Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
A wet and stormy start to the week, but the forecasts predict a generally sunny and mild week ahead. However you spend it, enjoy a fun July 4 Independence Day celebration!
“July Fourth weekend is this weekend and it is time for summer to really show!” says Pat at Happy Hooker.
“Fish muskies around weeds and drop-offs with medium to large bucktails, crankbaits, and topwaters. Walleyes are holding in deeper weeds offering cover and cool conditions. Fish areas with exposed sand and rock with crawlers or leeches on jigs. Walleyes often move to cribs in July, so give them a shot. Smallmouth fishing is good in deeper water with deeper running lures.”
“Panfish are all over the board, with reports of some bluegills still in shallow weed beds. Most crappies and bluegills are in deeper water, but check weedy areas closer to shore.”
Guide Dave Dorazio at Outdoor Creations says Chippewa Flowage musky fishing remains good to excellent.
“Fish in/over/around/through fresh green weeds in 3-10 feet using black-tailed Ghosttails or Flowage Boa bucktails with orange or green #8 Colorado blades. Work topwaters over weeds during low light. Walleyes are scattered. Try leeches around wood, sunken bogs, and weed edges in 12-20 feet.
“For northern pike, work heavy weeds on the west side with spinner and twitch baits. Catch largemouth in those same areas with weedless plastics and topwaters.
“Crappie action is great in 15-20 feet, in weeds in 6-10 feet, and along bogs in the evening, with crappie minnows and jig with tubes or plastics.”
Jim at Hayward Bait says muskie action is fair in 8-15 feet.
“Bucktails, gliders, tubes, Bull Dawgs, and suckers all produce fish. Catch walleyes on weedlines and gravel bars in 10-25 feet with leeches, crawlers, fatheads, walleye suckers, and trolled crankbaits and stickbaits. Fish northerns on weedlines in 7-15 feet with northern suckers, spinnerbaits, spoons, and Rapalas.
“For largemouth, fish crawlers, walleye suckers, leeches, buzz baits, plastics, and topwaters in 3-10 feet. For smallmouth, use jigs, Twister Tails, crayfish imitations, spinnerbaits, topwaters, crawlers, and leeches.
“Crappies are scattered around weeds, taking crappie minnows, waxies, plastics, and Gulp! baits. Catch bluegills in 3-10 feet with waxies, leaf worms, Gulp! baits, Tattle-Tails, and plastics.”
Mike at Jenk’s says muskies are active on surface and sub-surface baits fished on weed edges, stumps, and drop offs.
“Walleye action is improving, with activity starting just before dark on crawlers and leeches, though anglers still swearing by minnows. Northern action is good, though primarily for smaller fish.
“Bass action is slow, with catches mainly of smaller size fish biting on poppers, plastics, and spinnerbaits. Crappies scattered again, from shallow to brush piles and bogs. They do not seem picky on baits, but the trick is finding them.”
Jim at Minnow Jim’s says Nelson Lake anglers are catching some walleyes.
“Fish rocky shorelines and weed edges using jigs and minnows or leeches and stickbaits early in the day or late evenings. During the day, work drop offs and the river channel. For northerns, float large sucker minnows under a bobber while casting surface baits and dressed spinners along weed and reed edges.
“Cast for largemouth in and along weed beds with floating plugs, frogs, scented worms, and dressed swim jigs. Catch bluegills and crappies in 5-8 feet on live bait, tubes, Beetle Spins, and plastics.”
This week, DNR fisheries biologist Max Wolter lists Sawyer County’s ‘other’ world records.
“Nearly everyone knows about the world record fish of Louis Spray and Cal Johnson, but Sawyer County is home to many other current world records.
“In 1983, Nelson Lake produced the yellow bullhead record (3 lb. 5 oz.) and in 1986 the 12 lb. test bluegill record (2 lb. 2 oz.). Big Sissabagama holds the record for musky on 45 lb. test (48 lb. 8 oz., 1977).
“The Namekagon River holds the record for greater redhorse on 4 lb. test at 4 lb. 13 oz. from 2000 and the 36 lb. test brown trout at 6 lb. 9 oz. from 1988. The Brunet River holds records for musky on 2 lb. fly fishing (6 lb. 12 oz., 1984) and the all-tackle shorthead redhorse, an incredible 11 lb. 5 oz. fish from 1983.
