Outdoor Report August 27, 2012

August 27, 2012
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman

Early fall fishing is starting to hit stride and a number of hunting seasons are set to open in the near future (check the calendar).

“We have a strong early morning, evening, and night pattern going now,” says Pat at Happy Hooker, “so it is good to plan some evening and early morning fishing. The warmer water temperatures are still affecting the fish and leaving only small windows of opportunity.”
Bob and Chris at Hayward Bait say fishing is improving with the cooling water temperatures, but it is also time to prepare for the upcoming hunting seasons.
Randy at Jenk’s says Chippewa Flowage muskies are moving on bucktails and surface baits. Crappie anglers can catch crappies on the cribs with crappie minnows, Gulp! baits, and tube jigs.
Jim at Minnow Jim’s says Nelson Lake fishing is decent and improving, but there are few anglers on the water. Those who do get out fishing have much of the lake to themselves.
Guide Dave Dorazio at Outdoor Creations says the surface water temperatures have dropped into the low 70s on the Chippewa Flowage and muskie action is improving.
“Key on weed beds and on the weed edges with bucktails, topwaters, and jerkbaits.”
Dan at Bay Park Resort on the Trego Flowage says larger smallmouth are feeding more aggressively, a little earlier than normal, but this should continue to improve through September. Sucker minnows are producing most of the big fish.
“Walleye fishing is a tougher bite, with the best success in deeper water on the north end of the lake. Use minnows with a slow presentation. Anglers are catching plenty of nice crappies after midnight on jigs and smaller minnows.”

Carolyn at Anglers All on Chequamegon Bay in Ashland says lake trout fishing is excellent from the south channel to Outer Island, but warmer water push fish deeper and every day is different with wind direction.
“We have good reports on browns along the Madeline Island shoreline and around Van Tassel’s Point. Browns and coho are showing up around the tip of Long Island to Houghton Point and over to the Sioux and Onion rivers.”

DNR fisheries biologist Max Wolter says the Hayward DNR Service Center occasionally receives calls from anglers who claim they caught a fish with an attached sea lamprey.
“There has never been a lamprey observed in Sawyer County but we do have several other native lamprey species.
“The American and Northern Brook feed by filtering small organisms and algae from the water. The parasitic chestnut lamprey is common in the Namekagon River and sometimes in Lake Hayward. It occurs mostly on redhorse and sucker species, though brown trout and pike may be hosts on occasion. The two dorsal fins of chestnut lamprey are connected, while the sea lamprey has a small gap between the first and second dorsal fin.”
DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt says fishing activity continues to be good across the north woods.
“Muskies were the highlight last week, with most anglers reporting quite a bit of action. Bucktails and topwater baits remain the lures of choice, cast along weed edges and less-dense weed beds.
“Smallmouth bass action is best on the rivers and mid-size flowages with small finesse plastics fished around structure near weeds close to deeper water.

The Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. monthly meeting is Tuesday September 4 at Dick-Sy Roadhouse, 10 miles east of Hayward on Highway 77. The club welcomes public attendance at its meetings. Featured speaker Max Wolter, the new DNR Hayward area fisheries biologist, will begin his presentation at 7 p.m. following a 6 p.m. business meeting.

FISHING REPORT
Muskies:
Muskie action is a bit sporadic, but improving. The evening and overcast days are producing more activity. Work weed lines and weed edges in 10-15 feet of water with bucktails, topwaters, jerkbaits, and plastics.

Walleye:
Walleye action is slow, with the best bite in late evening into dark. Fish are scattered at various depths out to 30 feet or deeper around weeds, weed lines, stumps, cribs, and gravel humps. Leeches – if you can find them – and crawlers are still working, but minnows are starting again, too. Use live bait on slip bobbers, spinner harnesses, and Lindy Rigs, or cast and troll stickbaits and crankbaits.

Northern:
Northern pike activity is picking up with the cooler water temperatures. Look for weeds, weed lines, flats, and the edges of drop-offs in a variety of depths you will find pike. As always, bigger pike are in deeper water. Spinnerbaits, spoons, plastics, buzz baits, and northern suckers are all good baits for northern.

Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth fishing is fair to good, though somewhat inconsistent. The bass are in heavy cover, from weeds to brush to bogs to lily pads, in bays and off points and drop-offs, from shallow water out to the second break. Plastics, topwaters, weedless frogs, spinnerbaits, jig/craw combos, leeches, and minnows will all catch largemouth.

Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action is decent and improving with the cooling water temperatures. Concentrate on rock, rock bars, brush, stumps, and other structure in or near deeper water out to 30 feet. Plastics, tubes, crankbaits, topwaters, plastics, crawlers, and drop-shotting northern suckers are all catching smallmouth.

Crappie:
Crappie fishing is good, but it is still a matter of locating them. Look for fish suspending a few feet up off the bottom in deeper water, near bogs, brush, weed edges, and cribs. Baits of choice include crappie minnows, waxies, plastics, tube jigs, and Gulp! baits. Late afternoon into evening hours are best.

Bluegill:
Bluegill fishing is excellent for small fish and good for larger ‘gills. For fast action for the kids, work shallow water weeds, brush, and docks. For bigger fish, look to deeper water weeds, wood, cribs, and other structure. Waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawler pieces, panfish leeches, and Gulp! baits on ice jigs, small jigs, and plain hooks, with and without bobbers, are all effective baits.

Upcoming Events
Aug. 31: Application deadline for wolf season permit.
Aug. 31: Training dogs by pursuing bear closes (see regs.)
Aug. 31-Sept. 2: Exeland Rod & Gun Club Trout Fest.
Sept. 1: Seasons open: Early Canada goose; Mourning dove; Lake sturgeon (hook and line; see regs.); Wild ginseng.
Sept. 4: Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. meeting at Dick-Sy Roadhouse. (715-634-4543.)
Sept. 5: Bear season opens for bait hunters only.
Sept. 12: Bear season opens for bait hunters and with aid of dogs.
Sept. 15: Seasons open: Early archery deer; Turkey; Ruffed grouse (Zone A); Cottontail rabbit (Northern Zone); Squirrel (gray and fox); Crow.
Sept. 15: Early Canada goose season closes.
Sept. 15-16: Youth waterfowl hunt.
Sept. 16: Exterior Zone Canada goose season opens.
Sept. 22: Seasons open: Duck in Northern Zone; Woodcock.
Sept. 30: Seasons close: Inland trout (see regs.); Sturgeon on inland waters.

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.