Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report March 10, 2025
Steve Suman
The forecast predicts a mostly good week ahead, with highs ranging from 31 to 67 degrees, lows from 16 to 44 degrees, and a mix of sunshine and rain chances. However, a storm system slated to arrive Friday through Sunday that could include snow ‑ definitely North Woods’ spring weather!
“A big warm-up this week should knock down the snow the Quiet Lakes’ area received last week,” says Greg at Happy Hooker. “It is hard to say how much in accumulation, as it was blowing very hard!
“Fishing certainly slowed due to last week’s weather and the closing of the gamefish season. There is still plenty of ice for anglers to get out, but be cautious around rocky shorelines as those rocks can heat up and make ice thin, and any areas with considerable current could be getting thin already as well.
“Crappies are in the basins in 15-25 feet and anglers are catching fish with small spoons tipped with 2-3 waxies or chunks of crappie minnows.
“Bluegills are in 3-10 feet on weed edges and in areas where inlets are bringing fresh water into the lake. Waxies, spikes, and plastics on small jigs are working well.
“Perch are in 10-20 feet and last week we found them on a mid-lake reef that dropped off into deep water. We had good luck with waxies on small jigs and spoons, same as with crappie.”
Jarrett at Hayward Bait says that with gamefish season ending, anglers still have late season panfish opportunities.
“Ice conditions are solid ‑ most waters have more than two feet of ice ‑ and the recent 6 inches of snow made walking on the ice easier. Much of it still accessible by foot and tire traffic, but warm spring temperatures are on their way!
“Crappies are basin related, staging outside of bays they use to feed and spawn once the ice retreats. Search for fish suspending in more than 20 feet. Larger jigs and jigging spoons should tempt big crappies.
“Bluegills roam deep weedlines and muddy basins looking for food. Use waxies and plastics on small jigs, upsizing to small spoons for bigger fish in the schools.
“Perch will cruise toward mud flats getting ready to spawn. Focus on bottom baits that create a buzz in the sediment. Small insect and angleworm style baits on small jigs work well.
“Trout anglers are fishing the early catch and release trout season in many rivers, with the Brule opener at the end of March fast approaching.”
This week, DNR fisheries biologist Max Wolter discusses how often anglers ‘limit out’ on panfish.
“One of the common concerns I hear concerns overharvest of panfish. Some anglers worry that every other angler on the water is taking a full limit or more of panfish. How common is it for a panfish angler to keep a limit or more than the limit? Data from our creel surveys answer these questions.
“During creel surveys, DNR staff interview anglers at the end of their fishing trip to determine what they targeted, caught, and harvested. These surveys typically include hundreds of angler interviews across the entire fishing season. To look at how common it is for a panfish angler to harvest a limit or more, I pulled creel data from three lakes.
“In 2017, Nelson Lake creel data shows 26% of anglers targeting panfish kept a full legal limit of 10 per day. The average number of panfish harvested per angler was just 2.3, in part because 25% of anglers harvested no panfish by choice or they did not catch any.
“Our creel clerks are able to note when someone has more than the legal limit of fish. Just 1.1% of anglers had more than the legal limit of panfish on Nelson in 2017, with the party keeping the most holding nine extra panfish per person. A similar story occurred in 2015 on Sissabagama Lake, where most panfish anglers focus on crappie. Just 18% of crappie anglers on Sissabagama harvested a full 10-crappie limit.
“We can also look at instances where there was a higher bag limit. In 2011, the Chippewa Flowage panfish bag limit was 25. In that year, just 1.5% of all anglers harvested a full limit and less than 0.1% more than the legal limit. After we lowered the Chip’s bag limit to 10, anglers harvesting a full limit jumped to 13% in 2022, unsurprisingly.
“Still, creel clerks finding anglers taking more than their daily bag limit were rare. On the Chip in 2022, just 0.8% of anglers had more than their daily bag limit of 10-fish.
“These data are useful for a number of reasons, the most important in helping us set appropriate harvest regulations for our local fish populations. Perhaps these data will also set some minds at ease, knowing most anglers follow the rules and that bag limit violations are relatively rare and typically not flagrant abuses.
“Of course, the rare cases of flagrant abuse will still get plenty of media coverage, which might be a reason many people think the occurrences are more common.”
A total lunar eclipse (also known as a Blood Moon) occurs March 13-14. The Full Worm Moon is March 14. A partial solar eclipse occurs March 29.
The first day of spring ‑ the Spring Equinox ‑ is March 20.
The DNR reminds ice anglers that they must remove fishing shelters from WI-MI boundary waters by March 15 and from Lake Superior and waters north of Hwy 64 by March 16.
Wisconsin’s crow season closes March 26.
The sale of remaining spring turkey harvest permits begins March 17, starting with Zone 1. Sales are on a first-come, first-served basis. Each zone sales date starts at 10 a.m. and runs through midnight each day for five consecutive days. Customers can purchase one harvest authorization per day. Remaining authorization for all zones go on sale the sixth day at one per day until sold out or the season ends. Cost is $10 for residents and $15 for nonresidents. When purchasing a bonus harvest authorization, you must have or purchase a spring turkey license and stamp.
