Hayward Lakes Sherry
08-09-2011, 11:32 AM
August 08, 2011
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
It appears we have a great week in the making for the north woods, with warm days and cool night. Like it or not, summer is starting to wind down – get out there and enjoy it while you can!
“August has a reputation for being a real slow month for fishing, but you can still catch fish in the heat of the fading summer,” says Pat at Happy Hooker. “Pick an overcast day or evening, fish smart, and you may do very well.”
Bob at Hayward Bait says bass fishing is in full bloom, topwater action is fantastic, and he encourages young anglers 10-17 years of age to stop in and sign up for the free Youth Bass Tournament August 21.
Dan at Pastika’s says the walleye bite is still good on the deep, clear lakes. Fish just before sunset, and a few hours after dark, with leeches under slip bobbers in 25 feet of water.
“Chippewa Flowage largemouth are hitting spinnerbaits and plastics on the west side,” says Randy at Jenk’s, “and crawlers are working best for smallmouth on the east side. The sudden increase in water flow seems to have pushed the bass shallower than normal.”
Cathy at Minnow Jim’s says Nelson Lake largemouth are very active. She suggest fishing shallow lily pads and weed beds out to deeper water, with surface baits, deep diving rattling stickbaits, buzz and spinner baits, scented and rigged worms, and leeches on Lindy rigs.
Carolyn at Anglers All in Ashland says Chequamegon Bay anglers fishing in 30 to more than 100 feet of water are catching everything from lake trout to coaster brookies on everything from flutter spoons to bait flies and squids.
“Most streams and rivers are running at high levels,” says DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt. “Lake and flowages are up a few inches, but most are near normal. The extra moisture spurred a hatch of mosquitoes, gnats, ‘ankle-biters,’ and deer flies.”
Heavy rains last week produced a major washout along Tuscobia State Trail west of Radisson and the DNR closed a two-mile section from Martin Street in Radisson west to Weigor Road. Warning barricades and detour signs are in place, with detour roads marked and designated as ATV routes.
FISHING REPORT
Muskies:
Muskie action remains slow and inconsistent at best, but this could bode well for hot fall action in the near future. Concentrate on deeper weed bed edges and shallower weed beds adjacent to deep water. Throw large bucktails, topwaters, twitch, crank, and swim baits.
Walleye:
Walleye success continues to be relatively slow. Stick with the deeper, colder lakes and fish low-light early and late hours. You will find walleyes in depths ranging from 10-35 feet, with some shallower and some in deeper water. Fish weeds, rock, gravel, brush, flats, and along weed edges with leeches on jigs or slip bobbers, crawlers on harnesses, walleye suckers, and trolled/cast crank and stick baits.
Northern:
Northern action is fair as most have moved to deeper weeds, weed line, and bar edges, though anglers are still finding some fish in shallower cover. Spinnerbaits, spoons, buzz baits, and northern suckers on Lindy Rigs are all good pike presentations.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth are very active, offering the best and most consistent action. Depths vary, from shallow slop to at least the second break. Locations range from lily pads to weeds and weed edges, to cribs, docks, and swim rafts, to stumps, logs, and bogs. Good bass offerings include topwaters, plastics, spinners, spinnerbaits, stick, buzz, and crank baits, plastic worms, tube jigs, crawlers, and leeches.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action is fair to good. Work deep weed edges, rock bars, weeds, structure, drop-offs, rocks, gravel, and wood in about 20 feet of water. Bait choices are varied. For artificials, go with jigs and plastics, wacky worms, topwaters, tube jigs, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and finesse plastics. Crawdad colors if you have them (if you don’t – get some.) Leeches and crawlers are the most productive live baits.
Crappie:
Crappies are suspending at various depths in deeper water, along weed edges, near breaks, cribs, near structure – and not near structure. However, you might find them in anywhere from 6-18 feet of water. Crappie minnows, waxies, leeches, worms, crawlers, plastics, tube jigs, and Gulp! baits are all catching crappies. Fish them on jigs or plain hooks, with or without a bobber.
Bluegill:
Bluegill action is fair to good. For bigger ‘gills, fish the edges of weeds, wood, and other structure out to about 16 feet of water. The standard bluegill fare still gets top billing – waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawler chunks, leeches, small minnows, Gulp! baits, poppers, and plastics. As with crappies, fish them on jigs or plain hooks, with or without a bobber.
Upcoming Events
Through Aug. 31: Training dogs by pursuing bear allowed (see regs for exceptions).
Aug. 18-21: Sawyer County Fair (715-934-2721).
Aug. 20: Bonus antlerless deer tags on sale at noon.
Aug. 21: Hayward Bass Club Youth Day (715-634-2921; 699-1015).
Aug. 23: Deadline to transfer Class A Bear license to youth hunter.
Aug. 26-28: Musky Tale Resort’s Mega Bass Shootout (715-462-3838).
