Hayward Lakes Sherry
10-31-2011, 01:58 PM
October 31, 2011
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
When one considers we are now entering November (and again, this IS the north woods), the week ahead looks fairly good. Temperatures in and near the 50s a few days this time of year? We will take ‘em!
“The temperatures are dropping, the fish are there – and feeding – and they will do so until ice covers the lakes,” says Pat at Happy Hooker. “Late season open water fishing is a matter of managing your exposure to the weather. If you can handle it, you have a good chance to take good fish. Dress warmly in multiple layers, use gloves allowing control of reels and lures, and whenever possible, keep out of wind.”
Dennis at Hayward Bait says deer hunting is good and registrations are on schedule for this time of year, and waterfowl hunting is normal for this time. Grouse hunting is spotty – good in some areas, not so good in others. Fishing is good overall, particularly with live bait.
“Even though Chippewa Flowage muskies may still follow a jerkbait, the majority of action is now on suckers,” says Randy at Jenk’s. “There is still action on bar edges, but as the water cools the bigger fish will come out of 20 feet.”
Carolyn at Anglers All in Ashland says Chequamegon Bay anglers trolling the head of the Bay with small stickbaits are catching coho, browns, and a few steelhead. Fishing the Washburn coal dock is a favorite this time of year. Use spawn or frozen smelt and while the catch is usually trout or salmon, anglers occasionally hook a walleye or northern.
“Nice fall weather made for some very good fishing conditions,” says DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt, “but with water temperatures dropping into the 40s and the multitude of hunting and other recreational opportunities, there is relatively low fishing pressure.”
In the past week, Hayward area registration stations (Shooting Star, Hillman’s Store, Hayward Bait) registered 16 antlerless deer and nine bucks, including one big nine-point weighing well over 200 pounds dressed and sporting a rack with a 19 3/4-inch inside spread. Dennis at Shooting Star says rut is just starting and hunters are finding quite a few scrapes
Hayward Lakes Chapter - Muskies, Inc. invites the public to attend its Tuesday Nov. 8 meeting and annual fishing lure, tackle, and equipment swap. The swap will follow a general meeting starting at 7 p.m. to elect officers for 2012. Bring your old lures, equipment, or other miscellaneous fishing items to buy, sell, or trade for other treasures. The meeting takes place at Dow’s Corner Bar on the corner of Hwy 77 and County Road A, approximately 15 miles east of Hayward. For more information, contact Mike Persson (715) 634-4543.
FISHING REPORT
Muskies:
Muskie action is good on bar edges and around any green weeds you can find in 12-25 feet of water. A medium to large sucker on a quick-strike rig is the top choice this time of year, but some anglers are getting a bit of action on slowly worked artificials such as jerkbaits, Bull Dawgs, gliders, tubes, and even small bucktails. Trolling large stickbaits is also an effective method at this time.
Walleye:
Walleye action is so-so and inconsistent. Concentrate on deeper water – from 20 to 35 feet and even deeper, depending on the lake and time of day. That said, some anglers are catching a few fish along points and weed edges in shallower water. The one consistent is bait choice – larger walleye suckers.
Northern:
Look for northern pike to hold in weedy areas and/or any place containing panfish, whatever the depth. Spinnerbaits, spoons, and northern suckers are all productive baits, but fall is prime time for live bait.
Bass:
Most (though not all) largemouth anglers have called it quits for the year, but there is still good action for smallmouth. Use plastics or live bait for both species and work deeper weeds for largemouth and deep, hard-bottom areas for smallies.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is good once you find them, and they are in various locations at varied depths, from 6-25 feet. Try any green weeds, mid-depth cover, brush, cribs, and look for fish suspending over deeper water. Crappie minnows, fatheads, plastics, and Gulp! baits are the top choices, fished on small jigs or plain hooks, with or without a bobber. However, a slip bobber allows you hold the bait right on the crappies’ little noses.
Bluegill:
Interest in bluegills tends to drop for most anglers at this time of year, but the fish are still there and catchable. Look for them in deeper water, suspending along weed lines. Waxies, worms, plastics, and Gulp! baits are effective, and small minnows can be the ticket for larger ‘gills.
Upcoming Events
Nov. 1: Wild ginseng season closes.
Nov. 5: Trapping Seasons Open: Beaver; Otter.
Nov. 6: Sharptail grouse season closes.
Nov. 6: Daylight Saving Time ends.
Nov. 7: Woodcock season closes.
Nov. 8: Hayward Lakes Chapter - Muskies, Inc. (715-634-4543).
Nov. 9: Mourning dove season closes.
Nov. 15: Trout and salmon fishing closes on downstream section of Lake Superior tributaries (see regs).
Nov. 17: Seasons Close: Early archery deer; Turkey; Crow.
Nov. 18: Illegal to hunt with a firearm or bow the day before gun deer season. (See regs for exceptions.)
Nov. 19: Seasons open: Regular gun deer; Late archery deer.
Nov. 22: Northern zone duck season closes.
Nov. 27: Regular gun deer season closes.
Nov. 28: Seasons Open: Muzzleloader deer; Fall turkey (extended season zones 1-5).
Nov. 30: Seasons Close: Muskellunge; Turtle.
For more information on area events and activities, visit the Hayward Lakes Visitor and Convention Bureau website, view its Calendar of Events, or call 1-800-724-2992.
