Hayward Ice fishing report 12/27-1/4

[muskellunged]

For the first few days, slush was 10 inches at least, and fishing was spotty, managed a handful of perch on glow jigs and spikes. The slush was fierce but the wind was negligible so sitting on a bucket or lawn chair in the quiet solitude of the Northwoods was alright.
The temps got around zero. The slush hardened, which made the experience better.

My new Strikemaster LazerMag Auger worked wonderfully, starting easily and cutting 8 inches if ice like nothing. I finally got some tip up fish the final 4 days after my friend and guide Scott Kieper gave me some tips as to what depth to look for.

I was using northern suckers over the weed edge. I got my first musky on January 2nd and another and two pike on the 4th. One of the pike was a hefty 28 incher. I did not measure the skies. Most days I only fished about three and a half hours, centered around the "prime InFisherman fishing times". My final day I spent 5-1/2 hours on the ice, it was about 10 degrees. I got three fish this day- a small musky to start the day(it did not even let me put the flag down-as soon as I dropped the bait in the "he" took the bait and ran!) About an hour late my next flag went off, I set the hook and it angered the esox below! It ran like bonkers but I kept her on her leash! I felt some strong head shakes and so I thought I had something good, but I took my time getting her to the hole. When I saw she was a big pike I was ecstatic! Just what I was after! Her head, back, and belly were BIG- but I knew she was sub 30, amazingly, her tail ended abruptly short after the anus. Later on I got about a 20 inch pike which was no problem at all. Can't wait to eat the pike, she was pretty, but I was alone and didn't get a good pic!

It was worth the work and the 100 yard walk from my cabin to the weed edge.




Mike Witowski