Hayward Lakes Sherry
06-07-2011, 11:22 AM
June 06, 2011
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
Anglers enjoyed excellent weather for Free Fishing Weekend June 4-5. This week’s forecast indicates more of the same, though hot at the start – a real change from 30-degree lows less than two weeks ago!
At Pastika’s, Al says that with the warming water temperatures anglers should start seeing a lot of action in the shallows for bass and panfish. Larry Ramsell says do the unusual for muskies – what should be working is not, and what should not be working is – for whatever the reason.
“Panfish, bass, muskie, and walleye all come into play when the weather warms in early June,” says Pat at Happy Hooker, “but this year, water temperatures are rising more slowly than normal.”
Bob at Hayward Bait says bass and panfish action is picking up with the climbing water temperatures, and it is a good time to try fly-fishing with poppers and topwaters.
Randy at Jenk’s advises muskie angler to work twitch and surface baits slowly around any new weeds.
At Anglers All in Ashland, Carolyn says wind and rain made the Bay look like a combination of chocolate milk and tomato soup. Trout and salmon anglers should start shallow in early morning and then move deeper with the rising sun.
“Wind and continually changing weather has made for tough fishing,” says DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt. “Anglers have experienced fair success, but the cold fronts put a damper on fishing action.”
Hayward Bass Club is holding a bass tournament June 26 on Round Lake. The event is open to the public and is limited to 30 boats as two-angler teams. Entry fee is $100 per team. Registration forms are available at Hayward Bait and Outdoor Creations. Contact Wayne Balsalvich (715) 699-1015; email haywardbassclub@charter.net for more information.
Hayward Chapter of Muskies, Inc. invites the public to attend its club meeting Tuesday June 7 at Dick-Sy Roadhouse, ten miles east of Hayward on Highway 77. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. Featured speaker is DNR biologist and muskie researcher Jordan Weeks. For more information, contact Mike Persson (715) 634-4543.
FISHING REPORT
More seasonal temperatures (finally!) are changing the activity of all fish species, including locations, baits, and presentations. Visit with your favorite bait shop personnel on the way to the lake for the most current preferences.
Muskies:
Muskie action is fair to good, though fish are showing no particular pattern. Some report fish are in shallow water and others say deeper water, but nearly all point toward new weed growth. Go with small to medium size twitch, jerk, and surface baits, Bull Dawgs, and bucktails.
Walleye:
Walleye fishing is inconsistent, with fish scattered from mud flats to weed edges, rock and sand bars to bay openings, and break lines to muddy bays. Depths range from 3-25 feet, depending on conditions, lake, and location on the lake. Early morning and late evening into dark, the low light hours, remain the best times. Top live baits include leeches, crawlers, fatheads, and walleye suckers. Use jigs, spinner harnesses, and slip bobbers. In the evening, cast crank, stick, and minnow baits along rocky shorelines and weed bed edges.
Northern:
If you are looking for action, it is hard to beat northern pike. Plentiful and aggressive, northerns are nearly always willing to hit your bait – just about any bait. Fish weeds and weed bed edges in depths to 12 feet with spinnerbaits, spoons, crankbaits, and northern suckers, but the artificials are just as productive as live bait without the hassles.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth fishing is excellent thank to rising water temperatures, but keep in mind the northern bass zone is catch and release only until June 18. The bass are in 3-12 feet of water near weeds, weed beds, wood, stumps, and docks. Tempt them with spinners and spinnerbaits, stick, surface, buzz, and topwater baits, scented worms, frogs, plastics, and jigs.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth fishing continues to be very good in most waters they inhabit. Rising water temperatures have them very active with spawning so do exercise caution. Again, remember the northern bass zone is catch and release until June 18. You will find smallmouth in 4-12 feet of water around rock, wood, and cribs. Spinner and crank baits, jigs, tubes, and plastics will all catch smallies.
Crappie:
Crappie action is good, but inconsistent, as they wind down spawning activities. Though you will still find some fish in the shallows, many are now moving back toward deeper water. Look for weeds, trees, stumps, and cribs. Baits of choice include crappie minnows, waxies, worms, Mini-Mites, Tattle-Tails, and Gulp! minnows. Fish them on small jigs, with or without a bobber, or on split shot rigs with plain hooks.
Bluegill:
Bluegill action is coming on strong and the very warm temperatures should kick them into high gear this week. This should be THE week to target bluegills and you will find them nesting in very shallow water. Waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawlers, plastics, Mini-Mites, Tattle-Tails, Gulp! baits, poppers, spiders, and flies are all productive, on plain hooks or small jigs, with or without a bobber.
Upcoming Events
June 7: Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. meeting at Dick-Sy Roadhouse (715-634-4543).
June 18: Northern zone bass season goes from catch-and-release to daily bag limits.
June 20: Walleyes for Northwest Wisconsin meeting (715-699-1015).
June 23-26: 62nd Annual Musky Festival (715-634-8662).
June 24-26: Dr. John Ryan Lions Club Musky Fest fishing contest.
June 26: Hayward Bass Club open tournament on Round Lake (715-699-1015).
Through July 31: Illegal to run dogs on DNR and WPA lands (see regs).
For more information on area events and activities, see the Calendar of Events, visit Hayward Lakes Visitor and Convention Bureau, or call 1-800-724-2992.
