walleyemaxx
10-06-2010, 09:30 AM
Hi everyone,
Here is this weeks HLVCB outdoor report.
with Hayward Lakes Visitors and Convention Bureau.
October 04, 2010
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
Fall - there is no better time to be in the north woods. Leaf colors are peaking (or just past), numerous hunting seasons are open, fishing is good, temperatures are comfortable, and biting insects are disappearing from the landscape.
"Fall is in full swing in the Hayward area," says Pat at Happy Hooker. "Beautiful colors, birds migrating, deer moving, and of course the cooling temperatures. Fishing is generally good, but with the expected ups and downs. Some days you feel like you can do no wrong and hook up with a ton of fish ... and the next day you hit a dry spell. That is just part of the fall season."
In the past week, Hayward area registration stations (Shooting Star, Hillman's Store, Hayward Bait) registered two turkeys, 17 bear, including one weighing 385 pounds field dressed, eight antlerless deer, and six bucks, including one very nice eight-point.
Wisconsin's youth gun deer hunt is this coming weekend, Oct. 9-10. The hunt is scheduled during mild, early fall weather so youth hunters can enjoy conditions that are more comfortable, allowing additional time in the field.
Note to bear, deer, and upland game hunters: During these two days, ALL HUNTERS (with the exception of waterfowl hunters) are required to meet blaze orange requirements.
Any youth who completed a hunter education course within the last year can receive one free antlerless tag from a DNR service center, valid statewide during any archery or gun season, including the youth deer hunt.
Youth hunters 12 through 15 years of age (resident and non-resident) who possess a hunter education certificate and a gun deer hunting license may hunt deer if accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older.
Wisconsin's Mentored Hunting law allows hunters as young as 10 years of age - with or without hunter education certification -to participate in the youth hunt with a mentor, as well as hunt deer during later seasons.
For more specific information on the youth deer hunt, restrictions, and mentored hunting, visit the DNR website or see the 2010 deer hunting regulations.
The Hayward Chapter of the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association (WWA) is holding its first annual fundraising banquet Thursday Oct. 14 at Lumberjack Steakhouse on Hwy. 27 South. Ticket prices are $40 for an individual and $70 for couples, and this includes WWA membership. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and the prime rib and chicken dinner will be served at 7 p.m. For tickets or more information, contact Dennis Meyer at Shooting Star Archery (715) 634-8880.
Fishing Reports
Muskie:
Muskie action is very good right now. Fish are as shallow as two feet and as deep as 20 feet or more, holding along weeds, deep weed edges, and structure. It is a great time to be fishing, as it appears the muskies have no particular preference for any one type of bait - bucktails, Bull Dawgs, jerkbaits, crankbaits, stickbaits, glide baits, soft plastics, and topwaters are all catching fish, and the sucker bite is starting, too.
Walleye:
Depending on the angler reporting, walleye fishing is either slow or very good. You can catch fish around mid-depth weeds, brush, and sunken bogs, or around structure in very deep water down to 50 feet. Walleye suckers and crawlers are the baits of choice, but anglers are also catching fish on crankbaits and trolling over rock bars in the evening hours.
Northern:
Northern action is good around green weeds and structure, from shallow to deep. Spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, crankbaits, bucktails, and northern suckers will all get the attention of the pike.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth action appears to have slowed. Look for them in areas holding panfish, such as weeds, wood, cribs, and other structure, in depths from shallow water to 12 feet and deeper. Best baits include crankbaits, topwaters, plastics, spinners, and spinnerbait.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth are still active, though that will change with dropping water temperatures. Fish are holding in deeper water hard bottom areas, on rock bars and near wood at various depths (10 28 feet.) Depths can change with the amount of light. Go deeper on sunny days and fish somewhat shallow structure on cloudy, overcast days. Walleye suckers remain the most effective bait, but plastics, crankbaits, jigs, and tubes are all catching smallies, too.
Crappie:
Crappie action is very good when you find the fish, however, they are scattered, suspending, showing no pattern, and difficult to locate. You will find crappies in depths from 5-25 feet, suspending over deeper water, along shallow green weeds, on outside weed edges, holding near cribs, and around mid-depth cover. The most productive baits include crappie minnows, waxies, plastics, Mini-Mites, tubes, small spinners, and Gulp! Alive! baits.
Bluegill:
Anglers fishing for bluegills are enjoying fairly good success. Look for fish around green weeds, cribs, and brush in a variety of depths, from very shallow too deeper water (where you will find the larger 'gills.) As expected, waxies, worms, plastics, minnows, and Gulp! Alive! baits are the baits of choice.
Upcoming Events
Oct. 2-10: Special deer hunt for hunters with disabilities (see regs.)
Oct. 9-10: Youth deer hunt.
Oct. 12: Bear season closes.
Oct. 14: Wisconsin Waterfowl Association banquet (715-634-8880.)
Oct. 16: Seasons Open: Pheasant; Sharp-tailed grouse; Raccoon gun and trapping; Fisher trapping. In north zone: Red and gray fox hunting and trapping; Coyote trapping; Bobcat hunting and trapping; Muskrat; Mink.
Oct. 30: Raccoon (non-resident.)
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
Enloy the outdoors everyone.
