Outdoor Report - July 8, 2019

July 8, 2019
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman

The forecast indicates Tuesday night through Wednesday night could be a bit rough and wet, but is somewhat encouraging from then through the weekend. Outdoor activities abound in the North Woods, so get out and enjoy the summer weather! (Have you noticed the days are getting shorter? Just sayin’...)

“Water temperatures are now in the 70s,” says Pat at Happy Hooker, “and Quiet Lake’s musky anglers are turning a few fish, though still mostly smaller ones. They are having many big fish follows, but no hookups. Mid-size lures and a slower retrieve produce the best results. Water temperatures are rising and the fish should become more active. “Walleye anglers are catching fish in weeds and other vegetation in 7-12 feet. Live bait, such as minnows, leeches, and crawlers, are all producing fish. Early morning and late afternoon hours into after dark are the best times for walleye. “Anglers are finding northern pike and largemouth bass in the same general areas as walleye. During the bright and sunny daylight hours, concentrate on species such as northern pike and largemouth, as they are always active. “Crappie and panfish anglers are also catching fish in those same general areas. For crappies, use crappie minnows under bobbers and tube jigs. For bluegills and other panfish, small jigs with leeches and leaf worms are working well.”

Jim at Minnow Jim’s says Nelson Lake fish catching is a bit more difficult due to weather fronts continually moving through the area, so relax and go with the idea of fishing, not necessarily ‘catching.’
“For walleyes, target deeper water with leeches and fatheads on slip bobbers in the dam area or troll the river channel. “Northern pike and largemouth bass action is good for anglers casting buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, dressed spoons, surface plugs, and plastics in and along weed beds. One angler caught a 38.5-inch fish on a small tube jig while crappie fishing – you just never know! “Crappie anglers are catching more fish in deeper water, which on Nelson Lake means 8-15 feet.”

Mike at Jenk’s says the Chippewa Flowage is at full level, with water temperatures in the mid to high 70s. “Musky anglers are catching some nice mid-40s fish by trolling. When water temperatures hits the high 70s, troll deeper river channels, points, and cover with Mattlocks, Jakes, and Grandmas. If surface temperatures are in the lower 70s in evening and early morning hours, throw bigger spinners and topwaters over shallow weeds. “Walleyes are active primarily in early morning and later afternoon/evening hours. In morning and evening, work drop-offs and breaklines on bars in 4-10 feet with jumbo leeches, regular leeches, and crawlers. When temperatures hit the high 70s during midday, troll deep divers over deep cover. “Northern pike action is strong on spinnerbaits and Dardevles in weeds and shallow cover. “Smallmouth bass are hitting spinners, frogs, craw imitations, and crawlers on bobbers on stumps and rocks. “Crappie action is primarily on bogs in the evening. During the day, fish deep weed humps, cribs, and brush piles with crappie minnows, Mini-Mites, Crappie Scrubs, and Gulp! baits.”

Carolyn at Anglers All in Ashland Bay says the water temperature is now in the 70s.
“This temperature change just happened and as the temperatures rise there are still fish in the upper water column as well as on the bottom. Trollers continue to use stickbaits, spoons, and Spin-N-Glows in shallower water. “Smallmouth bass fishing is going strong in Sand Cut, Oak Point, and Brush Point, and some post-spawn fish are moving all over and wherever there is structure in Chequamegon Bay. Smallmouth anglers using plastics on light jigs, hair-jigs, crankbaits, and slowly fishing live bait out to 10 feet report success on some very nice fish. Walleye anglers are catching some fish, though action is a bit spotty – but there are always northern pike in the mix!”

This week, DNR fisheries biologist Max Wolter discusses fish growth and bioenergetics. “Big fish eat little fish, and when a big fish eats little fish, the big fish gets a little bigger. That is the simplest possible description of a part of fisheries biology known as ‘bioenergetics.’ Bioenergetics looks at the energy budget of a fish, often through computer modeling, to determine all inputs and losses of energy. By understanding this energy budget, we can understand how fish grow. “Fish take in energy through consuming food, but lose some of that energy through metabolism – the energy cost of moving, digesting, breathing, and all other bodily functions. They also lose some energy through waste (feces) because the digestion system in organisms is not perfectly efficient. “When the energy consumed by a fish is larger than the energy lost by a fish, that fish grows by adding the surplus energy as body mass. In animals, gaining weight is almost always a good strategy to survive and pass on their genes Humans are probably the only species on the planet that has made an effort to flip the bioenergetics equation to try to lose weight at times! “Fish are cold-blooded, meaning the environmental temperature dictates the efficiency of many of their bodily functions, and this complicates the bioenergetics. As a result, different fish are bioenergetically ‘tuned’ to different temperatures in which their body functions operate more efficiently. This is one of the driving forces behind labeling fish as ‘warm-water,’ ‘cool-water,’ or ‘cold-water’ species.”