Aug. 27: Remaining fall turkey permits on sale at noon.
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
It appears we have a great week in the making for the north woods, with warm days and cool night. Like it or not, summer is starting to wind down – get out there and enjoy it while you can!
“August has a reputation for being a real slow month for fishing, but you can still catch fish in the heat of the fading summer,” says Pat at Happy Hooker. “Pick an overcast day or evening, fish smart, and you may do very well.”
Bob at Hayward Bait says bass fishing is in full bloom, topwater action is fantastic, and he encourages young anglers 10-17 years of age to stop in and sign up for the free Youth Bass Tournament August 21.
Dan at Pastika’s says the walleye bite is still good on the deep, clear lakes. Fish just before sunset, and a few hours after dark, with leeches under slip bobbers in 25 feet of water.
“Chippewa Flowage largemouth are hitting spinnerbaits and plastics on the west side,” says Randy at Jenk’s, “and crawlers are working best for smallmouth on the east side. The sudden increase in water flow seems to have pushed the bass shallower than normal.”
Cathy at Minnow Jim’s says Nelson Lake largemouth are very active. She suggest fishing shallow lily pads and weed beds out to deeper water, with surface baits, deep diving rattling stickbaits, buzz and spinner baits, scented and rigged worms, and leeches on Lindy rigs.
Carolyn at Anglers All in Ashland says Chequamegon Bay anglers fishing in 30 to more than 100 feet of water are catching everything from lake trout to coaster brookies on everything from flutter spoons to bait flies and squids.
“Most streams and rivers are running at high levels,” says DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt. “Lake and flowages are up a few inches, but most are near normal. The extra moisture spurred a hatch of mosquitoes, gnats, ‘ankle-biters,’ and deer flies.”
Heavy rains last week produced a major washout along Tuscobia State Trail west of Radisson and the DNR closed a two-mile section from Martin Street in Radisson west to Weigor Road. Warning barricades and detour signs are in place, with detour roads marked and designated as ATV routes.
FISHING REPORT
Muskies:
Muskie action remains slow and inconsistent at best, but this could bode well for hot fall action in the near future. Concentrate on deeper weed bed edges and shallower weed beds adjacent to deep water. Throw large bucktails, topwaters, twitch, crank, and swim baits.
Walleye:
Walleye success continues to be relatively slow. Stick with the deeper, colder lakes and fish low-light early and late hours. You will find walleyes in depths ranging from 10-35 feet, with some shallower and some in deeper water. Fish weeds, rock, gravel, brush, flats, and along weed edges with leeches on jigs or slip bobbers, crawlers on harnesses, walleye suckers, and trolled/cast crank and stick baits.
Northern:
Northern action is fair as most have moved to deeper weeds, weed line, and bar edges, though anglers are still finding some fish in shallower cover. Spinnerbaits, spoons, buzz baits, and northern suckers on Lindy Rigs are all good pike presentations.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth are very active, offering the best and most consistent action. Depths vary, from shallow slop to at least the second break. Locations range from lily pads to weeds and weed edges, to cribs, docks, and swim rafts, to stumps, logs, and bogs. Good bass offerings include topwaters, plastics, spinners, spinnerbaits, stick, buzz, and crank baits, plastic worms, tube jigs, crawlers, and leeches.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action is fair to good. Work deep weed edges, rock bars, weeds, structure, drop-offs, rocks, gravel, and wood in about 20 feet of water. Bait choices are varied. For artificials, go with jigs and plastics, wacky worms, topwaters, tube jigs, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and finesse plastics. Crawdad colors if you have them (if you don’t – get some.) Leeches and crawlers are the most productive live baits.
Crappie:
Crappies are suspending at various depths in deeper water, along weed edges, near breaks, cribs, near structure – and not near structure. However, you might find them in anywhere from 6-18 feet of water. Crappie minnows, waxies, leeches, worms, crawlers, plastics, tube jigs, and Gulp! baits are all catching crappies. Fish them on jigs or plain hooks, with or without a bobber.
Bluegill:
Bluegill action is fair to good. For bigger ‘gills, fish the edges of weeds, wood, and other structure out to about 16 feet of water. The standard bluegill fare still gets top billing – waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawler chunks, leeches, small minnows, Gulp! baits, poppers, and plastics. As with crappies, fish them on jigs or plain hooks, with or without a bobber.
Upcoming Events
Through Aug. 31: Training dogs by pursuing bear allowed (see regs for exceptions).
Aug. 18-21: Sawyer County Fair (715-934-2721).
Aug. 20: Bonus antlerless deer tags on sale at noon.
Aug. 21: Hayward Bass Club Youth Day (715-634-2921; 699-1015).
Aug. 23: Deadline to transfer Class A Bear license to youth hunter.
Aug. 26-28: Musky Tale Resort’s Mega Bass Shootout (715-462-3838).
Aug. 27: Remaining fall turkey permits on sale at noon.
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.