Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
The North Woods enjoyed a very nice, long fall, and even with this week’s forecast including rain and “other” forms of precipitation, conditions are still relatively comfortable for this time of year.
Regardless of the weather, one bright spot to end this week is an extra hour of sleep – IF you remember to turn back your clocks! Daylight Saving Time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday morning November 1, a particularly important change for waterfowlers and other hunters affected by legal shooting hours.
“Now is the time the waters and woods come alive,” says Pat at Happy Hooker. “It will not be long before the leaves are gone and lakes start showing skim ice, but the fish are as active as the forest critters.
“We are hearing catches of nice pike and musky on big baits, big spinnerbaits, and large sucker minnows. If you want large suckers, call ahead for availability.
“The walleye and crappie bite continues to be good on a mix of minnow shad Gulp!, walleye suckers, and fatheads. Anglers slow trolling crankbaits are also making nice catches.
“Deer movement is picking up and we are seeing signs of rut, with rubs and scrapes starting to show presence. For safety’s sake, now is the time to check your stands.
Grouse hunters are having improved success now that most of the cover is disappearing.”
Jim at Hayward Bait says musky fishing is very good.
“The sucker bite has really picked up, but bucktails and Bull Dawgs seem to be working best.
“The walleye bite is a little soft on most lakes and fish are as deep as 30-50 feet. Right now, walleye suckers and jigs with fatheads are producing the best success for anglers. Northern pike are active on most lakes, with best action on spoons and spinnerbaits. Panfish fishing is generally slow.
“Grouse and duck hunters report some good hunting in certain areas.”
Mike at Jenk’s says Chippewa Flowage musky action is solid, with many anglers seeing fish, and last week there was a report of a 50.5-inch fish caught on a sucker.
“Suckers are now, without a doubt, the bait of choice, but the water is still warm enough to throw Bull Dawgs, Suicks, Vexers, and other jerkbaits. The cooler the water gets, the more action you should see.
“Walleye fishing is still not up to a satisfactory level, but dropping water temperatures may trigger more action. Use large fatheads or smaller sucker minnows and fish in deeper holes and off breaks where there are schools of baitfish.
“There is not much to report on Flowage bass, but Round Lake is producing some beautiful smallmouth on medium sucker minnows. Crappies are schooling up and suspending and fishing is very good on baits ranging from crappie minnows, to various panfish jigs, and plastics. The best spots include Blueberry Flats, Moores Bay, and Crane Lake.”
This week, in a topic fit for Halloween, DNR fisheries biologist Max Wolter discusses if fish can get scared!
“Is it possible for fish to get scared? A 1995 study by Canadian researchers looked at how minnows react to ‘alarm’ pheromones. In the study, researchers fed northern pike stickleback and silversides, two small minnow species capable of producing hormones that signal danger to other fish.
“The researchers then put feces from those northern pike in a tank with fathead minnows. The fathead minnows apparently sensed the alarm pheromones from the fish the pike had eaten and avoided the area with feces. The researchers also noticed the fatheads exhibited a ‘fright’ reaction to the pike feces.
“This is a very interesting study that demonstrates one way in which baitfish are adapted to avoid predators.”
According to DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt, the abundance of hunting opportunities has limited fishing pressure the last few weeks.
“Water temperatures have dropped into the low 50s and fall turnover has started on most area lakes.
“Musky anglers are providing most of the fishing pressure, though with variable success, and most anglers are using 10- to 14-inch suckers on quick-set rigs. Walleye action is erratic and the fish have yet to settle into a solid fall pattern. Late October and early November should provide better action. Use jigs/minnows and slip bobber/minnow combinations on deep, rocky structure and along mid-depth breaklines.
“With the colder water temperatures, bass fishing is all but over for the year, but there is a surge in crappie action. Fish near and along deeper water for fish suspending 4-5 feet off bottom.”
The DNR says whitetail bucks are showing increased interest in rut and there is a corresponding increase in deer-vehicle collisions. Motorists should be on alert, especially during dawn and dusk. If you see one deer, watch for another deer following behind it!
The DNR has made a number of programs and tools available to help you easily find a place to hunt or to enjoy other outdoor activities in Wisconsin. Check out the Public Access Lands Atlas of Wisconsin; the Pocket Ranger mobile application; and the Fields & Forest Lands Interactive Gamebird Hunting Tool (FFLIGHT).
Now that e-registration is in effect, you can track the season’s deer harvest online on the DNR website. TheSawyer County harvest from September 12 through October 18 includes: Archery: 34 bucks, 2 antlerless; Crossbow: 38 bucks, 3 antlerless; Youth Hunt Oct. 10-11: 24 bucks, 27 antlerless.
FISHING REPORT
Musky:
Musky action is good to very good and getting better for big fish. Work weed beds and weedlines in various depths with suckers on quick-set rigs and larger bucktails, spinnerbaits, and jerkbaits.
Walleye:
Walleye fishing is fair and inconsistent with fish in deeper water. Fish drop-offs, ledges, breaks, rock, and other structure that contains weeds, brush, and baitfish. Use walleye suckers and large fatheads on jigs and slip bobbers, or troll crank and stick baits in those same areas.
Northern Pike:
Northern pike action is good to very good on weedlines and near schooling panfish. Spinnerbaits, spoons, and northern suckers work best. As usual, fish bigger baits deeper for trophy pike.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth anglers are making some nice catches on the deep, clear lakes with smallmouth populations. Work walleye suckers and crawlers on jigs, split shot, and drop shot rigs on weedlines, rock, and other structure.
Crappie:
Crappie action is fair to very good, depending on the lake, time ... and angler. Fish are schooling and suspending in the vicinity of deeper water and low in the water column. The most productive baits include crappie minnows, fatheads, crappie jigs, Mini-Mites, Tattle-Tails, plastics, and Gulp! baits.
Upcoming Events
Oct. 24: Seasons opened in north: Muskrat; Mink.
Nov. 1: Wild ginseng season closes.
Nov. 1: Turn back your clock – Daylight Saving Time ends at 2 a.m.
Nov. 2: Woodcock season closes.
Nov. 7: Seasons open: Beaver trapping in northwest zone; Otter trapping in all zones; Non-resident raccoon.
Nov. 15: Trout and salmon fishing closes on downstream Lake Superior tributaries (see regs).
Nov. 19-Dec. 7: Northwest Relic Riders Vintage Snowmobile Club antique snowmobile display; Northern Lakes Co-op.
Nov. 19: Seasons close: Fall turkey; Crow.
Nov. 21-29: Regular gun deer season.
Nov. 24: Duck season closes in north zone.
Nov. 29: Mourning dove season closes.
Nov. 30: Season close: Muskellunge; Turtle.
Nov. 30-Dec. 9: Muzzleloader deer season opens.
Dec. 10-13: Four-day antlerless deer hunt.
Hayward Lakes Visitor and Convention Bureau and Sawyer County Record co-sponsor this report. For more information on area events and activities, visit the HLVCB’s Calendar of Events or call 800-724-2992.