Hayward Lakes Sherry
04-26-2011, 01:55 PM
April 25, 2011
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
Irritating (though not unusual) as it might be, snow continues to appear in our forecasts. Monday’s sunny, 60 degrees gives way to cool, cloudy, and mixed precip mid-week, though temperatures warm slightly toward the week’s end.
“Panfish are now the only fair game in this area,” says Pat at Happy Hooker. “Fish late afternoon hours when water temperatures are at their highest, targeting shallower, darker lakes that are quicker to warm.”
At Hayward Bait, Mark says panfish fishing is good in shallow water. He advises anglers to work the bays on the north end of lakes with waxies and worms on teardrops and small minnows under slip bobbers.
Fishing will improve as the water warms, says Al at Pastika’s, and he recommends panfish anglers concentrate on the shallow water on the north end of lakes.
“The ice is out, the water level is only six inches from full, and the Flowage is in good shape as the fishing opener approaches,” says Randy at Jenk’s. “With the regulation change, anglers can now fish for panfish before the opener.”
DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt says unseasonably cold weather and water temperatures in the upper 30s to low 40s is limiting spring spawning activity for northern pike and walleye.
“Warmer temperatures will spur reproductive activity for early spawning species such as walleye, perch, sucker, and muskie, but for now, the few sucker anglers trying their luck are finding even suckers tough to catch with the cold water.”
Joe Krahn, DNR LTE fisheries biologist, says DNR fisheries staff will assist the treaty fisheries assessment team this spring in a Chippewa Flowage walleye population estimate.
“We will capture walleyes in fyke nets and mark them by fin-clipping,” Krahn explains. “After marking a significant number, we will follow up with an electro-fishing recapture survey. The ratio of marked to unmarked fish in the recapture provides an estimate of the Flowage walleye population. Later this spring we will perform a largemouth bass population estimate using similar methods.”
Hayward area registration stations (Shooting Star, Hillman’s Store, Hayward Bait) recorded 18 turkeys – two jakes and 16 adult birds – for spring turkey season Period B April 20-24. The registrations included a 25-pound bird with a 10-inch beard, a 22-pound bird with a 10-inch beard and 1 3/8-inch spurs, and a number of birds weighing more than 20 pounds.
The Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. is holding its May 3 meeting at Dick-Sy Roadhouse, ten miles east of Hayward on Highway 77. As always, the club welcomes the public and invites non-members to attend. Ty Sennett, well-known local lure maker and Chippewa Flowage guide, is the featured speaker. Sennett’s musky fishing presentation begins at 7 p.m., following a 6 p.m. general business meeting. For information, contact Mike Persson (715)634-4543.
Openings are still available for the 27th annual Treeland Walleye Challenge on the Chippewa Flowage May 13-15. The three-day catch and release event, designed for average anglers and their families, includes fishing seminars, a Skeeter Boat display and demos, brat and beer feed, casting contest, and thousands of dollars in prizes and door prizes. Every legal fish an angler registers and releases earns one entry in the drawing for the Grand Prize – a $3000 gift certificate to Scheels Sporting Goods stores. Entry fees are $80 single, $140 with spouse, and $15 per child with parents.
For more information, call (715) 462-3874.
Fishing Has No Boundaries is hosting its 24th annual fishing event for people with disabilities May 20-22 on the Chippewa Flowage. Experienced guides, boats, bait, fish cleaning, meals, emergency medical care, awards, and prizes await the eager participants. The event always needs more volunteers to work the docks, assist participants on and off the boats, clean fish, and perform other duties, as well as additional fishing and pontoon boats with capable operators. Trustworthy operators are available for boat owners who offer their boats but are unable to attend the event. To enter a participant (openings are still available), volunteer, be a sponsor, or offer use of your boat for this worthy cause, call Pat at Fishing Has No Boundaries (800-243-3462; 715-634-3185.)
Musky Tale Resort’s 2011 Northern Encounter northern pike partners fishing tournament on the Chippewa Flowage is May 20-22. The entry fee $75 ($85 after May 1) per two-angler team. First Place prize is $1,000 (based on 30 team minimum entry.) Prizes are paid for a minimum of five places and largest fish, and the more teams, the more places, and the more money per place. For more information, visit www.muskytale.com or call (715) 462-3838.
Upcoming Events
April 30: Otter trapping season closes in north zone; Frog season opens.
May 1: Early catch-and-release trout season closes at midnight.
May 3: Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. meeting at Dick-Sy Roadhouse. (715-634-4543.)
Pre-opener reminder: Your old fishing and hunting licenses expired March 31!
May 7: Game fish opener (trout, walleye, northern pike, bass in the southern zone; Muskie in southern zone.)
May 7: Seasons open: Catch and release bass in northern zone.
May 13-15: 27th Annual Treeland Walleye Challenge on Chippewa Flowage. (715-462-3874.)
May 14: Quiet Lakes “Crappie-A-Thon” on Lost Land, Teal, and Ghost lakes. Runs through Oct. 15.
May 20-22: 24th Annual Fishing Has No Boundaries (800-243-3462; 715-634-3185.)
May 20-22: Musky Tale Resort northern fishing tournament on Chippewa Flowage (715-462-3838.)
May 28: Muskie season opens in north zone.
Through July 31: Illegal to run dogs on DNR and WPA lands. (See regs.)
Spring turkey hunting periods
C: April 27-May 1; D: May 4-8; E: May 11-15; F: May 18-22.