Walleyemaxx
Here is this weeks HLVCB outdoor report.
with Hayward Lakes Visitors and Convention Bureau.
October 04, 2010
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
Fall - there is no better time to be in the north woods. Leaf colors are peaking (or just past), numerous hunting seasons are open, fishing is good, temperatures are comfortable, and biting insects are disappearing from the landscape.
"Fall is in full swing in the Hayward area," says Pat at Happy Hooker. "Beautiful colors, birds migrating, deer moving, and of course the cooling temperatures. Fishing is generally good, but with the expected ups and downs. Some days you feel like you can do no wrong and hook up with a ton of fish ... and the next day you hit a dry spell. That is just part of the fall season."
In the past week, Hayward area registration stations (Shooting Star, Hillman's Store, Hayward Bait) registered two turkeys, 17 bear, including one weighing 385 pounds field dressed, eight antlerless deer, and six bucks, including one very nice eight-point.
Wisconsin's youth gun deer hunt is this coming weekend, Oct. 9-10. The hunt is scheduled during mild, early fall weather so youth hunters can enjoy conditions that are more comfortable, allowing additional time in the field.
Note to bear, deer, and upland game hunters: During these two days, ALL HUNTERS (with the exception of waterfowl hunters) are required to meet blaze orange requirements.
Any youth who completed a hunter education course within the last year can receive one free antlerless tag from a DNR service center, valid statewide during any archery or gun season, including the youth deer hunt.
Youth hunters 12 through 15 years of age (resident and non-resident) who possess a hunter education certificate and a gun deer hunting license may hunt deer if accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older.
Wisconsin's Mentored Hunting law allows hunters as young as 10 years of age - with or without hunter education certification -to participate in the youth hunt with a mentor, as well as hunt deer during later seasons.
For more specific information on the youth deer hunt, restrictions, and mentored hunting, visit the DNR website or see the 2010 deer hunting regulations.
The Hayward Chapter of the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association (WWA) is holding its first annual fundraising banquet Thursday Oct. 14 at Lumberjack Steakhouse on Hwy. 27 South. Ticket prices are $40 for an individual and $70 for couples, and this includes WWA membership. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and the prime rib and chicken dinner will be served at 7 p.m. For tickets or more information, contact Dennis Meyer at Shooting Star Archery (715) 634-8880.
Fishing Reports
Muskie:
Muskie action is very good right now. Fish are as shallow as two feet and as deep as 20 feet or more, holding along weeds, deep weed edges, and structure. It is a great time to be fishing, as it appears the muskies have no particular preference for any one type of bait - bucktails, Bull Dawgs, jerkbaits, crankbaits, stickbaits, glide baits, soft plastics, and topwaters are all catching fish, and the sucker bite is starting, too.
Walleye:
Depending on the angler reporting, walleye fishing is either slow or very good. You can catch fish around mid-depth weeds, brush, and sunken bogs, or around structure in very deep water down to 50 feet. Walleye suckers and crawlers are the baits of choice, but anglers are also catching fish on crankbaits and trolling over rock bars in the evening hours.
Northern:
Northern action is good around green weeds and structure, from shallow to deep. Spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, crankbaits, bucktails, and northern suckers will all get the attention of the pike.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth action appears to have slowed. Look for them in areas holding panfish, such as weeds, wood, cribs, and other structure, in depths from shallow water to 12 feet and deeper. Best baits include crankbaits, topwaters, plastics, spinners, and spinnerbait.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth are still active, though that will change with dropping water temperatures. Fish are holding in deeper water hard bottom areas, on rock bars and near wood at various depths (10 28 feet.) Depths can change with the amount of light. Go deeper on sunny days and fish somewhat shallow structure on cloudy, overcast days. Walleye suckers remain the most effective bait, but plastics, crankbaits, jigs, and tubes are all catching smallies, too.
Crappie:
Crappie action is very good when you find the fish, however, they are scattered, suspending, showing no pattern, and difficult to locate. You will find crappies in depths from 5-25 feet, suspending over deeper water, along shallow green weeds, on outside weed edges, holding near cribs, and around mid-depth cover. The most productive baits include crappie minnows, waxies, plastics, Mini-Mites, tubes, small spinners, and Gulp! Alive! baits.
Bluegill:
Anglers fishing for bluegills are enjoying fairly good success. Look for fish around green weeds, cribs, and brush in a variety of depths, from very shallow too deeper water (where you will find the larger 'gills.) As expected, waxies, worms, plastics, minnows, and Gulp! Alive! baits are the baits of choice.
Upcoming Events
Oct. 2-10: Special deer hunt for hunters with disabilities (see regs.)
Oct. 9-10: Youth deer hunt.
Oct. 12: Bear season closes.
Oct. 14: Wisconsin Waterfowl Association banquet (715-634-8880.)
Oct. 16: Seasons Open: Pheasant; Sharp-tailed grouse; Raccoon gun and trapping; Fisher trapping. In north zone: Red and gray fox hunting and trapping; Coyote trapping; Bobcat hunting and trapping; Muskrat; Mink.
Oct. 30: Raccoon (non-resident.)
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
Enloy the outdoors everyone.
Walleyemaxx