is the featured speaker at the Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. meeting Sept. 7 at Dick-Sy Roadhouse, 10 miles east of Hayward on Highway 77. Stroede’s presentation, “Using Live Bait and Casting for Fall Muskies,” begins at 7 p.m. There is no charge and the public is welcome to attend.
The Wilderness Wings Chapter - Ruffed Grouse Society annual Sportsmen’s Hunt, Shoot, and Dinner Saturday is Sept. 18 at Summit Lake Game Farm. Two-person teams hunt during the day, return at 4 p.m. for check-in and a round of sporting clays, and dine at 6:30 p.m. Individual membership/dinner tickets are $75. For tickets or information, contact Dave Reardon (715) 634-2674.
Fishing Reports
Muskies:
Muskie action is improving as the water temperatures are cooling, and DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt says it appears the activity depends more on the weather than time of day. Look for fish at varied depths along weed edges, on points and bars, and suspending over deep water. Bucktails, Bull Dawgs, plastics, stick and glide baits, and topwaters are all taking muskies at this time.
Walleye:
Walleye continue to be consistently inconsistent. Best action is during early morning, late evening, and after dark. Overcast, low-light days can also be good. The fish are still scattered at various depths, from shallow weeds to 35 feet of water. Target weeds and weed lines, humps, brush, and rocks with leeches, crawlers, fatheads, and walleye suckers, and cast or trolled crank and stickbaits can be very effective along weed edges in the evening.
Northern:
Northerns are in the weeds, with smaller fish shallower and larger fish in deeper water. Bucktails, crankbaits, spinners and spinnerbaits, spoons, stickbaits, and northern suckers are all good baits. For fast action, target the small pike, but for trophies, fish deeper water weeds and weed lines with larger baits. (Pike make great table fare!)
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth are “less cooperative” than anglers should expect at this time of year. You can find these disobliging bucketmouths from shallow to deep, but nearly always close to weeds, wood, brush, rock, slop, bogs, or cribs. Extracting them is the challenge. Fish tight to the cover with crank and spinner baits, tubes, plastics, plastic worms, jig combinations, surface baits, crawlers, and suckers.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action is decent, but the best fishing is currently in river and flowages. Regardless of where you fish, look for rocks, humps, bars, cribs, weeds, and wood in depths to about 30 feet. Leeches, crawlers, fatheads, and suckers are preferred for live bait, while tubes, swim jigs, plastics plastic worms, and medium crankbaits – particularly in crayfish colors – are the choice in artificials.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is good and should only improve as we move into fall. For now, look for crappies in 10-30 feet of water, suspending at various levels in the water column, or near weeds, cribs, bogs, stumps, and brush. Crappie minnows, waxies, worms, plastics, and tubes are working well, and Gulp! baits are exceptionally productive. Tip the baits on small jigs or plain hooks, and once you find the correct depth, a slip bobber can increase your catch rate.
Bluegill:
Bluegill fishing is good for smaller fish, but larger ‘gills are the exception, not the rule. Concentrate your efforts on weeds, bogs, cribs, brush, and stumps in 10-20 feet of water. Work baits close to cover, but also look for suspending fish. Waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawlers, minnows, plastics, and Gulp! baits are all catching fish. Tip your bait choice on small plain or dressed jigs, ice jigs, or plain hooks, with or without a bobber.
Upcoming Events
Sept. 1-15: Early Canada goose season (see regs.)
Sept. 1: Mourning dove season opens.
Sept. 4: Lake sturgeon season opens on designated waters. (See regs.)
Sept. 4-5: Exeland Trout Festival (715-266-4181.)
Sept. 5: Cable Rod & Gun Club annual Pig Roast & Turkey Shoot (715-798-4459.)
Sept. 7: Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. meeting 7 p.m. (715-634-4543.)
Sept. 8: Bear season opens. (See regs.)
Sept. 18: Seasons Open: Archery deer; Ruffed grouse (Zone A); Canada goose (northern zone); Turkey; Cottontail rabbit (northern zone); Gray and fox squirrel; Crow.
Sept. 18: Ruffed Grouse Society Sportsmen’s Hunt, Shoot, and dinner (Dave Reardon 715-634-2674.)
Sept. 18-19: Youth Waterfowl Hunt.
Sept. 25: Seasons Open: Duck and Canada goose (Northern Zone) at 9 a.m.; Woodcock.
Sept. 30: Seasons Close: Trout on inland waters (see regs.); Lake trout (Lake Superior); Sturgeon.
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.