walleyemaxx
08-31-2010, 09:42 AM
Here's this weeks HLVCB's fishing and outdoor report
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
Have a great week everyone.
Walleyemaxx
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
Have a great week everyone.
Walleyemaxx