FISHING REPORT
Muskies:
Muskie fishing is good to very good, with most activity in early morning and in the evening until after dark in shallower water. You will also find fish on deeper cribs, mid-lake bars, drop-offs, breaks, and points. Top producing baits include bucktails, topwaters, jerkbaits, glide baits, and Bull Dawgs.

Walleye:
Walleye action is fair to good and best during low light conditions. Fish are scattered, from shallow to deep, and in various locations, such as green weeds, wood, mud flats, humps, bogs, and brush. If they are not in one place, try another. Leeches, crawlers and minnows are all working, fished on jigs, bait harnesses, and Lindy Rigs. Where legal, try trolling crankbaits, stickbaits, and spinner rigs with live bait.

Northern:
Northern action was quiet for bigger fish with the warm water. Now, with the water cooling, look for pike action to improve. Work the weed lines and any areas you see panfish out to about 20 feet, more or less. Spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, stick, buzz, jerk, and twitch baits, and northern suckers under bobbers or on live bait rigs will do the trick.

Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth action is very good, particularly in early morning and late afternoon/evening hours. Work deeper weed lines and wood, docks, lily pads, and shallow slop. Nearly any bait will work – wacky worms, weedless plastics, rubber frogs, spinnerbaits, surface baits, jigs, crawlers, leeches, and small suckers fished under slip bobbers or on live bait rigs.

Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth fishing is fair to very good on deeper cribs, drop-offs, weed lines, and rock bars, and it is also not unusual to catch smallmouth in the same shallower areas as largemouth. Try plastics, jigs, crankbaits, Beetle Spins, tubes, drop-shot rigs, wacky worms, leeches, crawlers, and sucker minnows.

Crappie:
Crappie action is fair to good once you find the fish. Best hours are in morning and evening. Look for fish on cribs, bogs, and deeper weed lines in 10-20 feet of water, and suspending over deeper water. Baits of choice include crappie minnows, Gulp! minnows, Tattle-Tails, Mini-Mites, and waxies.

Bluegill:
Bluegill action is very good for small fish in shallower water around docks, brush, and weeds. For larger fish, work deeper weeds, weed lines, and cribs in 6-14 feet of water. Best baits include waxies, worms, leaf worms, leeches, minnows, plastics, tubes, and Gulp! baits. Tip the baits on jigs or plain hooks and use slip bobbers.

Upcoming Events
Through Aug. 31: Training dogs by pursuing bear (see regs.)
Aug. 16-19: Sawyer County Fair (715-934-2721).
Aug. 18: Antlerless deer permits go on sale at 10 a.m.
Aug. 19: Hayward Bass Club free youth bass tournament (715-699-1015).
Aug. 31: Application deadline for wolf season permit.
Aug. 31-Sept. 2: Exeland Rod & Gun Club Trout Fest.
Sept. 1-15: Early Canada goose season.
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.

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.