Hayward Lakes Sherry
05-28-2013, 09:59 AM
FISHING REPORT by Steve Suman
Muskie:
Muskie season in the Northern Muskie Zone opened this past weekend with cool temperatures and limited reports. Concentrate on shallow water holding panfish out to mid-depths, slowly working small to medium size bucktails, jerkbaits, and crankbaits.
Walleye:
Walleye action is on the upswing. Look for fish around weeds/weed lines, brush, and humps from shallower water out to about 18 feet. There is still a good evening bite along shorelines. Take a bait assortment, including fatheads, walleye suckers, crawlers, and leeches for use on jigs, live bait rigs, and slip-bobbers, as well as Rapalas, crankbaits, and Twister Tails. Early, late, and overcast days are best, but you can’t catch ‘em from the couch (unless your couch is in the boat!)
Northern:
Northern pike action is very good in depths to about 10 feet, particularly around shallower weeds and/or panfish. Live bait such as walleye and northern suckers work best, but walleye and crappie anglers fishing fatheads and crappie minnows are making many incidental catches. Spinnerbaits, spoons, stickbaits, and plastics will also work well for pike.
Bass:
Reminder: Bass fishing for both largemouth and smallmouth is catch-and-release only until June 15.
Largemouth are pre-spawn in many waters and spawning in the shallows of lakes with warmer water. Top baits include plastic worms, jigs/plastics, spinner and stickbaits, crankbaits, and live bait. Pre-spawn smallmouth are staging in mid-depths just outside their spawning areas. Action is great on tubes, jigs/plastics, crankbaits, and spinnerbaits.
Crappie:
Crappies are in pre-spawn or spawning, fishing is very good to excellent, and now is the time for fish for them. Look for crappies in shallow water out to about eight feet, especially bays with dark bottoms that quickly warm, and near weeds and brush. Baits of choice include crappie minnows, live bait and plastics on jigs or plain hooks, and Gulp! baits. When crappies are spawning, they are a bit less selective than at other times of the year.
Bluegill:
Bluegill action is improving and will continue to do so as the water warms into the low 60-degree range and the ‘gills start spawning. For now, you will find fish shallow out to about 10 feet or so, with bigger fish in the deeper water. Best baits include waxies, worms, crawlers, leeches, plastics, and Gulp! baits.
Upcoming Events
May 31-June 2: Winter Area Armed Forces Fish Fest (715-266-4203; 492-6407).
June 1-2: Free Fishing Weekend.
June 1: Free Kids Fishing Derby (715-634-4821).
June 4: Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. meeting at Dick-Sy Roadhouse (715-634-4543).
June 7: Flambeau River State Forest headquarters open house (715-332-5271).
June 15: Bass harvest season opens in Northern Bass Zone.
June 20-23: 64th Annual Musky Festival (715-634-8662).
June 20: Walleyes for Northwest Wisconsin meeting (715-462-3559).
Through July 31: Illegal to allow dogs to run on DNR lands and Federal WPA (see regs for exceptions).
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.
Muskie:
Muskie season in the Northern Muskie Zone opened this past weekend with cool temperatures and limited reports. Concentrate on shallow water holding panfish out to mid-depths, slowly working small to medium size bucktails, jerkbaits, and crankbaits.
Walleye:
Walleye action is on the upswing. Look for fish around weeds/weed lines, brush, and humps from shallower water out to about 18 feet. There is still a good evening bite along shorelines. Take a bait assortment, including fatheads, walleye suckers, crawlers, and leeches for use on jigs, live bait rigs, and slip-bobbers, as well as Rapalas, crankbaits, and Twister Tails. Early, late, and overcast days are best, but you can’t catch ‘em from the couch (unless your couch is in the boat!)
Northern:
Northern pike action is very good in depths to about 10 feet, particularly around shallower weeds and/or panfish. Live bait such as walleye and northern suckers work best, but walleye and crappie anglers fishing fatheads and crappie minnows are making many incidental catches. Spinnerbaits, spoons, stickbaits, and plastics will also work well for pike.
Bass:
Reminder: Bass fishing for both largemouth and smallmouth is catch-and-release only until June 15.
Largemouth are pre-spawn in many waters and spawning in the shallows of lakes with warmer water. Top baits include plastic worms, jigs/plastics, spinner and stickbaits, crankbaits, and live bait. Pre-spawn smallmouth are staging in mid-depths just outside their spawning areas. Action is great on tubes, jigs/plastics, crankbaits, and spinnerbaits.
Crappie:
Crappies are in pre-spawn or spawning, fishing is very good to excellent, and now is the time for fish for them. Look for crappies in shallow water out to about eight feet, especially bays with dark bottoms that quickly warm, and near weeds and brush. Baits of choice include crappie minnows, live bait and plastics on jigs or plain hooks, and Gulp! baits. When crappies are spawning, they are a bit less selective than at other times of the year.
Bluegill:
Bluegill action is improving and will continue to do so as the water warms into the low 60-degree range and the ‘gills start spawning. For now, you will find fish shallow out to about 10 feet or so, with bigger fish in the deeper water. Best baits include waxies, worms, crawlers, leeches, plastics, and Gulp! baits.
Upcoming Events
May 31-June 2: Winter Area Armed Forces Fish Fest (715-266-4203; 492-6407).
June 1-2: Free Fishing Weekend.
June 1: Free Kids Fishing Derby (715-634-4821).
June 4: Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. meeting at Dick-Sy Roadhouse (715-634-4543).
June 7: Flambeau River State Forest headquarters open house (715-332-5271).
June 15: Bass harvest season opens in Northern Bass Zone.
June 20-23: 64th Annual Musky Festival (715-634-8662).
June 20: Walleyes for Northwest Wisconsin meeting (715-462-3559).
Through July 31: Illegal to allow dogs to run on DNR lands and Federal WPA (see regs for exceptions).
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.