Hayward Lakes Sherry
07-12-2011, 12:06 PM
July 11, 2011
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
Summer activities and events are going full bore in the Hayward area. For a complete listing, check the calendars on the Hayward Lakes Visitor and Convention Bureau and Hayward Chamber of Commerce websites.
“Water levels are holding well on most lakes,” says Pat at Happy Hooker. “The key to locating feeding fish can be areas showing full and lush vegetation.”
Bob at Hayward Bait says areas streams and rivers are very good for trout fishing, whether you use live bait (where allowed) or match the hatch.
“Muskies anglers should fish the larger, cooler lakes, and think deep,” says guide Steve Genson at Pastika’s. “Refer to the Solunar Tables, and use fast retrieves – speed is the trigger at this time.”
Randy at Jenk’s says crappie and bluegill are finally in a typical summer pattern and anglers should fish the cribs during the day and bogs in the evening with minnows, waxies, and small plastics.
Carolyn at Anglers All in Ashland says lake trout anglers are having excellent success trolling from the flats out to Outer Island with downriggers, Dipsey Divers, lead core, and jigging.
“Smallmouth fishing is erratic as the fish move to deeper structure,” says DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt, “but look for them to move to shallow and mid-depth cover when crayfish begin to molt with 70-degree water.”
Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. free Kids Fishing Day is Sunday Aug. 7 at Dick-Sy Roadhouse. Young anglers (ages 10-16 years) fish with knowledgeable musky anglers on Upper Twin and nearby lakes until noon, and then return for a shore lunch and prize distribution. Pre-register (required) at Hayward Bait. A parent or guardian must be present to sign the form. Call Hayward Bait (715) 634-2921 for more information. To volunteer to guide or assist with shore lunch, contact Mike Persson (715) 634-4543.
Application deadline reminder:
The application deadline for fall turkey, sharp-tailed grouse, bobcat, fisher, and otter permits is August 1 – less than one month. Visit the DNR website for specific details.
The 2011 ATV/UTV registrations expired June 30 – be sure to have a current registration before riding the trails. The ATV regulation pamphlet is available at DNR service centers and most vendors selling licenses and registrations.
FISHING REPORT
Muskies:
Muskie action is good to excellent for most muskie anglers, though some suggest fast retrieves and others say slow ones. Try one and switch to the other if the first choice is non-productive. Fish weed lines, deep weed edges, structure, and over deeper water near baitfish. Preferred offerings, fished fast or slow, include large jerkbaits, bucktails, surface baits, and live suckers.
Walleye:
Most successful anglers walleye are fishing during low light conditions in early morning, late evening, or heavily overcast days. Fish are on shallow water mud flats and weed beds, deep weed edges, rocks, and sandbars, humps, and drop-offs in more than 20 feet of water. Use leeches or crawlers under slip bobbers or on jigs and harnesses, or cast or troll stickbaits, crankbaits, and Rapalas.
Northern:
Northern action is good, though it slowed a bit. Work shallow to deep weeds, weed edges, and humps with spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, and northern suckers. Fish deeper water with large northern suckers for trophy pike.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth fishing is very good on and near shallow flats, weed lines, lily pads, wood, rock, and docks out to the first break. This is topwater time – use Jitterbugs, Hula Poppers, weedless frogs, soft plastics, and poppers. Floating Rapalas, jigs/pigs, spinner, buzz, and crank baits, plastic worms, leeches, crawlers, and minnows are also productive baits.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action is fair to good. Work mid-lake rock bars, humps, and points, shallow to mid-depth weeds, drop-offs, rock, and gravel with tube jigs, jigs/grubs, wacky worms, topwaters, and crankbaits. For live bait, use leeches, crawlers, and sucker minnows.
Crappie:
Crappies are on weeds, cribs, bogs, shallow and mid-depth cover, and suspending over deeper water. Use crappie minnows, leeches, waxies, plastics, and Gulp! baits fished on small jigs or plain hooks, with or without bobbers. Also, try casting Tattle-Tails, Mini-Mites, small Beetle Spins, and spinners.
Bluegill:
Bluegills offer excellent fishing opportunities. Enjoy fast action for smaller fish, work shallow water weeds and docks out to about six feet. For bigger ‘gills, go deeper (to about 12 feet) near weeds, cribs, and bogs. Waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawler chunks, leeches, minnows, Gulp! baits, plastics, Tattle-Tails, Mini-Mites, and topwaters will all work.
Perch:
Anglers are catching a few decent size perch in 6-16 feet of water on crappie minnows, waxies, worms, and leeches.
Upcoming Events
Through July 31: Illegal to run dogs on DNR and WPA lands (see regs).
Through Aug. 31: Training dogs by pursuing bear allowed (see regs for exceptions).
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. 7: Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. Annual Kids Fishing Day (715-634-2921; 634-4543).
Aug. 18-21: Sawyer County Fair (715-934-2721).
Aug. 26-28: Musky Tale Resort’s Mega Bass Shootout (715-462-3838).