Flambeau River State Forest will host a tour of Little Falls/Slough Gundy trails this Saturday, July 13, beginning at 10 a.m., with master naturalist Kay Meyer. Wear stout walking shoes or boots and meet at Little Falls/Slough Gundy parking lot. For more information, call (715) 332-5271.

FISHING REPORT
Musky: fishing is good and improving with the warming water. Big fish are finally showing a presence, though still with more follows and sightings than hook-ups. Fish shallow to mid-depth weeds, humps, and bars with mid-size bucktails, spinners, and topwaters. Troll large baits such as Jakes, Mattlocks, and Grandmas over deep cover and/or points, and river channels.

Walleye: anglers are finding the most success in very early morning hours and late afternoon into after dark. Depths can vary from very shallow to more than 20 feet, depending on the water and time of day – deeper during the day and shallower in low light. Target weeds, weedlines, bars, breaklines, humps, and river channels. Leeches are the top choice, but crawlers and fatheads will produce, as will trolling deep running crankbaits over deep cover.

Northern Pike: are active and can be trip savers if nothing else is biting during the day. Look for them in shallow to mid-depth weeds and other good cover and anywhere you find concentrations of panfish. There is not much pike do not like, but live bait, spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, buzzbaits, plastics, and topwaters might offer the best success chances.

Largemouth Bass: action is good to very good in, on, over, and along weeds, weed beds, weedlines, and other cover in depths to 15 feet. Top producing offerings include spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, buzzbaits, crankbaits, various plastics, and topwaters.

Smallmouth Bass: anglers report success on mid-depth to deeper hard bottom areas such as rock and gravel and around weeds and stumps. The most productive baits include spinners, frogs, imitation craws, grubs, Ned Rigs, and live bait under bobbers.

Crappie: action is good, with most success coming in late afternoon and evening hours. Weeds, weedlines, cribs, humps, and brush in depths to 20 feet can all hold crappies. Baits of choice include crappie minnows, leeches, Mini-Mites, tube jigs, plastics, and Gulp! baits fished under bobbers.

Bluegill: fishing is good on weed cover, humps, cribs, bogs, and brush from shallow to 16 feet, with larger fish on the deeper end. Best bluegill baits include waxies, worms, leeches, leaf worms, plastics, and Gulp! baits on small jigs, teardrops, and plain hooks, fished with or without bobbers.

Upcoming Events
July 11-13: Heart of the North Rodeo - Washburn County Fairgrounds in Spooner (800-367-3306).
July 13: Flambeau River State Forest - master naturalist tour of Little Falls/Slough Gundy trails (715-332-5271).
July 15: Turtle season opens statewide (see regs for restrictions).
July 18-21: LCO 46th Annual Honor the Earth Pow Wow (715-634-8934).
July 19-21: Birchwood Lions Club Bluegill Festival (800-236-2252).
Through July 31: Illegal to allow unleashed dogs to run on DNR lands and FWPAs (see regs).
Aug. 1: Application deadline for bobcat, fisher, otter, and Upriver Winnebago system sturgeon spearing.
Aug. 1-3: 60th Annual Lumberjack World Championships (715-634-2484).
Aug. 2-3: 27th Annual Jack Pine Savage Days - Spooner (800-367-3306).
Aug. 3: Flambeau River State Forest - cast iron cooking techniques, Connors Lake picnic area (715-332-5271).
Aug. 4: Hayward Chapter-Muskies, Inc. Annual Kids Fishing Day (715-634-2921).
Aug. 10: Flambeau River State Forest - Smokey Bear’s 75th birthday party, Connors Lake picnic area (715-332-5271).
Aug. 19-22: Antlerless tags on sale in regular DMUs where available.
Aug. 20: Deadline to transfer Class A bear license.
Aug. 22-25: 112th Annual Sawyer County Fair (715-934-2721).
Aug. 30-Sept. 1: 27th Annual Exeland Trout Festival (715-943-2242).
Through Aug. 31: Bear dog training by pursuing bear open (see regs for exceptions).

For more information on area events and activities, visit the Hayward Lakes Visitor and Convention Bureau website, view its Calendar of Events, or call 800-724-2992.