Hayward Lakes Sherry
06-22-2011, 11:11 AM
June 20, 2011
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
Mild temperatures and rain shower predictions start the week, but toward the latter part look for warmer, drier days as and the start of Musky Festival.
“Fish like stability, and last week was anything but stable,” says Pat at Happy Hooker. “Warm days and warmer nights usually bring good fishing at any time of year.
“Bass harvest season opened this past weekend, though some anglers are not interested in bass for the table. Try some – they taste just like fish. In addition, you would help the lakes by removing a limit of largemouth, the biggest predator of walleye fry. By removing some largemouth you help to improve the walleye fishery in our northland lakes.”
Bob at Hayward Bait says bass and muskie action is heating up, and he reminds anglers of the start of Musky Festival Thursday and the Round Lake open bass tournament this coming Sunday.
“For large muskies, search deeper water close to classic muskie spots for suspending fish,” advises Steve Genson at Pastika’s. “A major key is to locate the bait fish.”
Randy at Jenk’s says walleyes have switched to crawlers and leeches, but he also suggests anglers try Beetle Spins in new weeds.
Cathy at Minnow Jim’s recommends largemouth bass anglers on Nelson Lake to target weed beds, docks, and fallen trees with minnows, crawlers, leeches, rigged worms, spinners, and surface baits.
At Anglers All in Ashland, Carolyn reports trout and salmon anglers are starting in the Long Island shallows early in the morning and moving deeper with the rising sun.
June is peak nesting time for turtles, so be on alert for them crossing roads when you are driving near rivers and wetland areas. If it is safe to do so, stop and move the turtle to the side of the road it is facing.
Black bear breeding season is in progress. Adult males are searching for females, the females are booting their young, and the yearlings, now on their own, often cause “issues.” To avoid problems, take down bird feeders and place garbage in a secure site. If problems continue, call USDA-Wildlife Services 1-800-228-1368.
FISHING REPORT
Muskies:
Muskie activity is improving with the (slowly) warming water temperatures. Guide Steve Genson says the key to finding muskies is to locate the bait fish. Work shallow weeds and flats, bar edges, and mid-lake humps. Look for big fish suspending over deep water near traditional muskie spots. A variety of baits and sizes are catching fish. Use bucktails, Bull Dawgs, jerkbaits, gliders, crankbaits, and topwaters, and experiment with different retrieval speeds. With the relatively cool and unseasonal water temperatures, some anglers are also soaking suckers.
Walleye:
The mayfly hatch is underway and walleye fishing is tough and inconsistent. Fish are scattered in various locations and depths. Depending on the time of day and weather conditions, try weed edges, rock bars, rocky shorelines, points, and cribs, from shallow out to about 25 feet. The live bait bite is now primarily with big leeches and crawlers on slip bobbers and trolling spinner harnesses, though some anglers continue to catch fish on jigs and walleye suckers. For artificials, use stickbaits, crankbaits, and Beetle Spins.
Northern:
Northern pike are active and on the feed (aren’t they always?) Fish for them around weeds and weed edges, flats, along shorelines, and shallow water holding spawning panfish. Use Rapalas, spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, and minnows. For trophy pike, fish deeper water with bucktails and northern suckers.
Largemouth Bass:
Bass harvest season is now open in the northern bass zone and largemouth will soon start building nests. Look for them in shallow water out to the first break on sand flats and near weeds, wood, rocks, docks, slop, and downed trees. Wacky worms, plastics, topwaters/frogs/mice, spinners and spinnerbaits, minnows, crawlers, and leeches are all effective bass baits.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action is good as the fish are finished or finishing their seasonal spawning ritual and moving to deeper water summer spots. You will find smallies on main lake rock bars and points, sand, gravel, and around wood, weeds, rocks, and docks, from shallow water out to about 18 feet. Baits of choice include crankbaits, spinners and spinnerbaits, topwaters, X-Raps, jigs/plastics, tubes, and live bait.
Crappie:
With spawning completed, crappies are retreating to deeper water. Fishing is good when/if you can find them. Look for fish suspending at various depths over deeper water, and near cribs, brush, and weed beds in 6-15 feet of water. Crappie minnows, waxies, worms, panfish leeches, plastics, Tattle-Tails, and Gulp! baits will all catch crappies.
Bluegill:
Bluegill action should be excellent this week as the ‘gills on most lakes move to shallow water areas for spawning purposes. Depending on the lake, you will find fish on shallow sand flats or near weeds and brush in water out to about 10 feet. Bait preferences are open at this time, but start with the basics of waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawler chunks, panfish leeches, minnows, plastics, and Berkley Gulp! baits tipped on small jigs or teardrops, with or without bobbers. Don’t overlook topwaters (poppers, spiders), and small Beetle Spins.
Upcoming Events
June 18: Northern zone bass season switched from catch-and-release to daily bag limits.
June 23-26: 62nd Annual Musky Festival (715-634-8662).
June 24-26: Dr. John Ryan Lions Club Musky Fest fishing contest.
June 26: Hayward Bass Club open tournament on Round Lake (715-699-1015).
July 15: Turtle season opens statewide for species not listed as endangered or threatened.
