Hayward Lakes VCB
10-11-2023, 10:34 AM
Musky:
Musky fishing is very good to excellent. Focus on very shallow to mid-depth weeds and weed edges that offer access to deep water. Musky suckers on quick-strike rigs, bucktails, gliders, jerkbaits, stickbaits, crankbaits, rubber baits, and topwaters are all very effective in the right place at the right time.
Walleye:
Walleye fishing slowed somewhat due to a number of factors. As one might expect, best success is in late evening into dark. Fish are surprisingly shallow, near docks and on weedlines and weed flats feeding on baitfish. During daylight, look for them near deeper weeds near those flats. Walleye suckers, fatheads, and crawlers on jigs, slip bobbers, and live bait rigs, and jerkbaits, and jigging baits are all productive.
Northern Pike:
Northern pike fishing is very good around shallow to deeper green weeds, weed edges, and other structure, particularly those that offer deep water nearby, as well as near baitfish and panfish concentrations. Northern and walleye suckers, and fatheads under floats work well, and spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, and swimbaits will all do the job.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth bass action is still very good to excellent. Find them on shallow weed bed edges, lily pads, and other cover that holds baitfish and bluegill concentrations, and watch for very shallow fish feeding on frogs along shorelines. Live bait, spinners, spinnerbaits, plastics, and topwaters are all very effective.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth bass fishing is good to very good as the fish feed aggressively to prepare for winter. Look for them on shallow structure with sandy bottoms, as well as schooled in mid-depths. Walleye suckers are very productive, but other live bait offerings and plastics can also draw their interest.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is good once you find them. Look near deep weed edges, cribs, and other structure, as well as schooled and suspending in lake basins. Crappie minnows, fatheads, plastics, and Gulp! baits on small jigs and plain hooks, jigged or fished under slip bobbers, all work well.
Bluegill
Bluegill fishing is good around shallow to mid-depth green weeds, weed beds, and weed edges, cribs, basins, and brush. Best baits include waxies, leaf worms, crawler chunks, and Gulp! baits on small jigs, teardrops, and plain hooks, fished with or without slip bobbers.
Musky fishing is very good to excellent. Focus on very shallow to mid-depth weeds and weed edges that offer access to deep water. Musky suckers on quick-strike rigs, bucktails, gliders, jerkbaits, stickbaits, crankbaits, rubber baits, and topwaters are all very effective in the right place at the right time.
Walleye:
Walleye fishing slowed somewhat due to a number of factors. As one might expect, best success is in late evening into dark. Fish are surprisingly shallow, near docks and on weedlines and weed flats feeding on baitfish. During daylight, look for them near deeper weeds near those flats. Walleye suckers, fatheads, and crawlers on jigs, slip bobbers, and live bait rigs, and jerkbaits, and jigging baits are all productive.
Northern Pike:
Northern pike fishing is very good around shallow to deeper green weeds, weed edges, and other structure, particularly those that offer deep water nearby, as well as near baitfish and panfish concentrations. Northern and walleye suckers, and fatheads under floats work well, and spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, and swimbaits will all do the job.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth bass action is still very good to excellent. Find them on shallow weed bed edges, lily pads, and other cover that holds baitfish and bluegill concentrations, and watch for very shallow fish feeding on frogs along shorelines. Live bait, spinners, spinnerbaits, plastics, and topwaters are all very effective.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth bass fishing is good to very good as the fish feed aggressively to prepare for winter. Look for them on shallow structure with sandy bottoms, as well as schooled in mid-depths. Walleye suckers are very productive, but other live bait offerings and plastics can also draw their interest.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is good once you find them. Look near deep weed edges, cribs, and other structure, as well as schooled and suspending in lake basins. Crappie minnows, fatheads, plastics, and Gulp! baits on small jigs and plain hooks, jigged or fished under slip bobbers, all work well.
Bluegill
Bluegill fishing is good around shallow to mid-depth green weeds, weed beds, and weed edges, cribs, basins, and brush. Best baits include waxies, leaf worms, crawler chunks, and Gulp! baits on small jigs, teardrops, and plain hooks, fished with or without slip bobbers.