Hayward Fall Fishing on the Small Lakes and Rivers
By Wayne Morgenthaler
The fall is a great time to take a trip to northern Wisconsin around the Hayward area. Most small lakes and rivers do not get much fishing action. Knowing what baits to use and what areas to target is key to being successful.
I generally won’t head north until they have a good hard frost and most of the leaves are gone. The water temperature in October has dropped considerably from the first of September. In the rivers weeds have quit growing and are starting to die. Also, if you get some heavy rains it helps wash the weeds away. This means the bait fish cannot hide and the fish go on a feeding frenzy. Especially, pike and muskies, who seem to feed all day long. The best fishing conditions are a cloudy day, a nice breeze, and maybe add in a sprinkle of rain. Our favorite baits are Mepps spinners without the bucktail, Little Cleos in orange and blue, and Lethal Weapons with a plastic crawdad.
10 pound northern pike, 33 inches long caught on a river.
Largemouth bass weighing in at 5 pounds caught on a small lake.
The small lakes are usually the best where the waves are washing in. There are a few lily pads but not many. We target our casts in the lily pads for largemouth and the weed lines for pike. We generally use mostly Lethal Weapons with blue, orange, and white plastic crawdads. The spoons and spinners bring in occasional fish but are not our first bait of choice.
We were able to observe ducks, swans, geese, and the bald eagle as we floated down the river. This is our last time fishing open water until the spring. Enjoy the weather while you can.