The scheduled sales dates for remaining authorizations in the following zones are:
- Zone 1 - Monday, March 17
- Zone 2 - Tuesday, March 18
- Zone 3 - Wednesday, March 19
- Zone 4 - Thursday, March 20
- Zone 5 - Friday, March 21
- Zones 6 and 7 - have no bonus permits available
- Remaining authorizations for all zones go on sale Saturday, March 22, at 10 a.m.
For more information, visit dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/hunt/turkey.
Hayward Bass Club will hold its spring planning and membership meeting this Wednesday, March 12, starting at 7 p.m., at Hayward Rod & Gun Club, on County Road B, just east of Hayward. This meeting is to select lakes to fish this summer and begin developing the teams and divisions. The club welcomes new members and invites interested anglers to attend this meeting. For information, contact Wayne at haywardbassclub@gmail.com or call (405-227-1789).
ATV/UTV TRAIL REPORT
All ATV and UTV operators born on or after Jan. 1, 1988, who are at least 12 years old for ATV and at least 16 years old for UTV, must complete an ATV/UTV safety certification course to operate legally on public ATV/UTV trails and areas in Wisconsin. The DNR requires trail passes for non-residents and Wisconsin residents must display a registration sticker. Riders must run headlights at all times when operating. Visit the DNR ATV website for rules and regulations.
Forest entities annually close their trails and related forest roads for spring thaw. Closure dates vary depending on conditions. Trails typically close between mid to late March and May. Flambeau Forest trails close to ATV/ UTV use from November 15 until May 15.
Unless otherwise posted, all county roads outside the LCO Reservation in Sawyer County are legal for ATV/UTV use. The Trail Treker app shows any changes. Contact numbers are as follows for ATV/UTV trails: Sawyer County Forest (715-634-4846), Chequamegon National Forest (715-634-4821), and Flambeau State Forest (715-332-5271).
Check for trail and road updates and closures at HLVCB ATV/UTV trail conditions report and Sawyer County Snowmobile & ATV Alliance.
The Sawyer County ATV and Snowmobile Trail Map is available from the Hayward Lakes Visitor & Convention Bureau, or download the Trail Treker app ($2) on your smartphone and get the complete Sawyer County Trail Map ($2). Once loaded, you never need mobile coverage. Place the phone in Airplane Mode to conserve battery power and the GPS still shows your location and all map business sponsors in “Points of Interest.”
FISHING REPORT
Warm temperatures over the weekend and this week will take a toll on the snow and ice, but ice thickness should be good a bit longer. However, it can change quickly, with sunshine and highs in the 50s and 60s this week!
Gamefish season closed March 2, limiting angler options to panfish and the early catch and release trout season. Whatever you target, do so with caution. Check with your favorite bait shop for changing fish locations, favored baits and presentations, and current ice conditions.
State law requires removal of ice shacks from WI-MI waters by March 15, and from Lake Superior and waters north of Hwy 64 by March 16.
Crappie:
Crappies are still in deep basins and suspending in 15-30 feet, depending on the lake, as well as near spawning bays. Crappie minnows, waxies, plastics, and Gulp! baits on jigs and small jigging spoons are working well.
Bluegill:
Bluegill fishing is good on deep weedlines and in muddy basins, and weed edges and inlets with fresh water in 3-12 feet. Waxies, spikes, plastics, and Gulp! baits on small jigs, teardrops, and plain hooks are working, and try tipping small spoons with live bait to attract larger fish.
Perch:
Perch anglers are doing well fishing mud flats and mid-lake points and humps adjacent to deep water. Waxies, insect, and angleworm type baits on small jigs, spoons, and bottom baits that stir up the bottom sediment will pull in perch.
Feb. 28: Seasons closed: Cottontail; Squirrel (gray, fox).
March -May 31: Elk license application period ($10 fee).
March 2: General inland fishing season closed.
March 9: Daylight Saving Time began ‑ changed the clock or late to work?
March 12: Hayward Bass Club will hold a planning meeting at Hayward Rod & Gun Club, 7pm (405-227-1789).
March 13-14: Total lunar eclipse.
March 14: Full Worm Moon.
March 15: Shamrock Shuffle in Downtown Hayward, The Lot, 11:45am-2pm, (715-634-0437).
March 15: Remove ice fishing shelters from WI-MI boundary waters.
March 16: Remove ice fishing shelters from Lake Superior and waters north of Hwy 64.
March 17: Sale of remaining spring turkey harvest permits begins, starting with Zone 1.
March 20: First day of spring - Spring Equinox.
March 26: Crow season closes.
March 29: Partial solar eclipse.
March 29: Brule River fishing season opens downstream from US Hwy 2 (see regs, including legal fishing hours).
March 31: Some boat registrations expire - is your registration current?
March 31: The 2024-2025 fishing and hunting licenses expire.
For more information on area events and activities, visit the Hayward Lakes Visitor and Convention Bureau and Hayward Area Chamber of Commerce websites, view the Calendar of Events, or call (715) 634-8662 or (715) 634-4801.