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
When one considers we are now entering November (and again, this IS the north woods), the week ahead looks fairly good. Temperatures in and near the 50s a few days this time of year? We will take ‘em!
“The temperatures are dropping, the fish are there – and feeding – and they will do so until ice covers the lakes,” says Pat at Happy Hooker. “Late season open water fishing is a matter of managing your exposure to the weather. If you can handle it, you have a good chance to take good fish. Dress warmly in multiple layers, use gloves allowing control of reels and lures, and whenever possible, keep out of wind.”
Dennis at Hayward Bait says deer hunting is good and registrations are on schedule for this time of year, and waterfowl hunting is normal for this time. Grouse hunting is spotty – good in some areas, not so good in others. Fishing is good overall, particularly with live bait.
“Even though Chippewa Flowage muskies may still follow a jerkbait, the majority of action is now on suckers,” says Randy at Jenk’s. “There is still action on bar edges, but as the water cools the bigger fish will come out of 20 feet.”
Carolyn at Anglers All in Ashland says Chequamegon Bay anglers trolling the head of the Bay with small stickbaits are catching coho, browns, and a few steelhead. Fishing the Washburn coal dock is a favorite this time of year. Use spawn or frozen smelt and while the catch is usually trout or salmon, anglers occasionally hook a walleye or northern.
“Nice fall weather made for some very good fishing conditions,” says DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt, “but with water temperatures dropping into the 40s and the multitude of hunting and other recreational opportunities, there is relatively low fishing pressure.”
In the past week, Hayward area registration stations (Shooting Star, Hillman’s Store, Hayward Bait) registered 16 antlerless deer and nine bucks, including one big nine-point weighing well over 200 pounds dressed and sporting a rack with a 19 3/4-inch inside spread. Dennis at Shooting Star says rut is just starting and hunters are finding quite a few scrapes
Hayward Lakes Chapter - Muskies, Inc. invites the public to attend its Tuesday Nov. 8 meeting and annual fishing lure, tackle, and equipment swap. The swap will follow a general meeting starting at 7 p.m. to elect officers for 2012. Bring your old lures, equipment, or other miscellaneous fishing items to buy, sell, or trade for other treasures. The meeting takes place at Dow’s Corner Bar on the corner of Hwy 77 and County Road A, approximately 15 miles east of Hayward. For more information, contact Mike Persson (715) 634-4543.
FISHING REPORT
Muskies:
Muskie action is good on bar edges and around any green weeds you can find in 12-25 feet of water. A medium to large sucker on a quick-strike rig is the top choice this time of year, but some anglers are getting a bit of action on slowly worked artificials such as jerkbaits, Bull Dawgs, gliders, tubes, and even small bucktails. Trolling large stickbaits is also an effective method at this time.
Walleye:
Walleye action is so-so and inconsistent. Concentrate on deeper water – from 20 to 35 feet and even deeper, depending on the lake and time of day. That said, some anglers are catching a few fish along points and weed edges in shallower water. The one consistent is bait choice – larger walleye suckers.
Northern:
Look for northern pike to hold in weedy areas and/or any place containing panfish, whatever the depth. Spinnerbaits, spoons, and northern suckers are all productive baits, but fall is prime time for live bait.
Bass:
Most (though not all) largemouth anglers have called it quits for the year, but there is still good action for smallmouth. Use plastics or live bait for both species and work deeper weeds for largemouth and deep, hard-bottom areas for smallies.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is good once you find them, and they are in various locations at varied depths, from 6-25 feet. Try any green weeds, mid-depth cover, brush, cribs, and look for fish suspending over deeper water. Crappie minnows, fatheads, plastics, and Gulp! baits are the top choices, fished on small jigs or plain hooks, with or without a bobber. However, a slip bobber allows you hold the bait right on the crappies’ little noses.
Bluegill:
Interest in bluegills tends to drop for most anglers at this time of year, but the fish are still there and catchable. Look for them in deeper water, suspending along weed lines. Waxies, worms, plastics, and Gulp! baits are effective, and small minnows can be the ticket for larger ‘gills.
Upcoming Events
Nov. 1: Wild ginseng season closes.
Nov. 5: Trapping Seasons Open: Beaver; Otter.
Nov. 6: Sharptail grouse season closes.
Nov. 6: Daylight Saving Time ends.
Nov. 7: Woodcock season closes.
Nov. 8: Hayward Lakes Chapter - Muskies, Inc. (715-634-4543).
Nov. 9: Mourning dove season closes.
Nov. 15: Trout and salmon fishing closes on downstream section of Lake Superior tributaries (see regs).
Nov. 17: Seasons Close: Early archery deer; Turkey; Crow.
Nov. 18: Illegal to hunt with a firearm or bow the day before gun deer season. (See regs for exceptions.)
Nov. 19: Seasons open: Regular gun deer; Late archery deer.
Nov. 22: Northern zone duck season closes.
Nov. 27: Regular gun deer season closes.
Nov. 28: Seasons Open: Muzzleloader deer; Fall turkey (extended season zones 1-5).
Nov. 30: Seasons Close: Muskellunge; Turtle.
For more information on area events and activities, visit the Hayward Lakes Visitor and Convention Bureau website, view its Calendar of Events, or call 1-800-724-2992.