Outdoor Report August 25, 2014

August 25, 2014
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman

IF the forecast holds true, this should be a beautiful week in the North Woods, with mild highs, moderate lows, and (again IF the forecast holds) only slight chances for rain. Get out and enjoy all the Hayward area and early fall season have to offer!

“For muskies, work bucktails, spinnerbaits, and swim baits along deep weed edges,” says Pat at Happy Hooker.
“Fish walleyes with fatheads, leeches, and crawlers on weed edges, humps, and rock bars in low light. Catch northern in weeds with northern suckers, spinners, and crankbaits.
“For largemouth, use pre-rigged worms, swim jigs, and live bait along wood, weedlines, and flats. Catch smallmouth on breaks and rocks in 12-20 feet with tubes, topwaters, leeches, and suckers.
“Find crappies along weedlines in 12-20 feet with jigs and fatheads or plastic tails. Bluegill fishing is best on weedlines in 12-18 feet with leaf worms, leeches, waxies, crawlers, and plastics.”
Jim at Hayward Bait says the ticket for muskies is still smaller buzz baits over weed beds in 8-15 feet.
“Walleye action is good on crawlers, leeches, walleye suckers, and fatheads on gravel bars and mid-lake structure in 15-30 feet. Fish northern with northern suckers, spinners, spoons, and bucktails on weedlines in 5-15 feet. Catch largemouth on spinners, plastics, and topwaters in 4-10 feet. Smallmouth action is good on topwaters in 8-20 feet.
“For crappies, use crappie minnows, waxies, and plastics for fish suspending over deeper water. Bluegills in depths to 20 feet are hitting waxies, leaf worms, and plastics.”
Guide Dave Dorazio at Outdoor Creations says Chippewa Flowage muskies action is good on deep weed edges – and very shallow weeds – with bucktails and topwaters.
“Walleye anglers are doing well with crawlers and leeches on deep brush and sunken bogs in 12-22 feet. Northern pike are hitting bright bucktails, and largemouth action is good in heavy slop on the west side with weedless lures and Texas-rigged worms.
“For crappies, work deep brush and cribs during the day and bogs in the evening with crappie minnows, jig/tube combos, and Gulp! baits. Catch bluegills in with the crappies on small jigs with plastics or waxies.”
Mike at Jenk’s says Chippewa Flowage muskies really turned on last week, mainly on surface baits, with early morning the best time.
“The walleye bite is good in the evening on crawlers or leeches if you can find them. Fish deeper brush during the day and weed edges and bars at night. Northern pike action is good on spinners, spoons, and northern suckers. Few reports on bass, though Round Lake is offering very good action on crawlers and walleye suckers.
“Crappie action is good on bogs, brush, and cribs, though anglers are catching smaller fish.”
Jim at Minnow Jim’s says Nelson Lake pike anglers should work northern suckers, surface and buzz baits, and bucktails on weed beds.
“Fish walleyes with fatheads or walleye suckers on jigs, or leeches and crawlers with slip bobbers, on weeds, bars, and the channel, or troll Rapalas along shorelines in the evening.
“Fish largemouth with spinnerbaits on weed beds and shorelines, and topwaters over weed beds and rocky points.
“Catch crappies on bogs in 6-8 feet with crappie minnows and Gulp! baits on black jig heads. Fish bluegills in weeds, bogs, and bays in 6-8 feet with worms and crawler pieces on 1/32-ounce jigs.”

Carolyn at Anglers All in Ashland says fishing remains stable on Chequamegon Bay.
“Smallmouth are in deeper areas, taking sucker minnows. Some days allowed sight fishing in shallower water with plastics, minnows, crankbaits, or minnow imitation flies.
“Walleye anglers are slow-trolling crawler harnesses and stickbaits, with Scatter Raps and Flicker Minnows for deeper water topping the list. Anglers casting spoons and spinnerbaits along the breakwall and Ashland shoreline are catching northern pike.
“Trout and salmon anglers are still coming up short on salmon, but report great catches of lake and brown trout on spoons and Spin-N-Glos in depths from 30-100 feet of water.”

