Hayward Lakes VCB
07-21-2022, 09:56 AM
FISHING REPORT
Most angler reports indicate fishing action slowed, and hot, variable weather patterns this week will most likely not improve the situation.
Musky:
Musky fishing is fair and most catches are smaller ones. The fish are on weeds, weedlines, weed edges, and lily pads in 5-10 feet, and probably deeper with the heat. Best fishing is in early morning and late afternoon into dark. Most success is coming on smaller bucktails, glide baits, and topwaters.
Walleye:
Walleye fishing is good and somewhat consistent. Look for fish on weeds, weed/sand transitions, points, humps, steep breaks, and structure in 12-25 feet. Walleye suckers, fatheads, leeches, and crawlers on jigs and under slip bobbers work well, as do trolled crankbaits, stickbaits, and crawler harnesses.
Northern Pike:
Northern pike action varies from somewhat slow to very good. The fish are in and around weeds, weedlines, weed edges, and panfish and baitfish concentrations in 4-12 feet. Northern suckers, walleye suckers, spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, bucktails, crankbaits, and topwaters all catch pike. Smaller, slower baits are more effective at this time.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth bass fishing is fair to good on weeds, weedlines, weed beds, and lily pads in 4-8 feet, as well as weeds and various structure in depths to 16 feet. Preferred offerings include weedless plastics, plastic worms, spinners, spoons, swim jigs, buzzbaits, and topwaters, and live bait such as sucker minnows, fatheads, and crawlers.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth bass are testing the patience and skills of many anglers who target them. Look for fish on deep rock, gravel, wood, humps, cribs, and other structure in 12-25 feet and deeper in exceptionally clear water. Presentations that are producing success include leeches on jigs, drop-shot rigs, Ned rigs, and under slip bobbers, and crankbaits.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is good to very good on weeds, weedlines, weed edges, bogs, other structure, river channels, and lake basins in 12-22 feet. Baits of choice include crappie minnows, fatheads, waxies, worms, leeches, Mini-Mites, Tattle-Tails, tube jigs, hair jigs, and small Beetle Spins.
Bluegill:
Bluegill fishing is very good on weeds, weed beds, weed edges, and other structure in 4-14 feet. The most productive baits include waxies, leaf worms, leeches, crawler chunks, and plastics under bobbers, hair jigs, and small spinnerbaits such as Beetle Spins. Try fishing small minnows slightly deeper for bigger bluegills.
Perch:
Perch fishing is good in and on the edges of shallow to mid-depth weeds. Best baits and presentations include crappie minnows, crawler chunks, panfish leeches, plastics, hair jigs, Beetle Spins, and similar spinners.
Most angler reports indicate fishing action slowed, and hot, variable weather patterns this week will most likely not improve the situation.
Musky:
Musky fishing is fair and most catches are smaller ones. The fish are on weeds, weedlines, weed edges, and lily pads in 5-10 feet, and probably deeper with the heat. Best fishing is in early morning and late afternoon into dark. Most success is coming on smaller bucktails, glide baits, and topwaters.
Walleye:
Walleye fishing is good and somewhat consistent. Look for fish on weeds, weed/sand transitions, points, humps, steep breaks, and structure in 12-25 feet. Walleye suckers, fatheads, leeches, and crawlers on jigs and under slip bobbers work well, as do trolled crankbaits, stickbaits, and crawler harnesses.
Northern Pike:
Northern pike action varies from somewhat slow to very good. The fish are in and around weeds, weedlines, weed edges, and panfish and baitfish concentrations in 4-12 feet. Northern suckers, walleye suckers, spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, bucktails, crankbaits, and topwaters all catch pike. Smaller, slower baits are more effective at this time.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth bass fishing is fair to good on weeds, weedlines, weed beds, and lily pads in 4-8 feet, as well as weeds and various structure in depths to 16 feet. Preferred offerings include weedless plastics, plastic worms, spinners, spoons, swim jigs, buzzbaits, and topwaters, and live bait such as sucker minnows, fatheads, and crawlers.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth bass are testing the patience and skills of many anglers who target them. Look for fish on deep rock, gravel, wood, humps, cribs, and other structure in 12-25 feet and deeper in exceptionally clear water. Presentations that are producing success include leeches on jigs, drop-shot rigs, Ned rigs, and under slip bobbers, and crankbaits.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is good to very good on weeds, weedlines, weed edges, bogs, other structure, river channels, and lake basins in 12-22 feet. Baits of choice include crappie minnows, fatheads, waxies, worms, leeches, Mini-Mites, Tattle-Tails, tube jigs, hair jigs, and small Beetle Spins.
Bluegill:
Bluegill fishing is very good on weeds, weed beds, weed edges, and other structure in 4-14 feet. The most productive baits include waxies, leaf worms, leeches, crawler chunks, and plastics under bobbers, hair jigs, and small spinnerbaits such as Beetle Spins. Try fishing small minnows slightly deeper for bigger bluegills.
Perch:
Perch fishing is good in and on the edges of shallow to mid-depth weeds. Best baits and presentations include crappie minnows, crawler chunks, panfish leeches, plastics, hair jigs, Beetle Spins, and similar spinners.