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
Anglers enjoyed excellent weather for Free Fishing Weekend June 4-5. This week’s forecast indicates more of the same, though hot at the start – a real change from 30-degree lows less than two weeks ago!
At Pastika’s, Al says that with the warming water temperatures anglers should start seeing a lot of action in the shallows for bass and panfish. Larry Ramsell says do the unusual for muskies – what should be working is not, and what should not be working is – for whatever the reason.
“Panfish, bass, muskie, and walleye all come into play when the weather warms in early June,” says Pat at Happy Hooker, “but this year, water temperatures are rising more slowly than normal.”
Bob at Hayward Bait says bass and panfish action is picking up with the climbing water temperatures, and it is a good time to try fly-fishing with poppers and topwaters.
Randy at Jenk’s advises muskie angler to work twitch and surface baits slowly around any new weeds.
At Anglers All in Ashland, Carolyn says wind and rain made the Bay look like a combination of chocolate milk and tomato soup. Trout and salmon anglers should start shallow in early morning and then move deeper with the rising sun.
“Wind and continually changing weather has made for tough fishing,” says DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt. “Anglers have experienced fair success, but the cold fronts put a damper on fishing action.”
Hayward Bass Club is holding a bass tournament June 26 on Round Lake. The event is open to the public and is limited to 30 boats as two-angler teams. Entry fee is $100 per team. Registration forms are available at Hayward Bait and Outdoor Creations. Contact Wayne Balsalvich (715) 699-1015; email haywardbassclub@charter.net for more information.
Hayward Chapter of Muskies, Inc. invites the public to attend its club meeting Tuesday June 7 at Dick-Sy Roadhouse, ten miles east of Hayward on Highway 77. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. Featured speaker is DNR biologist and muskie researcher Jordan Weeks. For more information, contact Mike Persson (715) 634-4543.
FISHING REPORT
More seasonal temperatures (finally!) are changing the activity of all fish species, including locations, baits, and presentations. Visit with your favorite bait shop personnel on the way to the lake for the most current preferences.
Muskies:
Muskie action is fair to good, though fish are showing no particular pattern. Some report fish are in shallow water and others say deeper water, but nearly all point toward new weed growth. Go with small to medium size twitch, jerk, and surface baits, Bull Dawgs, and bucktails.
Walleye:
Walleye fishing is inconsistent, with fish scattered from mud flats to weed edges, rock and sand bars to bay openings, and break lines to muddy bays. Depths range from 3-25 feet, depending on conditions, lake, and location on the lake. Early morning and late evening into dark, the low light hours, remain the best times. Top live baits include leeches, crawlers, fatheads, and walleye suckers. Use jigs, spinner harnesses, and slip bobbers. In the evening, cast crank, stick, and minnow baits along rocky shorelines and weed bed edges.
Northern:
If you are looking for action, it is hard to beat northern pike. Plentiful and aggressive, northerns are nearly always willing to hit your bait – just about any bait. Fish weeds and weed bed edges in depths to 12 feet with spinnerbaits, spoons, crankbaits, and northern suckers, but the artificials are just as productive as live bait without the hassles.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth fishing is excellent thank to rising water temperatures, but keep in mind the northern bass zone is catch and release only until June 18. The bass are in 3-12 feet of water near weeds, weed beds, wood, stumps, and docks. Tempt them with spinners and spinnerbaits, stick, surface, buzz, and topwater baits, scented worms, frogs, plastics, and jigs.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth fishing continues to be very good in most waters they inhabit. Rising water temperatures have them very active with spawning so do exercise caution. Again, remember the northern bass zone is catch and release until June 18. You will find smallmouth in 4-12 feet of water around rock, wood, and cribs. Spinner and crank baits, jigs, tubes, and plastics will all catch smallies.
Crappie:
Crappie action is good, but inconsistent, as they wind down spawning activities. Though you will still find some fish in the shallows, many are now moving back toward deeper water. Look for weeds, trees, stumps, and cribs. Baits of choice include crappie minnows, waxies, worms, Mini-Mites, Tattle-Tails, and Gulp! minnows. Fish them on small jigs, with or without a bobber, or on split shot rigs with plain hooks.
Bluegill:
Bluegill action is coming on strong and the very warm temperatures should kick them into high gear this week. This should be THE week to target bluegills and you will find them nesting in very shallow water. Waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawlers, plastics, Mini-Mites, Tattle-Tails, Gulp! baits, poppers, spiders, and flies are all productive, on plain hooks or small jigs, with or without a bobber.
Upcoming Events
June 7: Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. meeting at Dick-Sy Roadhouse (715-634-4543).
June 18: Northern zone bass season goes from catch-and-release to daily bag limits.
June 20: Walleyes for Northwest Wisconsin meeting (715-699-1015).
June 23-26: 62nd Annual Musky Festival (715-634-8662).
June 24-26: Dr. John Ryan Lions Club Musky Fest fishing contest.
June 26: Hayward Bass Club open tournament on Round Lake (715-699-1015).
Through July 31: Illegal to run dogs on DNR and WPA lands (see regs).
For more information on area events and activities, see the Calendar of Events, visit Hayward Lakes Visitor and Convention Bureau, or call 1-800-724-2992.