Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report 7-22-2013
By Steve Suman
The forecast for this week indicates a dandy week ahead, with warm (not HOT) highs, mild nights excellent for sleeping, a few rain showers, and a warming trend for the weekend. We are good to go!
“Fishing is generally good in recent days,” says Pat at Happy Hooker, “though anglers are limiting their time on the water due to the high heat and humidity.
“Surprisingly, crappies are providing the best action, even some larger ones, and walleye anglers are also catching some fish.”
Jim at Hayward Bait says fishing is a little soft, but definitely worth the effort.
“For muskies, work deep weedlines, drop offs, and wind-swept points with bucktails, plastics, deep running baits, or vertical jigging. The largemouth bite continues to be extremely good everywhere with topwaters, plastic worms, and jerkbaits in 3-10 feet of water.”
Randy at Jenk’s says Chippewa Flowage muskie movement is fair, with most action on surface baits and bucktails.
“Bass anglers should work crawlers, leeches, and plastic baits such as frogs on weeds and stumps for largemouth and deeper wood for smallmouth. Catch crappies on cribs, bogs, and deep brush with minnows and Gulp! baits.”
Guide Dave Dorazio at Outdoor Creations says fishing is hot on the Chippewa Flowage.
“Fish muskies on weed beds and weed edges in 2-8 feet of water with topwaters and bucktails such as Ghost Tails. Hot water can be tough on muskies, so keep your fish in the net, in the water, lift the fish for a couple fast photos, and quickly return it to the lake.”
Carolyn at Anglers All in Ashland says anglers are catching lake trout unusually shallow for this time of year.
“Of course, the next day fish are in 100 feet of water. Use spoons, Spin-N-Glos, bait flies, or squids, and move deeper with the rising sun. Fish smallmouth with suckers, plastics, and stick and crank baits on weeds, wood, pilings, or rock.”
DNR fisheries biologist Max Wolter says many anglers do not realize Wisconsin has no true native trout.
“Brown trout, considered ‘naturalized’, originally came from Europe and were stocked here in the 1800s. Rainbow trout in the Lake Superior basin are native to the Pacific Coast. Both brook and lake trout are native to our lakes and streams, but technically these species are in the char family with Dolly Varden and Arctic char.”
DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt says river and stream levels have dropped to summer lows. Flowages and natural lakes have near normal water levels, with light weed densities for this time of year.
“The warning this summer remains – watch out for the high numbers of mosquitoes, deer flies, and ankle-biters!”
The application deadline is August 1 for fall turkey, Canada geese (Horicon Zone), bobcat, fisher, otter, and wolf seasons. Application fees vary by permit type. For more information, search ‘license’ on the DNR website.
Project Appleseed, an all-volunteer, non-profit organization and sole activity of The Revolutionary War Veterans Association, is dedicated to teaching every American our shared heritage, history, and traditional rifle marksmanship skills. Project Appleseed is offering a rifle marksmanship and American heritage clinic August 3-4 at Hayward Rod & Gun Club. The event will have loaner .22s available. For detailed information, visit http://www.appleseedinfo.org, email WI@appleseedinfo.org; or call Mike (715) 466-5145.
The annual Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. Free Kids Fishing Day is Sunday, August 4, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Young anglers 10-16 years of age fish until noon with knowledgeable muskie anglers on Upper Twin and nearby lakes, returning for a shore lunch and prize distribution. Participants must pre-register and a parent or guardian must be present to sign the registration form. Call Hayward Bait (715) 634-2921 for more information.
The Hayward Bass Club open tournament on the Chippewa Flowage is Sunday July 28, from 8 a.m. through 4 p.m. The event is limited to 50 boats/teams and the entry fee $50 per boat/two-person team. For information, contact Wayne Balsavich (715) 699-1015; haywardbassclub@charter.net.
FISHING REPORT
Muskie: Muskie action is fair to good. Best fishing is in early morning, late evening, and after dark. Muskies are holding on/near deep weeds, weedlines, drop-offs, points, rock bars, and other structure in depths to more than 15 feet. Bucktails, Bull Dawgs, plastics, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, spoons, and topwaters are all catching fish.
Walleye: Walleye action is best during low light hours and after dark and anglers are catching fish from surprisingly shallow water to more than 25 feet. Concentrate on weeds/weedlines, gravel, rock, brush, and sunken bogs. Leeches and crawlers on slip bobbers, jigs, and live bait rigs work best, but anglers are catching fish on crankbaits, stickbaits, and Beetle Spins.
Northern: Northern pike action is slow, though you know they continue to eat. Fish deep weeds, weedlines, and near panfish, in depths to 15 feet, with spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, crankbaits, buzz baits, and northern suckers under bobbers.
Largemouth Bass: Largemouth action is excellent. Fish are in shallow water to about 12 feet, holding tight to weeds and weedlines, logs, bogs, brush, stumps, and slop. Top artificials include plastics (worms in various riggings, tubes, crayfish), spinners, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, stickbaits, and crank baits. Best live baits include crawlers, leeches, and small suckers.
Smallmouth Bass: Smallmouth action is fair to good in depths from 10-20 feet of water on/near rocks, bars, humps, and wood. For artificials, it is hard to beat plastics such as tubes, jigs/tails, crayfish, topwaters, and poppers, as well as crank and spinner baits. For live bait, try crawlers and leeches on live bait/Lindy rigs or under slip bobbers.
Crappie: Crappie fishing is fair to good when you find them. Fish are scattered and suspending in/over deeper water (to more than 20 feet) and holding on/along weedlines, brush, bogs, cribs, and other cover. Use crappie minnows, fatheads, minnow imitations, waxies, plastics, Gulp! baits, and small Beetle Spins.
Bluegill: Bluegill action remains good for small, shallow fish, but bite is slow for bigger ‘gills. Fish deeper water weeds, wood, brush, bogs, and cribs out to more than 20 feet. Waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawler chunks, leeches, plastics, and Gulp! baits work well, fished on small jigs or plain hooks, with or without bobbers.
Upcoming Events
July 25-27: Lumberjack World Championships (715-634-2484).
July 28: Hayward Bass Club Open Tournament on Chippewa Flowage (715) 699-1015).
Through July 31: Illegal to allow dogs to run on DNR lands and Federal WPA (see regs for exceptions).
Aug. 1: Application deadline: Wolf; Fall turkey; Sharptail grouse (suspended); Bobcat, Fisher, Otter.
Aug. 3-4: Project Appleseed at Hayward Rod & Gun Club (715-466-5145).
Aug. 4: Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. Kid’s Fishing Day (715-634-2921).
Aug. 5-8: DNR public hearings on proposed 2013 migratory game bird seasons.
Aug. 15-18: Sawyer County Fair (715-934-2721).
Aug. 18: Hayward Bass Club Free Youth Bass Tournament (715-699-1015).