Hayward Lakes VCB
09-13-2023, 02:38 PM
Musky:
Musky action ranges from fair to very good. Look for fish from shallow weeds, wood, and rock, to deep weed edges. Bucktails, jerkbaits, gliders, rubber baits, flap tails, and topwaters such as Hawg Wobblers, Warlocks, creepers, and others are working well. Anglers casting baits should drag a sucker, but check the regulations!
Walleye:
Walleye fishing is fair, with best success from late evening into dark. Fish are scattered from shallow weeds and structure to deep weedlines, flats, and basins. Hit shallower weedlines in the evening. Walleye suckers, fatheads, and crawlers on jigs and slip bobbers work well, as do trolled/drifted crawler harnesses, bottom bouncers, and crankbaits.
Northern Pike:
Northern pike fishing is good to very good, particularly for small fish around shallow weeds and other structure. Find bigger pike on deep weeds, weed edges, points, and near panfish concentrations. Northern and walleye suckers on jigs and/or slip bobbers, spinners, spinnerbaits, swimbaits, spoons, Rattle Traps, and bucktails all work for pike!
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth bass fishing is good to very good around shallow weeds, weedlines, weed beds, wood, lilies, docks, and other structure, and areas holding panfish. Baits of choice include plastics in various configurations on swim jigs, Ned, Texas, and drop-shot rigs, crawlers, minnows, and topwaters such as Whopper Ploppers and frogs.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth bass fishing is fair to very good depending on the day and location. Fish are on deep rock and rocky points and shorelines in depths to 23 feet. Sucker and fathead minnows, crawlers, plastics, swimbaits and swim jigs, Ned, Texas, and drop-shot rigs all work well, and topwaters are good in some areas.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is inconsistent, from fair to very good, again depending on the day and location, as well their transition to fall patterns. Look for fish on cribs, bogs, deep weeds, weedlines, and structure, and suspending over flats and basins. Most productive are crappie minnows and plastics on jigs fished vertically or under slip bobbers.
Bluegill and Perch:
Bluegill and perch fishing is good in shallow weeds, as well as on cribs, deep structure, and basins. Waxies, leaf worms, and crawler chunks on small jigs and/or under slip bobbers work well. Go smaller if fish are reluctant to bite.
Musky action ranges from fair to very good. Look for fish from shallow weeds, wood, and rock, to deep weed edges. Bucktails, jerkbaits, gliders, rubber baits, flap tails, and topwaters such as Hawg Wobblers, Warlocks, creepers, and others are working well. Anglers casting baits should drag a sucker, but check the regulations!
Walleye:
Walleye fishing is fair, with best success from late evening into dark. Fish are scattered from shallow weeds and structure to deep weedlines, flats, and basins. Hit shallower weedlines in the evening. Walleye suckers, fatheads, and crawlers on jigs and slip bobbers work well, as do trolled/drifted crawler harnesses, bottom bouncers, and crankbaits.
Northern Pike:
Northern pike fishing is good to very good, particularly for small fish around shallow weeds and other structure. Find bigger pike on deep weeds, weed edges, points, and near panfish concentrations. Northern and walleye suckers on jigs and/or slip bobbers, spinners, spinnerbaits, swimbaits, spoons, Rattle Traps, and bucktails all work for pike!
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth bass fishing is good to very good around shallow weeds, weedlines, weed beds, wood, lilies, docks, and other structure, and areas holding panfish. Baits of choice include plastics in various configurations on swim jigs, Ned, Texas, and drop-shot rigs, crawlers, minnows, and topwaters such as Whopper Ploppers and frogs.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth bass fishing is fair to very good depending on the day and location. Fish are on deep rock and rocky points and shorelines in depths to 23 feet. Sucker and fathead minnows, crawlers, plastics, swimbaits and swim jigs, Ned, Texas, and drop-shot rigs all work well, and topwaters are good in some areas.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is inconsistent, from fair to very good, again depending on the day and location, as well their transition to fall patterns. Look for fish on cribs, bogs, deep weeds, weedlines, and structure, and suspending over flats and basins. Most productive are crappie minnows and plastics on jigs fished vertically or under slip bobbers.
Bluegill and Perch:
Bluegill and perch fishing is good in shallow weeds, as well as on cribs, deep structure, and basins. Waxies, leaf worms, and crawler chunks on small jigs and/or under slip bobbers work well. Go smaller if fish are reluctant to bite.