Hayward Lakes Sherry
07-05-2011, 01:03 PM
July 4, 2011
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
A severe storm rolled through the Hayward area last Friday, the start of the Independence Day weekend (of course), but the forecast is for mostly sunny and warm days, with possible showers very early in the week.
“Muskie action has improved significantly with the warming water,” says guide Steve Genson at Pastika’s. “In the past week, anglers caught some big fish on surface baits and big-bladed bucktails, and this bite should continue through the new moon phase.”
At Happy Hooker, Pat says inconsistent weather, late weed growth, and cool water temperatures combined to slow things. However, water temperatures are on the rise and it looks like we will maintain that warmth.
Bob at Hayward Bait says topwater action is heating up not only for muskie fishing, but also for bass and panfish, and trolling action will soon start for walleye and muskies.
Randy at Jenk’s says both crappies and bluegills are a little scattered and showing no depth preference, adding that they should be on the cribs and deep brush.
At Minnow Jim’s, Cathy says Nelson Lake largemouth bass are shallow, very active, and hitting surface baits such as poppers and frogs and dressed rattling jigs along drop offs.
“The nice weather is providing for pleasant fishing conditions and good success,” says DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt, “but be prepared to deal with high numbers of horse flies, deer flies, black flies, mosquitoes, and no-see-ums.”
The DNR reports spring drumming counts indicate the northern region ruffed grouse populations increased a surprising 43 percent this spring. However, DNR biologist Scott Walter says conditions during the next several weeks will determine how many grouse make it to fall.
The Lumberjack World Championships July 29-31 feature the world's best lumberjack athletes competing in logrolling, chopping, sawing, boom runs, speed climbing, and more. For more information, visit the website or call (715) 634-2484.
FISHING REPORT
Muskies:
Hot summer days are heating up the water and muskie action and fish are in a variety of depths and locations. Find them near weeds/weed and bar edges, break lines, shallow flats, and suspending in deeper water near baitfish. Work open water fish during the day, and shallower fish in early morning and evening hours, with large topwaters, bucktails, jerk, twitch, stick, and crank baits, and Bull Dawgs.
Walleye:
It’s tough, but anglers are catching walleyes. Best success is during low-light periods – early morning, evening into dark, and overcast days. The fish are on deep edges of weed lines and rock bars, humps, drop-offs, and gravel in 12 to more than 25 feet of water. Use leeches and crawlers under slip bobbers or on jigs or harnesses, fatheads on Lindy rigs, and cast or troll crankbaits, stickbaits, and Beetle Spins.
Northern:
Northern action has slowed somewhat (not stopped!) with the warming water of summer, but they still offer good fishing. Work weeds and deeper weed edges, humps, and bay mouths in 5-20 feet of water with spoons, spinners, spinnerbaits, topwaters, buzz and chatter baits, and northern suckers. Fish deeper water with big suckers for trophy pike.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth completed spawning and are on the feed. Fish shallow flats and weed lines, around rock, docks, wood, brush, stumps, lily pads, and along drop-offs out to about the first break. Spinnerbaits, plastics, rattling jigs, poppers, frogs, creature baits, crawlers, and leeches are excellent for largemouth, and this time of year is great for thrilling topwater action.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action is good to very good as the bass get into a post-spawn feeding mode. You will find the smallies on mid-lake rock bars and points, near rock, weeds, gravel, and brush at varied depths. Top baits include crankbaits, tubes, soft plastics, topwaters, spinnerbaits, crawlers, leeches, and sucker minnows.
Crappie:
Crappies are scattered, with most moving to deeper water cribs, brush, and weed edges and suspending at various depths in 5-20 feet of water. They offer excellent fishing once you find them. Baits of choice include crappie minnows, waxies, panfish leeches, spinners, plastics, tube jigs, and Gulp! baits. Use jigs or plain hooks, with or without bobbers (slip bobbers give you an advantage!), and do not overlook topwater action.
Bluegill:
Bluegills wrapped up or are wrapping up spawning on most lakes and action continues to be excellent. They are on shallow water sand flats, and around weeds and docks. Look for larger fish in deeper water. For live bait, go with waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawler chunks, panfish leeches, and small minnows. Artificials include topwaters, tube jigs, spinners, and Gulp! baits. Use them all tipped on plain hooks or dressed jigs, with or without bobbers.
Upcoming Events
Through July 31: Illegal to run dogs on DNR and WPA lands (see regs).
July 15: Turtle season opens statewide for species not listed as endangered or threatened.
July 15-17: Birchwood Bluegill Festival (1-800-236-2252).
July 15-17: LCO Honor the Earth Powwow (715-634-8924).
July 29-31: Lumberjack World Championships (715) 634-2484).
Aug. 1: Application deadline: Fall turkey; Sharptail grouse; Bobcat; Fisher; Otter.
Aug. 18-21: Sawyer County Fair (715-934-2721).
Aug. 26-28: Musky Tale Resort’s Mega Bass Shootout (715-462-3838).
Through Aug. 31: Training dogs by pursuing bear allowed (see regs for exceptions).
Sept. 2-4: Exeland Trout Festival (715-266-4181).
Sept. 4: Cable Rod & Gun Club Pig Roast & Turkey Shoot (715-798-4459).
Sept. 7-10: Chippewa Flowage Musky Hunt (715-462-3276).
Sept. 11: Kids Fish O Rama at Fishing Hall of Fame (715-634-4440).
Sept. 24: Hayward Fall Festival (715) 634-8662).
Sept. 30-Oct. 2: 34th Annual Hayward Lakes Chapter of Muskies, Inc. Fall Fishing Tournament (715-634-2161).
For more information on area events and activities, visit the Hayward Lakes Visitor and Convention Bureau website, view its Calendar of Events, or call 1-800-724-2992.
