Hayward Lakes VCB
11-08-2022, 12:12 PM
Musky:
Musky action is good to very good. Find fish in 8-22 feet on weed edges, humps, rock, points, and any structure holding schools of panfish and baitfish. Suckers on quick-strike rigs are the favorite offering at this time, but big Bull Dawgs/rubber baits, bucktails, plastics, crankbaits, gliders, and jigging baits such as Fuzzy Duzzits all catch fish.
Walleye:
Walleye action is improving with the seasonal change. During the day, target mid-depth to deep weeds and heavy cover. In the evening hours, concentrate on shallower weeds, points, and humps in 6-12 feet adjacent to deep water. Top bait choices include walleye sucker and fatheads on jigs and/or slip bobbers, minnowbaits, stickbaits, swimbaits, jerkbaits, and plastics.
Northern Pike:
Northern pike fishing is very good to excellent as fish bulk up for the winter months. Find them around shallow to mid-depth weeds and structure holding panfish and baitfish concentrations (i.e., food!) Baits of choice include sucker minnows on jigs and slip bobbers, jerkbaits, spinners, spinnerbaits, and spoons. Go bigger and deeper for trophy pike.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth bass fishing is either very good and no anglers are talking about it, or no anglers are talking about it because no one is fishing for largemouth at this time. (Smart money is probably on the latter...)
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth bass fishing is good for anglers focusing on them. Work jigs, Ned rigs, and crankbaits on shallow to mid-depth weeds, bars, points, and humps holding panfish and baitfish. Might pick up a walleye, too!
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is good to very good. Find them in lake basins, weeds, and cribs from shallow to deep, depending on the lake and time of day (low light best). Be sure to check the entire water column, from bottom to top. Crappie minnows, fatheads, waxies, and plastics on jigs and/or slip bobbers work well, as do Jigging Raps and Puppet Minnows.
Bluegill and Perch:
Bluegill and perch are eating (and trying to avoid being “et” at the same time!), but angler interest in these species drops with the temperatures until hard water season. Fish are in weeds, wood, bays, cribs, and around any cover offering protection from predator fish. Waxies, plastics, and Gulp! baits on jigs and teardrops will get action.
Musky action is good to very good. Find fish in 8-22 feet on weed edges, humps, rock, points, and any structure holding schools of panfish and baitfish. Suckers on quick-strike rigs are the favorite offering at this time, but big Bull Dawgs/rubber baits, bucktails, plastics, crankbaits, gliders, and jigging baits such as Fuzzy Duzzits all catch fish.
Walleye:
Walleye action is improving with the seasonal change. During the day, target mid-depth to deep weeds and heavy cover. In the evening hours, concentrate on shallower weeds, points, and humps in 6-12 feet adjacent to deep water. Top bait choices include walleye sucker and fatheads on jigs and/or slip bobbers, minnowbaits, stickbaits, swimbaits, jerkbaits, and plastics.
Northern Pike:
Northern pike fishing is very good to excellent as fish bulk up for the winter months. Find them around shallow to mid-depth weeds and structure holding panfish and baitfish concentrations (i.e., food!) Baits of choice include sucker minnows on jigs and slip bobbers, jerkbaits, spinners, spinnerbaits, and spoons. Go bigger and deeper for trophy pike.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth bass fishing is either very good and no anglers are talking about it, or no anglers are talking about it because no one is fishing for largemouth at this time. (Smart money is probably on the latter...)
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth bass fishing is good for anglers focusing on them. Work jigs, Ned rigs, and crankbaits on shallow to mid-depth weeds, bars, points, and humps holding panfish and baitfish. Might pick up a walleye, too!
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is good to very good. Find them in lake basins, weeds, and cribs from shallow to deep, depending on the lake and time of day (low light best). Be sure to check the entire water column, from bottom to top. Crappie minnows, fatheads, waxies, and plastics on jigs and/or slip bobbers work well, as do Jigging Raps and Puppet Minnows.
Bluegill and Perch:
Bluegill and perch are eating (and trying to avoid being “et” at the same time!), but angler interest in these species drops with the temperatures until hard water season. Fish are in weeds, wood, bays, cribs, and around any cover offering protection from predator fish. Waxies, plastics, and Gulp! baits on jigs and teardrops will get action.