“In 1998, the Chippewa River’s West Fork produced a 10 lb. test record walleye at 8 lb. 0 oz. The Chippewa Flowage has nine different hybrid (tiger) musky records, while Lac Courte Oreilles and the Chippewa River each have one.
“Perhaps the area’s strangest record, considering their rarity, is the 6 lb. test channel catfish record set in 2008 on the Chippewa Flowage – at 45 inches, the catfish was just one inch shy of the all tackle record.
“Many thanks to Emmett Brown at the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame for the information.”
DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt says fishing is good when anglers can get on the water.
“Muskies are actively feeding on the Flambeau and Chippewa Rivers and their flowages. Use bucktails, jerkbaits, and topwaters, with the best action in late afternoon. Subsiding mayfly hatches improved walleye action on many lakes. Fish leeches and crawlers on floating jig heads near weeds and hard bottom/muck breaklines in 6-12 feet.
“Fish largemouth on weed beds with topwaters and soft plastics. For smallmouth moving to mid-depth rock and wood cover, use plastics and spinnerbaits.
“For crappies, fish small minnows on slip bobbers over mid-depth structure and along shallow weedlines. Some bluegills are still shallow.”
FISHING REPORT
Musky:
Musky fishing is fair to excellent, depending on the day, lake ... and angler. Concentrate on green weeds, weed edges, and drop-offs in 3-17 feet of water. Lure producing the most success include bucktails, gliders, tubes, Bull Dawgs, crankbaits, jerkbaits, topwaters, and suckers. Match bait types and colors to the water and cover conditions.
Walleye:
Walleye fishing is fair to good, with best action starting just before dark. Fish are in various locations, including weedlines, breaklines, bogs, gravel bars, sand, rock, cribs, and drop-offs in 5-25 feet, depending on light and time of day. Crawlers and leeches on jigs, Lindy Rigs, slip bobbers, and split shot rigs lead the list, but fatheads, walleye suckers, plastics, crankbaits, and stickbaits work as well.
Northern Pike:
Northern action slowed, though smaller fish are very active. Work weedlines in 4-12 feet with northern suckers, spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, twitch and minnow baits, and stickbaits. Fish deeper water with larger baits for trophy pike.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth fishing is good to very good around thick weeds, slop, brush, cribs, lily pads, and similar heavy cover. Best baits include rigged and scented worms, swim jigs, weedless/soft plastics, spinnerbaits, surface baits, poppers, Jitterbugs topwater frogs, crawlers, walleye suckers, and leeches.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action is very good and improving, with fish around mid-depth to deeper weeds, rock, and wood. Baits of choice include jigs with trailers, plastics, crawfish imitations, spinnerbaits, deep running crankbaits, tubes, topwaters, crawlers, and leeches.
Crappie:
Crappies are scattered and suspending, but fishing is good once you find them. Look for fish in 4-20 feet of water around weeds and weedlines, bogs, brush, and cribs. Top producing baits include crappie minnows, waxies, tube jigs, plastics, Mini-Mites, Tattle-Tails, Twister Tails, Gulp! baits, and Beetle Spins.
Bluegill:
Bluegill fishing is good to very good and some fish are still in the shallows. Check depths from 2-12 feet around weed beds, brush, and cribs. Waxies, leaf worms, plastics, Gulp! baits, tube jigs, Tattle-Tails, Mini-Mites, and Beetle Spins will all catch ‘gills.
Upcoming Events
July 1: Training dogs by pursuing bear allowed (see regs).
July 15: Turtle season opens statewide (see regs).
July 17-19: LCO Honor the Earth Pow Wow (715) 634-8934).
July 17-19: Birchwood Bluegill Festival (800-236-2252).
July 23-25: Lumberjack World Championships (715-634-2484).
Through July 31: Illegal to allow dogs to run on DNR lands and Federal WPA (see regs for exceptions).
Aug. 1: Application deadline: Fall turkey; Sharp-tailed grouse; Bobcat; Fisher; Otter.
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.