May 26, 2014 Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
Our North Wood’s weather transitioned from “no” spring to summer-like temperatures almost overnight, and Memorial Day weekend bordered on perfect. This week’s forecast offers a few chances for rain, but also very mild nighttime lows and highs in the upper 70s into the 80-degree range. Warmth and sunshine – enjoy it!
“Muskie season opened last weekend,” says Pat at Happy Hooker, “and early season tactics are in order. Try sight fishing with jig and trailer combos or twitch baits, and this is the easiest time of year to chase muskies with a fly rod.
“Flowages, such as the Chippewa and Moose, are producing the most consistent walleye action on fatheads, walleye suckers, crawlers, and leeches. For artificials, try crankbaits, Rapalas, and minnow imitations.
“For good bass action, fish crankbaits off primary breaks near sand/gravel spawning areas. Crappie fishing is on the verge of the spring explosion. Work reed beds and downed timber with small crappie minnows and fatheads under slip bobbers, Mini-Mites, Tattle-Tails, and small tube jigs.”
Guide Dave Dorazio at Outdoor Creations says Chippewa Flowage anglers are reporting great fishing success.
“Walleyes migrated from the shallows to wood and snag areas in 10-16 feet of water, though some move shallow in the evenings. Work weeds or wood cover with jigs tipped with fatheads, or try a #11 Floating Rapala in gold or fire tiger. Fish northern pike around green weeds on the west side with spinners or shallow running crankbaits.
“Crappies are moving into the shallows and they are hungry. Use crappie minnows under a float, though hair, feather, or plastic tails on jigs are more efficient.”
At Hayward Bait, Kelly says water temperatures are rising and muskies are spawning.
“Walleye action is good with fatheads, leeches, and crawlers fished on weedlines and bars in 12-15 feet of water. Anglers should note the DNR has revised the daily bag limits, increasing it on some waters. Largemouth bass action is good on weedlines, stumps, and brush with jigs, jerkbaits, and plastics.
Jim says northern pike fishing is a little slow, but anglers are catching fish.
“Try northern suckers, spoons, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits on shallower weedlines and along drop-offs. Crappie action is best in shallower water that is the first to warm. Fish dark bottom bays and downed timber with crappie minnows and plastics.”
Mike at Jenk’s says Chippewa Flowage water temperatures are in the high 50s to low 60s.
“With the water temperature warming up, muskie action should get progressively better in the weeks ahead. Walleye action slowed, but guides say you can still find decent fish on the rock and stump bars. Northern pike action is best with northern suckers.
“Most of the bass action is with crawlers on bars, stumps, rock, bogs, and vegetation. Crappies are not yet on the beds, but they are moving from the bay mouths into the bays.”
At Anglers All in Ashland, Carolyn says as of last Friday ice was hanging from the outside of Long Island to the Sioux and in the north and south channels, as well as in Saxon harbor.
“Smallmouth are staging in Sand Cut and the water is clearing, but temperatures fluctuate. Sand Cut anglers are also catching walleyes and northern pike. Along the Ashland shoreline, anglers are catching pike on suckers and smelt.
“Anglers trolling stickbaits around Long Island out to Houghton point are catching trout and salmon – move further out as the ice allows.”
DNR fisheries biologist Max Wolter says the new Fisheries Bureau director has ties to northwest Wisconsin.
“As a DNR Fisheries Management Bureau employee, it is exciting to welcome Ron Bruch into his new role as bureau director. He brings a wealth of experience from his career as a field biologist, technician, and program leader. Known internationally as an expert on sturgeon, Bruch is one of the driving forces behind the wildly successful Winnebago sturgeon fishery.
“Folks in northern Wisconsin should also be excited to have Ron serving in this position. He has strong ties to this area, spending some of his childhood in Butternut, and still comes up to hunt and fish in Sawyer County.”
Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. welcomes the public to attend its meeting Tuesday, June 3, at Beer Bellies Bar and Grill, 10 miles east of Hayward on Hwy 77. Admission is free. A business meeting begins at 6 p.m., followed by a general meeting at 7 p.m. and a presentation by local guide Pete Rich, who will discuss muskie fishing the Chippewa Flowage through the seasons. Anyone attending the meeting who is interested in joining Muskies Inc. can purchase an annual membership for half price. For more information, call Mike Persson (715) 634-4543.
Free Fun Weekend in Wisconsin is June 7-8. During those days, you can fish anywhere in Wisconsin, visit state parks and forests, hike or bike state trails, and ride public ATV trails all for free! Free fishing applies to all Wisconsin waters, including inland trout and Great Lakes trout and salmon fishing. For more information, search “free fun weekend” on the DNR website.
FISHING REPORT
Muskie:
Muskie season in the northern zone opened this past weekend and reports are just starting to arrive. Fish are spawning and anglers should look for shallow, warmer water with small bucktails, jigs, and twitch, glide, and swim baits.
Walleye:
Walleye action is slower and somewhat inconsistent. The fish have moved to deeper water, to about 17 feet, but return to shallow water in the evening hours. Look for walleyes near weeds, weedlines, wood, rock bars, brush, humps, stumps, and snags. Live bait choices include fatheads, walleye suckers, leeches, and crawlers. For artificials, go with crankbaits, floating Rapalas, Husky Jerks, and Shad Raps. Trolling works well where legal.
Northern:
Northern action is good on shallow weeds, weedlines, drop-offs, and areas holding panfish. Northern suckers, spoons, spinners, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and twitch baits will all catch pike. Work deeper water with larger baits for trophy pike.
Bass:
Bass action is improving quickly with the increasing air and water temperatures. Work weedlines, primary breaks, brush, bogs, stumps, sand, gravel, and rock from shallow to 10 feet. Top bass baits for this time include jigs, jerkbaits, plastics, plastic worms, spoons, stickbaits, crankbaits, twitch baits, topwaters, and live bait. Remember smallmouth bass fishing in the northern zone is catch-and-release only until June 21.
Crappie:
Crappie action is very good and getting better. Concentrate on or near traditional shallower water spawning areas around weeds, reeds, timber, stumps, and brush, especially where there is warmer water. Crappie minnows, fatheads, Mini-Mites, Tattle-Tails, jigs, tubes, and plastics are all excellent, but at any given time, one works better than the rest.
Bluegill:
Bluegill action remains somewhat slow, but should break loose any time now with the warming water. Until then, look for fish near shallower water (to 10 feet) weeds and brush. Waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawlers, leeches, and plastics are all catching bluegills.
Upcoming Events
June 3: Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. meeting at Beer Bellies (715-634-4543.)
June 7-8: Free Fishing Weekend/Free Fun Weekend.
June 19-22: 65th Annual Musky Festival (715-634-8662).
June 21: Smallmouth bass season opens in Northern Zone.
June 20-21: 8th Annual Shue’s Pond Family Fishing; noon-4 p.m.
June 29: Hayward Bass Club Round Lakes Open (715-699-1015).
Through July 31: Illegal to allow dogs to run on DNR lands and Federal WPA (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.