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
A severe storm rolled through the Hayward area last Friday, the start of the Independence Day weekend (of course), but the forecast is for mostly sunny and warm days, with possible showers very early in the week.
“Muskie action has improved significantly with the warming water,” says guide Steve Genson at Pastika’s. “In the past week, anglers caught some big fish on surface baits and big-bladed bucktails, and this bite should continue through the new moon phase.”
At Happy Hooker, Pat says inconsistent weather, late weed growth, and cool water temperatures combined to slow things. However, water temperatures are on the rise and it looks like we will maintain that warmth.
Bob at Hayward Bait says topwater action is heating up not only for muskie fishing, but also for bass and panfish, and trolling action will soon start for walleye and muskies.
Randy at Jenk’s says both crappies and bluegills are a little scattered and showing no depth preference, adding that they should be on the cribs and deep brush.
At Minnow Jim’s, Cathy says Nelson Lake largemouth bass are shallow, very active, and hitting surface baits such as poppers and frogs and dressed rattling jigs along drop offs.
“The nice weather is providing for pleasant fishing conditions and good success,” says DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt, “but be prepared to deal with high numbers of horse flies, deer flies, black flies, mosquitoes, and no-see-ums.”
The DNR reports spring drumming counts indicate the northern region ruffed grouse populations increased a surprising 43 percent this spring. However, DNR biologist Scott Walter says conditions during the next several weeks will determine how many grouse make it to fall.
The Lumberjack World Championships July 29-31 feature the world's best lumberjack athletes competing in logrolling, chopping, sawing, boom runs, speed climbing, and more. For more information, visit the website or call (715) 634-2484.
FISHING REPORT
Muskies:
Hot summer days are heating up the water and muskie action and fish are in a variety of depths and locations. Find them near weeds/weed and bar edges, break lines, shallow flats, and suspending in deeper water near baitfish. Work open water fish during the day, and shallower fish in early morning and evening hours, with large topwaters, bucktails, jerk, twitch, stick, and crank baits, and Bull Dawgs.
Walleye:
It’s tough, but anglers are catching walleyes. Best success is during low-light periods – early morning, evening into dark, and overcast days. The fish are on deep edges of weed lines and rock bars, humps, drop-offs, and gravel in 12 to more than 25 feet of water. Use leeches and crawlers under slip bobbers or on jigs or harnesses, fatheads on Lindy rigs, and cast or troll crankbaits, stickbaits, and Beetle Spins.
Northern:
Northern action has slowed somewhat (not stopped!) with the warming water of summer, but they still offer good fishing. Work weeds and deeper weed edges, humps, and bay mouths in 5-20 feet of water with spoons, spinners, spinnerbaits, topwaters, buzz and chatter baits, and northern suckers. Fish deeper water with big suckers for trophy pike.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth completed spawning and are on the feed. Fish shallow flats and weed lines, around rock, docks, wood, brush, stumps, lily pads, and along drop-offs out to about the first break. Spinnerbaits, plastics, rattling jigs, poppers, frogs, creature baits, crawlers, and leeches are excellent for largemouth, and this time of year is great for thrilling topwater action.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action is good to very good as the bass get into a post-spawn feeding mode. You will find the smallies on mid-lake rock bars and points, near rock, weeds, gravel, and brush at varied depths. Top baits include crankbaits, tubes, soft plastics, topwaters, spinnerbaits, crawlers, leeches, and sucker minnows.
Crappie:
Crappies are scattered, with most moving to deeper water cribs, brush, and weed edges and suspending at various depths in 5-20 feet of water. They offer excellent fishing once you find them. Baits of choice include crappie minnows, waxies, panfish leeches, spinners, plastics, tube jigs, and Gulp! baits. Use jigs or plain hooks, with or without bobbers (slip bobbers give you an advantage!), and do not overlook topwater action.
Bluegill:
Bluegills wrapped up or are wrapping up spawning on most lakes and action continues to be excellent. They are on shallow water sand flats, and around weeds and docks. Look for larger fish in deeper water. For live bait, go with waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawler chunks, panfish leeches, and small minnows. Artificials include topwaters, tube jigs, spinners, and Gulp! baits. Use them all tipped on plain hooks or dressed jigs, with or without bobbers.
Upcoming Events
Through July 31: Illegal to run dogs on DNR and WPA lands (see regs).
July 15: Turtle season opens statewide for species not listed as endangered or threatened.
July 15-17: Birchwood Bluegill Festival (1-800-236-2252).
July 15-17: LCO Honor the Earth Powwow (715-634-8924).
July 29-31: Lumberjack World Championships (715) 634-2484).
Aug. 1: Application deadline: Fall turkey; Sharptail grouse; Bobcat; Fisher; Otter.
Aug. 18-21: Sawyer County Fair (715-934-2721).
Aug. 26-28: Musky Tale Resort’s Mega Bass Shootout (715-462-3838).
Through Aug. 31: Training dogs by pursuing bear allowed (see regs for exceptions).
Sept. 2-4: Exeland Trout Festival (715-266-4181).
Sept. 4: Cable Rod & Gun Club Pig Roast & Turkey Shoot (715-798-4459).
Sept. 7-10: Chippewa Flowage Musky Hunt (715-462-3276).
Sept. 11: Kids Fish O Rama at Fishing Hall of Fame (715-634-4440).
Sept. 24: Hayward Fall Festival (715) 634-8662).
Sept. 30-Oct. 2: 34th Annual Hayward Lakes Chapter of Muskies, Inc. Fall Fishing Tournament (715-634-2161).
For more information on area events and activities, visit the Hayward Lakes Visitor and Convention Bureau website, view its Calendar of Events, or call 1-800-724-2992.