Hayward Lakes Sherry
10-18-2011, 02:57 PM
October 17, 2011
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
It is difficult to leave behind the warm temperatures of the past two weeks, but it IS mid-October and this IS the north woods. Considering those things, this looks to be a relatively decent week, though with cooler temperatures ... and mention of ‘mixed’ precipitation. (Don’t shoot the messenger – I liked the warm days, too!)
“Game fish are into their fall feeding patterns,” says Pat and Lori at Happy Hooker, “and that means more aggressive feeding. The next couple of weeks should be very interesting as we move from early to late fall patterns, and we expect a steady improvement in muskie fishing.
“There are reports of smaller lakes in the process of turning, while larger, deep water lakes remain pre-turnover.”
Bob at Hayward Bait says bird hunting is improving with the leaves down, archery deer hunting is improving, muskies are hitting suckers, and fall fishing is getting better and better.
At Pastika’s, Al says this is the time to fish for trophy muskies with live bait – 13- to 16-inch suckers – on quick-strike rigs, and Shumway’s Clip-N-Go sucker harnesses in particular are working well. With leaves down, grouse hunters report seeing more birds.
Randy at Jenk’s says Chippewa Flowage walleye fishing is best on large minnows fished in 12-18 feet of water. As the water gets colder, the fish go deeper and prefer larger minnows.
Carolyn at Anglers All in Ashland says the full moon made fishing tough in mid-week, but falling rain actually helped fishing conditions. Trout and salmon anglers will now fish the mud lines, a good thing, and the rain should bring more fish to the steam mouths and into the streams. Bait flies with dodgers remain the favorite for salmon.
“The unseasonably warm weather last week made muskies the main highlight for anglers,” says DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt. “Action is very good, with suckers on quick-strike rigs providing most of the action. Look for this big bait, big fish trend to continue, with trophy potential getting better as the season winds down toward its Nov. 30 close.”
In the past week, Hayward area registration stations (Shooting Star, Hillman’s Store, Hayward Bait) registered one bear, 12 antlerless deer, and 10 bucks, including a number of eight-pointers.
Tuscobia State Trail is in generally good riding condition. A major culvert washout has closed a segment from Ogden Street in Radisson to Weirgor Road. A detour following designated ATV routes is in place, with detour maps posted at the beginning of each road closure. The hope is to reopen this segment in mid December following repairs.
ATV/UTV registrations for 2011 expired June 30, so be sure to have current registrations before heading out on the trails. The ATV regulation pamphlet is available at DNR service centers and most license and registration vendors.
FISHING REPORT
Muskies:
This is the hot time for big muskies and they are starting to go on the feed in most muskie waters. Look for fish on and along weed edges, green weeds if you can find them, and bars, in water from shallow to deep. Big suckers on quick-strike rigs are working quite well at this time, but anglers are also catching fish on jerkbaits, bucktails, plastics, gliders, tubes, Bull Dawgs, and trolled crankbaits.
Walleye:
Walleye anglers report inconsistent walleye action, with the best fishing just before dark. Daytime anglers are catching some fish on cloudy days. Concentrate on deep water, from 18 to 30 feet and deeper, on bars, break lines, flats, and weeds. Some fish move shallower in the evening. It is now primarily a minnow bite on large walleye suckers and fatheads, with some still on crawlers. Use jigs, slip bobbers, or plain hooks and split shot rigs, and move the bait slowly. Trolled crank and stick baits are also catching fish.
Northern:
Northern pike are in and around any weeds you can find and hitting spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, and northern suckers.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth action slowed a bit. Fish for them in deeper weeds with plastics, spinnerbaits, and live bait.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action is fair to good. Fish for them in deeper water, on hard bottom areas, with live bait and plastics.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is good and getting better. Look for fish in 12-25 feet of water near weeds, wood, cribs, bogs, brush, and other mid-depth cover. Fish are both scattered and suspending at various levels in the water column. Baits of choice include crappie minnows, plastics, Mini-Mites, Tattle-Tails, and Gulp! baits.
Bluegill:
Bluegill action improved with the warm weather the past few weeks. Fish deep weeds, weed lines, and mid-depth cover with waxies, worms, leaf worms, plastics, and Gulp! baits. Go deeper for larger ‘gills.
Upcoming Events
Oct. 29: Raccoon season opens for non-residents.
Nov. 1: Wild ginseng season closes.
Nov. 5: Trapping Seasons Open: Beaver; Otter.
Nov. 6: Sharptail grouse season closes.
Nov. 6: Daylight Saving Time ends.
Nov. 7: Woodcock season closes.
Nov. 7: Whitetails Unlimited banquet (715-634-6013).
Nov. 9: Mourning dove season closes.
Nov. 15: Trout and salmon fishing closes on downstream section of Lake Superior tributaries (see regs).
Nov. 17: Seasons Close: Early archery deer; Turkey; Crow.
Nov. 18: Illegal to hunt with a firearm or bow the day before gun deer season. (See regs for exceptions.)
Nov. 19: Seasons open: Regular gun deer; Late archery deer.
Nov. 22: Northern zone duck season closes.
Nov. 27: Regular gun deer season closes.
Nov. 28: Seasons Open: Muzzleloader deer; Fall turkey (extended season zones 1-5).