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
Irritating (though not unusual) as it might be, snow continues to appear in our forecasts. Monday’s sunny, 60 degrees gives way to cool, cloudy, and mixed precip mid-week, though temperatures warm slightly toward the week’s end.
“Panfish are now the only fair game in this area,” says Pat at Happy Hooker. “Fish late afternoon hours when water temperatures are at their highest, targeting shallower, darker lakes that are quicker to warm.”
At Hayward Bait, Mark says panfish fishing is good in shallow water. He advises anglers to work the bays on the north end of lakes with waxies and worms on teardrops and small minnows under slip bobbers.
Fishing will improve as the water warms, says Al at Pastika’s, and he recommends panfish anglers concentrate on the shallow water on the north end of lakes.
“The ice is out, the water level is only six inches from full, and the Flowage is in good shape as the fishing opener approaches,” says Randy at Jenk’s. “With the regulation change, anglers can now fish for panfish before the opener.”
DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt says unseasonably cold weather and water temperatures in the upper 30s to low 40s is limiting spring spawning activity for northern pike and walleye.
“Warmer temperatures will spur reproductive activity for early spawning species such as walleye, perch, sucker, and muskie, but for now, the few sucker anglers trying their luck are finding even suckers tough to catch with the cold water.”
Joe Krahn, DNR LTE fisheries biologist, says DNR fisheries staff will assist the treaty fisheries assessment team this spring in a Chippewa Flowage walleye population estimate.
“We will capture walleyes in fyke nets and mark them by fin-clipping,” Krahn explains. “After marking a significant number, we will follow up with an electro-fishing recapture survey. The ratio of marked to unmarked fish in the recapture provides an estimate of the Flowage walleye population. Later this spring we will perform a largemouth bass population estimate using similar methods.”
Hayward area registration stations (Shooting Star, Hillman’s Store, Hayward Bait) recorded 18 turkeys – two jakes and 16 adult birds – for spring turkey season Period B April 20-24. The registrations included a 25-pound bird with a 10-inch beard, a 22-pound bird with a 10-inch beard and 1 3/8-inch spurs, and a number of birds weighing more than 20 pounds.
The Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. is holding its May 3 meeting at Dick-Sy Roadhouse, ten miles east of Hayward on Highway 77. As always, the club welcomes the public and invites non-members to attend. Ty Sennett, well-known local lure maker and Chippewa Flowage guide, is the featured speaker. Sennett’s musky fishing presentation begins at 7 p.m., following a 6 p.m. general business meeting. For information, contact Mike Persson (715)634-4543.
Openings are still available for the 27th annual Treeland Walleye Challenge on the Chippewa Flowage May 13-15. The three-day catch and release event, designed for average anglers and their families, includes fishing seminars, a Skeeter Boat display and demos, brat and beer feed, casting contest, and thousands of dollars in prizes and door prizes. Every legal fish an angler registers and releases earns one entry in the drawing for the Grand Prize – a $3000 gift certificate to Scheels Sporting Goods stores. Entry fees are $80 single, $140 with spouse, and $15 per child with parents.
For more information, call (715) 462-3874.
Fishing Has No Boundaries is hosting its 24th annual fishing event for people with disabilities May 20-22 on the Chippewa Flowage. Experienced guides, boats, bait, fish cleaning, meals, emergency medical care, awards, and prizes await the eager participants. The event always needs more volunteers to work the docks, assist participants on and off the boats, clean fish, and perform other duties, as well as additional fishing and pontoon boats with capable operators. Trustworthy operators are available for boat owners who offer their boats but are unable to attend the event. To enter a participant (openings are still available), volunteer, be a sponsor, or offer use of your boat for this worthy cause, call Pat at Fishing Has No Boundaries (800-243-3462; 715-634-3185.)
Musky Tale Resort’s 2011 Northern Encounter northern pike partners fishing tournament on the Chippewa Flowage is May 20-22. The entry fee $75 ($85 after May 1) per two-angler team. First Place prize is $1,000 (based on 30 team minimum entry.) Prizes are paid for a minimum of five places and largest fish, and the more teams, the more places, and the more money per place. For more information, visit www.muskytale.com or call (715) 462-3838.
Upcoming Events
April 30: Otter trapping season closes in north zone; Frog season opens.
May 1: Early catch-and-release trout season closes at midnight.
May 3: Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. meeting at Dick-Sy Roadhouse. (715-634-4543.)
Pre-opener reminder: Your old fishing and hunting licenses expired March 31!
May 7: Game fish opener (trout, walleye, northern pike, bass in the southern zone; Muskie in southern zone.)
May 7: Seasons open: Catch and release bass in northern zone.
May 13-15: 27th Annual Treeland Walleye Challenge on Chippewa Flowage. (715-462-3874.)
May 14: Quiet Lakes “Crappie-A-Thon” on Lost Land, Teal, and Ghost lakes. Runs through Oct. 15.
May 20-22: 24th Annual Fishing Has No Boundaries (800-243-3462; 715-634-3185.)
May 20-22: Musky Tale Resort northern fishing tournament on Chippewa Flowage (715-462-3838.)
May 28: Muskie season opens in north zone.
Through July 31: Illegal to run dogs on DNR and WPA lands. (See regs.)
Spring turkey hunting periods
C: April 27-May 1; D: May 4-8; E: May 11-15; F: May 18-22.
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.