Hayward Lakes Sherry
06-26-2013, 10:54 AM
FISHING REPORT
Muskie:
Muskie action slowed somewhat, but the fish are still there – it is up to you to locate and tempt them. Look for green weeds in depths to 20 feet and work those areas with bucktails, Bull Dawgs, plastics, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, surface baits, and suckers on quick-strike rigs. Sounds simple enough ...
Walleye:
Walleye fishing can be challenging at any time, but the current mayfly hatch adds an extra element of difficulty. Look for fish near weeds, weedlines, gravel bars, brush, bogs, drop-offs, and humps, with best times early morning and late evening hours. Work depths to 20 feet during the day and 4-10 feet in the evening. Leeches and crawlers on jigs, live bait rigs, and under slip bobbers are best, but fatheads and walleye sucker are still catching fish. Stick and crank baits trolled along shorelines and weedlines in the evening are also producing good catches.
Northern:
Northern pike are active – sometimes too much so for anglers targeting other species – but they are great fighters and excellent on the table. Look for them around weeds and weedlines in depths out to 15 feet or so, especially near drop-offs and on the edges of panfish spawning areas. Spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, stickbaits, crank, chatter, and buzz baits will all catch pike, but it is difficult to beat a northern sucker under a bobber. Fish bigger baits deeper for trophy fish.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth action is very good around weeds, weedlines, slop, wood, and brush in depths to 12 feet. This is a great time to mix and match baits. Try pre-rigged worms and plastics in various configurations and presentations, spinner and crank baits, and topwaters (particularly in early mornings and evening hours). Crawlers, leeches, fatheads, and suckers under bobbers or on live bait rigs are also great enticers.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth bass are providing good action, particularly on hard bottom areas (rock, gravel) and along breaks in depths to 20 feet. Plastics, tubes, crankbaits, spinners, drop-shot rigs, jerkbaits, and topwaters are all excellent choices for artificials, and live bait such as leeches, crawlers, fatheads, and small suckers can be very effective.
Crappie:
Crappies completed spawning and are scattering to deeper water location, but fishing is good once you find them. Look for fish in/on/over/near weeds, weedlines, wood, bogs, brush, and cribs at various depths, as well as suspending over deeper water. Top bait choices include crappie minnows, fatheads, waxies, plastics, and Gulp! baits on plain hooks or small jigs, fished with or without bobbers.
Bluegill:
Bluegill action is excellent for fish spawning on shallower sand and gravel in 2-6 feet of water and near weeds out to about 10 feet, depending on the lake. Just about any bait will catch bluegills at this time. Use small jigs tipped with waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawler pieces, panfish leeches, plastics, and Gulp! baits, or try surface baits such as spiders, ants, and poppers.
Upcoming Events
July 19-21: Birchwood Bluegill Festival (800-236-2252).
July 25-27: Lumberjack World Championships (715-634-2484).
Through July 31: Illegal to allow dogs to run on DNR lands and Federal WPA (see regs for exceptions).
Aug. 1: Application deadline: Wolf; Fall turkey; Sharptail grouse; Bobcat, Fisher, Otter.
Aug. 3-4: Project Appleseed at Hayward Rod & Gun Club (715-466-5145).
Aug. 15-18: Sawyer County Fair (715-934-2721).
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 action slowed somewhat, but the fish are still there – it is up to you to locate and tempt them. Look for green weeds in depths to 20 feet and work those areas with bucktails, Bull Dawgs, plastics, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, surface baits, and suckers on quick-strike rigs. Sounds simple enough ...
Walleye:
Walleye fishing can be challenging at any time, but the current mayfly hatch adds an extra element of difficulty. Look for fish near weeds, weedlines, gravel bars, brush, bogs, drop-offs, and humps, with best times early morning and late evening hours. Work depths to 20 feet during the day and 4-10 feet in the evening. Leeches and crawlers on jigs, live bait rigs, and under slip bobbers are best, but fatheads and walleye sucker are still catching fish. Stick and crank baits trolled along shorelines and weedlines in the evening are also producing good catches.
Northern:
Northern pike are active – sometimes too much so for anglers targeting other species – but they are great fighters and excellent on the table. Look for them around weeds and weedlines in depths out to 15 feet or so, especially near drop-offs and on the edges of panfish spawning areas. Spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, stickbaits, crank, chatter, and buzz baits will all catch pike, but it is difficult to beat a northern sucker under a bobber. Fish bigger baits deeper for trophy fish.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth action is very good around weeds, weedlines, slop, wood, and brush in depths to 12 feet. This is a great time to mix and match baits. Try pre-rigged worms and plastics in various configurations and presentations, spinner and crank baits, and topwaters (particularly in early mornings and evening hours). Crawlers, leeches, fatheads, and suckers under bobbers or on live bait rigs are also great enticers.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth bass are providing good action, particularly on hard bottom areas (rock, gravel) and along breaks in depths to 20 feet. Plastics, tubes, crankbaits, spinners, drop-shot rigs, jerkbaits, and topwaters are all excellent choices for artificials, and live bait such as leeches, crawlers, fatheads, and small suckers can be very effective.
Crappie:
Crappies completed spawning and are scattering to deeper water location, but fishing is good once you find them. Look for fish in/on/over/near weeds, weedlines, wood, bogs, brush, and cribs at various depths, as well as suspending over deeper water. Top bait choices include crappie minnows, fatheads, waxies, plastics, and Gulp! baits on plain hooks or small jigs, fished with or without bobbers.
Bluegill:
Bluegill action is excellent for fish spawning on shallower sand and gravel in 2-6 feet of water and near weeds out to about 10 feet, depending on the lake. Just about any bait will catch bluegills at this time. Use small jigs tipped with waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawler pieces, panfish leeches, plastics, and Gulp! baits, or try surface baits such as spiders, ants, and poppers.
Upcoming Events
July 19-21: Birchwood Bluegill Festival (800-236-2252).
July 25-27: Lumberjack World Championships (715-634-2484).
Through July 31: Illegal to allow dogs to run on DNR lands and Federal WPA (see regs for exceptions).
Aug. 1: Application deadline: Wolf; Fall turkey; Sharptail grouse; Bobcat, Fisher, Otter.
Aug. 3-4: Project Appleseed at Hayward Rod & Gun Club (715-466-5145).
Aug. 15-18: Sawyer County Fair (715-934-2721).
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.