Nov. 30: Seasons Close: Muskellunge; Turtle.
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 is difficult to leave behind the warm temperatures of the past two weeks, but it IS mid-October and this IS the north woods. Considering those things, this looks to be a relatively decent week, though with cooler temperatures ... and mention of ‘mixed’ precipitation. (Don’t shoot the messenger – I liked the warm days, too!)
“Game fish are into their fall feeding patterns,” says Pat and Lori at Happy Hooker, “and that means more aggressive feeding. The next couple of weeks should be very interesting as we move from early to late fall patterns, and we expect a steady improvement in muskie fishing.
“There are reports of smaller lakes in the process of turning, while larger, deep water lakes remain pre-turnover.”
Bob at Hayward Bait says bird hunting is improving with the leaves down, archery deer hunting is improving, muskies are hitting suckers, and fall fishing is getting better and better.
At Pastika’s, Al says this is the time to fish for trophy muskies with live bait – 13- to 16-inch suckers – on quick-strike rigs, and Shumway’s Clip-N-Go sucker harnesses in particular are working well. With leaves down, grouse hunters report seeing more birds.
Randy at Jenk’s says Chippewa Flowage walleye fishing is best on large minnows fished in 12-18 feet of water. As the water gets colder, the fish go deeper and prefer larger minnows.
Carolyn at Anglers All in Ashland says the full moon made fishing tough in mid-week, but falling rain actually helped fishing conditions. Trout and salmon anglers will now fish the mud lines, a good thing, and the rain should bring more fish to the steam mouths and into the streams. Bait flies with dodgers remain the favorite for salmon.
“The unseasonably warm weather last week made muskies the main highlight for anglers,” says DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt. “Action is very good, with suckers on quick-strike rigs providing most of the action. Look for this big bait, big fish trend to continue, with trophy potential getting better as the season winds down toward its Nov. 30 close.”
In the past week, Hayward area registration stations (Shooting Star, Hillman’s Store, Hayward Bait) registered one bear, 12 antlerless deer, and 10 bucks, including a number of eight-pointers.
Tuscobia State Trail is in generally good riding condition. A major culvert washout has closed a segment from Ogden Street in Radisson to Weirgor Road. A detour following designated ATV routes is in place, with detour maps posted at the beginning of each road closure. The hope is to reopen this segment in mid December following repairs.
ATV/UTV registrations for 2011 expired June 30, so be sure to have current registrations before heading out on the trails. The ATV regulation pamphlet is available at DNR service centers and most license and registration vendors.
FISHING REPORT
Muskies:
This is the hot time for big muskies and they are starting to go on the feed in most muskie waters. Look for fish on and along weed edges, green weeds if you can find them, and bars, in water from shallow to deep. Big suckers on quick-strike rigs are working quite well at this time, but anglers are also catching fish on jerkbaits, bucktails, plastics, gliders, tubes, Bull Dawgs, and trolled crankbaits.
Walleye:
Walleye anglers report inconsistent walleye action, with the best fishing just before dark. Daytime anglers are catching some fish on cloudy days. Concentrate on deep water, from 18 to 30 feet and deeper, on bars, break lines, flats, and weeds. Some fish move shallower in the evening. It is now primarily a minnow bite on large walleye suckers and fatheads, with some still on crawlers. Use jigs, slip bobbers, or plain hooks and split shot rigs, and move the bait slowly. Trolled crank and stick baits are also catching fish.
Northern:
Northern pike are in and around any weeds you can find and hitting spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, and northern suckers.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth action slowed a bit. Fish for them in deeper weeds with plastics, spinnerbaits, and live bait.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action is fair to good. Fish for them in deeper water, on hard bottom areas, with live bait and plastics.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is good and getting better. Look for fish in 12-25 feet of water near weeds, wood, cribs, bogs, brush, and other mid-depth cover. Fish are both scattered and suspending at various levels in the water column. Baits of choice include crappie minnows, plastics, Mini-Mites, Tattle-Tails, and Gulp! baits.
Bluegill:
Bluegill action improved with the warm weather the past few weeks. Fish deep weeds, weed lines, and mid-depth cover with waxies, worms, leaf worms, plastics, and Gulp! baits. Go deeper for larger ‘gills.
Upcoming Events
Oct. 29: Raccoon season opens for non-residents.
Nov. 1: Wild ginseng season closes.
Nov. 5: Trapping Seasons Open: Beaver; Otter.
Nov. 6: Sharptail grouse season closes.
Nov. 6: Daylight Saving Time ends.
Nov. 7: Woodcock season closes.
Nov. 7: Whitetails Unlimited banquet (715-634-6013).
Nov. 9: Mourning dove season closes.
Nov. 15: Trout and salmon fishing closes on downstream section of Lake Superior tributaries (see regs).
Nov. 17: Seasons Close: Early archery deer; Turkey; Crow.
Nov. 18: Illegal to hunt with a firearm or bow the day before gun deer season. (See regs for exceptions.)
Nov. 19: Seasons open: Regular gun deer; Late archery deer.
Nov. 22: Northern zone duck season closes.
Nov. 27: Regular gun deer season closes.
Nov. 28: Seasons Open: Muzzleloader deer; Fall turkey (extended season zones 1-5).
Nov. 30: Seasons Close: Muskellunge; Turtle.
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.