Through July 31: Illegal to run dogs on DNR and WPA lands (see regs).
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
Mild temperatures and rain shower predictions start the week, but toward the latter part look for warmer, drier days as and the start of Musky Festival.
“Fish like stability, and last week was anything but stable,” says Pat at Happy Hooker. “Warm days and warmer nights usually bring good fishing at any time of year.
“Bass harvest season opened this past weekend, though some anglers are not interested in bass for the table. Try some – they taste just like fish. In addition, you would help the lakes by removing a limit of largemouth, the biggest predator of walleye fry. By removing some largemouth you help to improve the walleye fishery in our northland lakes.”
Bob at Hayward Bait says bass and muskie action is heating up, and he reminds anglers of the start of Musky Festival Thursday and the Round Lake open bass tournament this coming Sunday.
“For large muskies, search deeper water close to classic muskie spots for suspending fish,” advises Steve Genson at Pastika’s. “A major key is to locate the bait fish.”
Randy at Jenk’s says walleyes have switched to crawlers and leeches, but he also suggests anglers try Beetle Spins in new weeds.
Cathy at Minnow Jim’s recommends largemouth bass anglers on Nelson Lake to target weed beds, docks, and fallen trees with minnows, crawlers, leeches, rigged worms, spinners, and surface baits.
At Anglers All in Ashland, Carolyn reports trout and salmon anglers are starting in the Long Island shallows early in the morning and moving deeper with the rising sun.
June is peak nesting time for turtles, so be on alert for them crossing roads when you are driving near rivers and wetland areas. If it is safe to do so, stop and move the turtle to the side of the road it is facing.
Black bear breeding season is in progress. Adult males are searching for females, the females are booting their young, and the yearlings, now on their own, often cause “issues.” To avoid problems, take down bird feeders and place garbage in a secure site. If problems continue, call USDA-Wildlife Services 1-800-228-1368.
FISHING REPORT
Muskies:
Muskie activity is improving with the (slowly) warming water temperatures. Guide Steve Genson says the key to finding muskies is to locate the bait fish. Work shallow weeds and flats, bar edges, and mid-lake humps. Look for big fish suspending over deep water near traditional muskie spots. A variety of baits and sizes are catching fish. Use bucktails, Bull Dawgs, jerkbaits, gliders, crankbaits, and topwaters, and experiment with different retrieval speeds. With the relatively cool and unseasonal water temperatures, some anglers are also soaking suckers.
Walleye:
The mayfly hatch is underway and walleye fishing is tough and inconsistent. Fish are scattered in various locations and depths. Depending on the time of day and weather conditions, try weed edges, rock bars, rocky shorelines, points, and cribs, from shallow out to about 25 feet. The live bait bite is now primarily with big leeches and crawlers on slip bobbers and trolling spinner harnesses, though some anglers continue to catch fish on jigs and walleye suckers. For artificials, use stickbaits, crankbaits, and Beetle Spins.
Northern:
Northern pike are active and on the feed (aren’t they always?) Fish for them around weeds and weed edges, flats, along shorelines, and shallow water holding spawning panfish. Use Rapalas, spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, and minnows. For trophy pike, fish deeper water with bucktails and northern suckers.
Largemouth Bass:
Bass harvest season is now open in the northern bass zone and largemouth will soon start building nests. Look for them in shallow water out to the first break on sand flats and near weeds, wood, rocks, docks, slop, and downed trees. Wacky worms, plastics, topwaters/frogs/mice, spinners and spinnerbaits, minnows, crawlers, and leeches are all effective bass baits.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action is good as the fish are finished or finishing their seasonal spawning ritual and moving to deeper water summer spots. You will find smallies on main lake rock bars and points, sand, gravel, and around wood, weeds, rocks, and docks, from shallow water out to about 18 feet. Baits of choice include crankbaits, spinners and spinnerbaits, topwaters, X-Raps, jigs/plastics, tubes, and live bait.
Crappie:
With spawning completed, crappies are retreating to deeper water. Fishing is good when/if you can find them. Look for fish suspending at various depths over deeper water, and near cribs, brush, and weed beds in 6-15 feet of water. Crappie minnows, waxies, worms, panfish leeches, plastics, Tattle-Tails, and Gulp! baits will all catch crappies.
Bluegill:
Bluegill action should be excellent this week as the ‘gills on most lakes move to shallow water areas for spawning purposes. Depending on the lake, you will find fish on shallow sand flats or near weeds and brush in water out to about 10 feet. Bait preferences are open at this time, but start with the basics of waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawler chunks, panfish leeches, minnows, plastics, and Berkley Gulp! baits tipped on small jigs or teardrops, with or without bobbers. Don’t overlook topwaters (poppers, spiders), and small Beetle Spins.
Upcoming Events
June 18: Northern zone bass season switched from catch-and-release to daily bag limits.
June 23-26: 62nd Annual Musky Festival (715-634-8662).
June 24-26: Dr. John Ryan Lions Club Musky Fest fishing contest.
June 26: Hayward Bass Club open tournament on Round Lake (715-699-1015).
July 15: Turtle season opens statewide for species not listed as endangered or threatened.
Through July 31: Illegal to run dogs on DNR and WPA lands (see regs).
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.