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
Summer activities and events are going full bore in the Hayward area. For a complete listing, check the calendars on the Hayward Lakes Visitor and Convention Bureau and Hayward Chamber of Commerce websites.
“Water levels are holding well on most lakes,” says Pat at Happy Hooker. “The key to locating feeding fish can be areas showing full and lush vegetation.”
Bob at Hayward Bait says areas streams and rivers are very good for trout fishing, whether you use live bait (where allowed) or match the hatch.
“Muskies anglers should fish the larger, cooler lakes, and think deep,” says guide Steve Genson at Pastika’s. “Refer to the Solunar Tables, and use fast retrieves – speed is the trigger at this time.”
Randy at Jenk’s says crappie and bluegill are finally in a typical summer pattern and anglers should fish the cribs during the day and bogs in the evening with minnows, waxies, and small plastics.
Carolyn at Anglers All in Ashland says lake trout anglers are having excellent success trolling from the flats out to Outer Island with downriggers, Dipsey Divers, lead core, and jigging.
“Smallmouth fishing is erratic as the fish move to deeper structure,” says DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt, “but look for them to move to shallow and mid-depth cover when crayfish begin to molt with 70-degree water.”
Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. free Kids Fishing Day is Sunday Aug. 7 at Dick-Sy Roadhouse. Young anglers (ages 10-16 years) fish with knowledgeable musky anglers on Upper Twin and nearby lakes until noon, and then return for a shore lunch and prize distribution. Pre-register (required) at Hayward Bait. A parent or guardian must be present to sign the form. Call Hayward Bait (715) 634-2921 for more information. To volunteer to guide or assist with shore lunch, contact Mike Persson (715) 634-4543.
Application deadline reminder:
The application deadline for fall turkey, sharp-tailed grouse, bobcat, fisher, and otter permits is August 1 – less than one month. Visit the DNR website for specific details.
The 2011 ATV/UTV registrations expired June 30 – be sure to have a current registration before riding the trails. The ATV regulation pamphlet is available at DNR service centers and most vendors selling licenses and registrations.
FISHING REPORT
Muskies:
Muskie action is good to excellent for most muskie anglers, though some suggest fast retrieves and others say slow ones. Try one and switch to the other if the first choice is non-productive. Fish weed lines, deep weed edges, structure, and over deeper water near baitfish. Preferred offerings, fished fast or slow, include large jerkbaits, bucktails, surface baits, and live suckers.
Walleye:
Most successful anglers walleye are fishing during low light conditions in early morning, late evening, or heavily overcast days. Fish are on shallow water mud flats and weed beds, deep weed edges, rocks, and sandbars, humps, and drop-offs in more than 20 feet of water. Use leeches or crawlers under slip bobbers or on jigs and harnesses, or cast or troll stickbaits, crankbaits, and Rapalas.
Northern:
Northern action is good, though it slowed a bit. Work shallow to deep weeds, weed edges, and humps with spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, and northern suckers. Fish deeper water with large northern suckers for trophy pike.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth fishing is very good on and near shallow flats, weed lines, lily pads, wood, rock, and docks out to the first break. This is topwater time – use Jitterbugs, Hula Poppers, weedless frogs, soft plastics, and poppers. Floating Rapalas, jigs/pigs, spinner, buzz, and crank baits, plastic worms, leeches, crawlers, and minnows are also productive baits.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action is fair to good. Work mid-lake rock bars, humps, and points, shallow to mid-depth weeds, drop-offs, rock, and gravel with tube jigs, jigs/grubs, wacky worms, topwaters, and crankbaits. For live bait, use leeches, crawlers, and sucker minnows.
Crappie:
Crappies are on weeds, cribs, bogs, shallow and mid-depth cover, and suspending over deeper water. Use crappie minnows, leeches, waxies, plastics, and Gulp! baits fished on small jigs or plain hooks, with or without bobbers. Also, try casting Tattle-Tails, Mini-Mites, small Beetle Spins, and spinners.
Bluegill:
Bluegills offer excellent fishing opportunities. Enjoy fast action for smaller fish, work shallow water weeds and docks out to about six feet. For bigger ‘gills, go deeper (to about 12 feet) near weeds, cribs, and bogs. Waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawler chunks, leeches, minnows, Gulp! baits, plastics, Tattle-Tails, Mini-Mites, and topwaters will all work.
Perch:
Anglers are catching a few decent size perch in 6-16 feet of water on crappie minnows, waxies, worms, and leeches.
Upcoming Events
Through July 31: Illegal to run dogs on DNR and WPA lands (see regs).
Through Aug. 31: Training dogs by pursuing bear allowed (see regs for exceptions).
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. 7: Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. Annual Kids Fishing Day (715-634-2921; 634-4543).
Aug. 18-21: Sawyer County Fair (715-934-2721).
Aug. 26-28: Musky Tale Resort’s Mega Bass Shootout (715-462-3838).
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.