Outdoor Report September 19, 2011

September 19, 2011
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman

A beautiful Saturday offered sunny and bright, near-perfect conditions this past weekend for Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival race participants and spectators. This week’s forecast indicates a slight warming trend, though still cool nights, and just a few chances for rain showers.

“Fall fishing interest is dominated by muskies and walleyes,” says Pat at Happy Hooker. “A steady weather pattern and more consistent water temperatures will continue the move to good autumn fishing for those species.”
Bob at Hayward Bait says grouse, archery deer, fall turkey, and bear hunting seasons are open, and fishing should pick up for all species with cooling water temperatures.
“When you are in the field or on the water, take a moment to look around and enjoy nature’s wonders.”
At Pastika’s, Dan says many walleyes are suspending over deeper water and anglers are doing well with crankbaits on planer boards. Larry Ramsell advises muskie anglers to fish shallower water bars and weed edges with bucktails, topwaters, and suckers on quick-set rigs, and most importantly, “Keep your bait wet!”
Randy at Jenk’s says Chippewa Flowage muskie action really improved during this past weekend. There is some topwater and bucktail activity, but the best action is on suckers fished in 3-10 feet of water.

“Water temperatures dropping into the mid-60s spurred feeding activity for most species,” says DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt. “Sturgeon anglers are having fair success, catching quite a few small fish and a couple legal ones (more than 60 inches long) on cut bait and gobs of crawlers fished in deep river holes or bends.”
“Boom shocking surveys for walleye and muskie start this week on the Chippewa Flowage, Grindstone, Spider Lake chain, and Island Lake near Winter,” says DNR advanced fisheries technician Russ Warwick. “In addition, I will be assisting other survey crews in northern Wisconsin.”

If you intend to stream fish for trout this year and have not yet done so – better get with it. The season for inland trout streams closes Friday September 30.

There is still time to enter the Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. Fall Muskie Tournament September 30 - October 2. Jenk’s Bait and Tackle and Hayward Bait will accept entries ($80 for adults and $25 for youth 16 and younger) until 11 p.m. September 29. All entrants are eligible for the Grand Door Prize, a 2011 Lund 1725 Pro Guide tiller boat, ShoreLand’r trailer, and 50 hp Mercury motor. You do not have to fish, but to win you do have to attend the Sunday awards ceremony drawing. For more information, call Hayward Bait (715 634-2921) or Jenk’s (715-462-3055).

HUNTING REPORT
Hayward area registration stations (Shooting Star, Hillman’s Store, Hayward Bait) registered 30 bear in the past week, and 16 deer for the opening weekend of archery season, including nine antlerless deer and seven bucks.
Starting this fall, turkey hunters must register their birds by calling the DNR’s Harvest Registration Hotline (1-888-486-8947; touch-tone only) or the Harvest Registration System on the DNR website.

FISHING REPORT
Muskies:
Cooler water temperatures have increased muskie action. Concentrate on shallower water sand bars and weed edges with bucktails, jerkbaits, topwaters, plastics, rubber swim baits, and suckers on quick-strike rigs.

Walleye:
Walleye action is improving (it had to!), but fish are still in deeper water, suspending and/or near weeds, cribs, gravel bars, brush, and other structure. The switch is on to fatheads and walleye suckers, but crawlers are still producing fish, too. Try jigs with minnows, Gulp! baits, crawlers or plastics, crawlers on harnesses, and trolled crank and stick baits.

Northern:
Northern pike action is very good with the cooling water temperatures. Fish in and around weeds and weed lines with spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, and northern suckers.

Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth fishing is fair to good, depending on the day. The bass can be in shallower slop or on deeper weed lines out to the second break, near weed edges, wood, and bogs. They like cover of some type. Anglers are catching fish on plastics, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, topwaters, spinners, jig/craw combinations, and crawlers.

Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action can be good, but it is somewhat inconsistent. Key on deeper hard-bottom areas such as rock and gravel, weed/rock transitions points, and other deeper structure. Top producing baits include plastics, tubes, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and live bait such as crawlers and jig/minnow combinations.

Crappie:
Crappie fishing is fair to good, with best action in the afternoon and early evening – when you can find the scattered fish. Look for them on cribs, deeper weed lines, wood, and other structure at varied depths. Some are suspending, so check the entire water column. Baits of choice include crappie minnows, waxies, plastics, and Gulp! baits.

Bluegill:
Bluegills are on deeper weeds and weed lines/edges, woods, brush, cribs, and structure in varied depths. Use waxies, worms, crawlers, grubs, plastics, and Gulp! baits.

Upcoming Events
Sept. 24: Seasons Open: Duck in Northern Zone; Woodcock.
Sept. 24: Hayward Fall Festival (715-634-8662).
Sept. 30: Seasons close: Trout on inland waters (see regs.), Lake trout on Lake Superior; Hook and line sturgeon.
Sept. 30-Oct. 2: Hayward Lakes Chapter of Muskies, Inc. 34th Annual Fall Tournament (715-634-2921; 462-3055).
Oct. 2: Special deer hunt for people with disabilities (see regulations).
Oct. 8-9: Youth deer hunt. See regs.
Oct. 11: Black bear season closes.
Oct. 15: Seasons Open: Pheasant; Sharptail grouse; Raccoon gun/trapping (resident); Red and gray fox hunting/ trapping; Coyote trapping; Fisher; Muskrat and mink in Northern Zone; Bobcat (Period 1 hunting/trapping north of Hwy. 64).
Oct. 29: Raccoon season for non-residents. See regs.

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.