Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report July 14, 2014
Steve Suman
Outstanding Sunday weather set the pattern for this week (so say the forecasts), with mild days, cool nights, and a few chances for showers and thunderstorms early and late in the week.
“Weather is affecting fishing, but anglers are catching fish,” says Pat at Happy Hooker.
“Fish muskies on deeper weedlines and humps with bucktails, spinnerbaits, and plastics. For walleyes, work weed edges and structure in 8-20 feet with leeches, crawlers, and suckers. Catch northern pike on weedlines with suckers, crankbaits, spinners, and swim jigs.
“Fish largemouth in weeds and slop with rigged plastics, swim jigs, and topwaters. For smallmouth, work breaks and rock with plastics, leeches, and fatheads. Fish crappies on weed edges in 12-18 feet with crappie minnows and plastics.”
Guide Dave Dorazio at Outdoor Creations says muskie action is great on the Chippewa Flowage.
“Fish weed edges and weed beds with bucktails and topwaters. Anglers are catching decent pike on the same baits. Walleye fishing is exceptional on humps and sunken bogs in 12-20 feet with leeches on jigs or slip bobbers. In the evening, cast Rapalas over weeds.
“Catch largemouth in shallow weeds with spinnerbaits and plastics; catch smallmouth in rocky, weedy areas. For crappies, fish weeds, cribs, and deep brush with crappie minnows, waxies, and jig/tube combinations.”
Bob at Hayward Bait says muskies are hitting bucktails, gliders, and topwaters.
“For walleyes, fish leeches and crawlers in 15-20 feet on weeds, rock, and sand. Catch northern with suckers, spinners, and spoons on weedlines, shallow and deep.
“Largemouth fishing is good on topwaters and weedless worms in the pads. Smallmouth are deeper, hitting leeches and crawlers. For crappies, use minnows, waxies, and tubes for fish on deep weedlines and suspending over deeper water. Fish bluegills in weeds and wood in 5-15 feet with waxies, worms, crawlers, and plastics.”
Mike at Jenk’s says muskie action is spotty, with fish aggressive on some days and not moving on others.
“Black, green-bladed bucktails, Bull Dawgs, spinnerbaits, and topwaters are the top baits. Walleye fishing is best on leeches and Beetle Spins in sunken brush during mornings and afternoons and on bars in the evening. Pike are hitting everything from live bait to spinners to spoons.
“Smallmouth fishing is good on crawlers off bars in 8-12 feet. Fish crappies on cribs, brush, and bogs with minnows, Mini-Mites, and Gulp! baits.”
DNR fisheries biologist Max Wolter says volunteers made the 2014 Shue’s Pond Kid’s Fishing Day a big success.
“The DNR hosted a kids fishing event at Shue’s Pond during Musky Fest weekend and more than 150 kids caught at least one fish, with many catching several. This event was possible thanks to a generous bait donation from Hayward Bait and the assistance of volunteers Tom Christensen, Wayne Balsavich, Mike Persson, Art Malin, Jim Kron, David Staber, Bruce Stoltenberg, Jim Summers, and Cory and Zach Nelson.
“We were very pleased to see many family members involved in helping the kids and hope it leads to many great future family fishing trips!
“Thanks to all for making this another successful event filled with great memories for the kids.”
DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt says muskie anglers report decent catches on bucktails, topwaters, and Bull Dawgs.
“Walleye fishing is steady with leeches and crawlers on slip bobbers fished along deep weed edges and breaklines. Anglers are catching good numbers of smaller pike on spinnerbaits in/along weed edges.
“Largemouth are around lily pads, weeds, wood, docks, brush, and bog edges. For smallmouth, work plastics slowly around wood cover. Crappies are over deeper weed beds or suspending near mid-depth cover. Bluegills and perch are on deeper mud flats.