This week, DNR fisheries biologist Max Wolter discusses muskies and largemouth bass.
“There has been a lot of interest statewide in possible predation on walleye by largemouth bass, but it is largely overlooked that largemouth bass can also be a major predator on stocked muskellunge.
“A study in Illinois found largemouth bass consumed twice as many juvenile muskellunge as walleye in a controlled environment. Researchers believe this is the result of muskie behavior – they stayed higher in the water column and were more visible to bass.
“In field experiments, it is estimated that largemouth bass consumed between 21-36 percent of stocked esocids (including pike and tiger muskies), depending on their size. As bass densities increase in northern Wisconsin, we should not ignore the influence of largemouth bass on muskie stocking programs.”
DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt says muskie anglers report good action on Bull Dawgs and topwaters fished near structure and deep weed edges.
“Walleye fishing is steady on leeches and crawlers along weed edges, in weed pockets, and on the deeper gravel and rock bars in 12-18 feet of water. Northern fishing is good around near-shore weed beds with spinner and crank baits.
“Largemouth fishing remains good along bog edges and near mid-depth to deep structure such logs, stumps, and docks. Soft plastics and jig/craw combinations are the lures of choice, especially during mid-day. Smallmouth action is consistent on rivers and flowages with finesse plastics around rock and wood near deeper water.”

FISHING REPORT
Muskie:
Muskie action is spotty, but improving, and even good on some days, with early mornings and evenings and after dark offering the best odds. Target weedlines, weed edges, and other structure in depths from shallow to 18 feet. Favored baits include Bull Dawgs, bucktails, buzz baits, and topwaters.

Walleye:
The best walleye fishing opportunities are in early morning and night. Concentrate on weed edges, gravel, rock, bogs, bars, brush, points, humps, and river channels in 10-30 feet (deeper during the day),. Crawlers and leeches on various riggings remain best, but anglers are also catching fish on walleye suckers, fatheads, stickbaits, and crankbaits.

Northern Pike:
Northern action is inconsistent, with larger fish in deeper water out to 20 feet or so and smaller pike providing good fishing in shallower water, around weeds, weedlines, and baitfish. Good bait choices include northern suckers, spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, bucktails, and crankbaits.

Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth action is very good to excellent from very shallow out to in 12 feet or so, in/on slop, weeds, wood, logs, bogs, brush, docks, rocks, points, and cribs. Select baits accordingly: rigged/weedless plastics (worms, tubes, frogs); crankbaits, spinnerbaits, surface baits; and crawlers, leeches, sucker minnows, and fatheads.

Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth fishing is fair on deeper weedlines, wood, rock, and breaks in 10-22 feet. Bait choices include sucker minnows, leeches, crawlers, plastics, tubes, crankbaits, and topwaters. Early mornings and evenings are best.

Crappie:
Crappie fishing is fair to good, with the best bite in early morning and evening. Look for crappies in/on and along weedlines, bogs, bays, brush, and cribs in depths out to 20 feet or more, with many fish suspending over deeper water. Top producing baits include crappies minnows, fatheads, waxies, plastics, and assorted Gulp! baits on plain hooks or jigs. Use a slip bobber to hang and hold your offering at the correct depth.

Bluegill:
Bluegill fishing is also fair to good in depths from shallow to more than 20 feet, with larger fish in deeper water. Look for ‘gills in/near weeds, bays, bogs, brush, and cribs. Best baits include waxies, worms, crawler chunks, leaf worms, leeches, and plastics, fished on small jigs/teardrops/plain hooks, with or without bobbers.

Upcoming Events
Aug. 23: Remaining fall turkey permits on sale.
Through Aug. 31: Training dogs by pursuing bear (see regs. for exceptions).
Sept. 1: Seasons open: Early September Canada goose; Mourning dove; Wild ginseng.
Sept. 3: Black bear hunting season opens.
Sept. 6: Sturgeon season opens on designated waters (see regs).
Sept. 10: Sounds of the Elk – elk bugling tour; Cable Natural History Museum (715-798-3890).
Sept. 14: Seasons open: Fall turkey; archer and crossbow deer; Ruffed grouse in Zone A; Cottontail rabbit in North Zone; Gray and fox squirrel; Fall crow.
Sept. 20: 30th Annual Hayward Fall Festival (715-634-8662).

Hayward Lakes Visitor and Convention Bureau and Sawyer County Record co-sponsor this report. For more information on area events and activities, visit the HLVCB’s Calendar of Events or call 800-724-2992.