The permit application deadline is noon, August 1, for people planning to participate in fall turkey, Canada goose, bobcat, fisher, otter, wolf, or upriver lakes sturgeon seasons. Permit applications are available through authorized license agents, DNR service centers, the Online Licensing Center, or by calling toll-free 1-877-945-4236.
Hayward Bass Club is holding its annual Chippewa Flowage open tournament July 27, from 8 a.m. through 4 p.m. The Landing on Hwy CC is the tournament starting point. The club pays back 90 percent to the top five places, reserving 10 percent to fund its free youth bass tournament in August. The entry fee is $50 per boat/two-person team and a limit of 50 boats/teams. An individual may compete as a team. This is an artificials only event. For more information, contact Wayne Balsavich (405-227-1789; haywardbassclub@gmail.com.
FISHING REPORT
Muskie:
Muskie fishing continues to improve, with anglers seeing good numbers of fish and reporting many follows. Concentrate on shallow to mid-depth weeds, weed edges, points, breaks, and humps. The most productive baits include bucktails, Bull Dawgs, gliders, divers, topwaters, spinnerbaits, and suckers on quick-strike rigs.
Walleye:
Walleye action is consistent and good to outstanding. Target deep weeds, breaklines, rock, sand bars, humps, brush, and bogs in 12-20 feet of water. In the evening hours, work similar structure in shallow water. Anglers are catching fish with leeches and crawlers on slip bobbers and live bait rigs, jigs and fatheads, and cast/trolled Rapalas, Scatter Raps, crankbaits, and stickbaits.
Northern Pike:
Northern pike fishing is fair to very good. Look for good numbers of smaller pike in shallower weeds and weedlines, while trophy pike are in deeper water near weedlines, structure, and baitfish. Top producing baits include northern suckers, spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, bucktails, swim baits, crankbaits, and chatterbaits.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth action is very good. Look for largemouth in/near weeds, wood, lily pads, docks, brush, bogs, and slop in depth out to about 12 feet. Baits of choice include rigged plastics (worms, tubes, creatures, frogs), spinners, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and topwaters, as well as fatheads, crawlers, and leeches on live bait rigs or under slip bobbers.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth fishing is very good, with fish in/on deeper water wood, rock bars, and breaklines. Best baits include leeches, crawlers, fatheads, sucker minnows, plastics, tubes, spinnerbaits, swim jigs, and some surface baits.
Crappie:
Crappie action is fair to good, with fish now in/suspending over deeper water (to 20 feet) near weeds, woods, cribs, and brush. Crappie minnows, waxies, plastics, and Gulp! Alive Minnows on jigs or plain hooks and fished under slip bobbers are all productive baits.
Bluegill:
Bluegills finished spawning and moved to their summer habitat. Great numbers of smaller fish are in shallow water in/near weeds, brush, bogs, docks, and other structure. Bigger ‘gills are in deeper water (5-18 feet) around weedlines, gravel, rock, wood, and mud flats. Waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawlers, leeches, plastics, and Gulp! baits on jigs or plain hooks, Tattle-Tails, and topwaters all work well.
Upcoming Events
July 15: Turtle season open statewide (see regs. for exceptions).
July 15-20: LCO Honor the Earth Pow Wow (715) 634-8934).
July 18-20: Birchwood Bluegill Festival (800-236-2252).
July 24-26: 55th Annual Lumberjack World Championships (715-634-2484).
July 27: Hayward Bass Club Chippewa Flowage Open (405-227-1789).
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; Horicon goose; Wolf; Bobcat; Fisher; Otter; Sharp-tailed grouse; Upriver Winnebago system sturgeon spearing.
Aug. 2: Flambeau River State Forest Outdoor Camp Cooking (715-332-5271).
Aug. 9-10: Project Appleseed event at Hayward Rod & Gun Club (715-466-5145).
Aug. 23: Remaining fall turkey permits go on sale.
Through Aug. 31: Training dogs by pursuing bear (see regs. for exceptions).
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.