Hayward Lakes Sherry
06-18-2013, 10:10 AM
FISHING REPORT
Muskie:
Muskie action reports vary from slow to good, depending on the water fished – and the anglers doing the fishing. Target new weeds from very shallow out to about 12 feet, as well as deeper water adjacent to panfish spawning areas. Best bait choices include bucktails, Bull Dawgs, plastics, crankbaits, and surface baits.
Walleye:
Walleye fishing is improving, though fish are scattered at various depths and locations. During the day, concentrate on deeper weeds, weedlines, bogs, and structure out to about 20 feet. Work shallower weeds, rocks, and bars in the evening hours. Top producing walleye offerings include leeches, crawlers, and fatheads on jigs, slip-bobbers, and live bait rigs. Also working well are trolled stick and crank baits.
Northern:
Northern pike action is good to excellent on most waters. Anglers fishing for other species, such as muskie anglers and crappie anglers using minnows, are making many incidental catches of some big pike. Look for northern along weedlines, new weed beds, and spawning panfish in depths out to about 15 feet. Northern suckers fished under bobbers are difficult to beat, but anglers are also catching pike on spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, stickbaits, and crankbaits.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth bass are on the spawning beds in shallow water and aggressively protective of their nests. Plastic worms, crankbaits, buzz baits, spinners, spinnerbaits, and plastics are all productive at this time. If you want a meal, keep a few smaller fish, but release the big ones to fight (and spawn) another day.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth fishing is very good, with fish on spawning beds. Using artificials, such as tubes and crankbaits, and continuing to practice catch-and-release will help sustain our trophy smallmouth fishery.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing remains very good as fish begin to move toward deeper water, but you might find them from very shallow to about 20 feet of water near weeds and wood. Top producing baits include crappie minnows, waxies, Tattle-Tails, Mini-Mites, plastics, tubes, Beetle Spins, and Gulp! baits. Be prepared to offer them the option the desire that day.
Bluegill:
Bluegill action is excellent and, depending on the lake, near the season peak as fish move into the shallows for spawning. Bait choices include waxies, worms, leaf worms, plastics, Gulp! baits, poppers, and topwaters. As with other species, use common sense and discretion – it is too easy to overharvest at this time.
Upcoming Events
June 15: Bass harvest season opened in Northern Bass Zone.
June 20: Walleyes for Northwest Wisconsin meeting (715-462-3559).
June 20-23: 64th Annual Musky Festival (715-634-8662).
June 21-23: Hayward Lions Club Musky Fest Fishing Contest (715-634-8662).
June 23: Hayward Bass Club open tournament (715-699-1015).
June 23: Flambeau River State Forest critter hunt 1-2 p.m. Connors Lake picnic area (715-332-5271).
July 19-21: Birchwood Bluegill Festival (800-236-2252).
July 25-27: Lumberjack World Championships (715-634-2484).
Through July 31: Illegal to allow dogs to run on DNR lands and Federal WPA (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 1-800-724-2992.
Muskie:
Muskie action reports vary from slow to good, depending on the water fished – and the anglers doing the fishing. Target new weeds from very shallow out to about 12 feet, as well as deeper water adjacent to panfish spawning areas. Best bait choices include bucktails, Bull Dawgs, plastics, crankbaits, and surface baits.
Walleye:
Walleye fishing is improving, though fish are scattered at various depths and locations. During the day, concentrate on deeper weeds, weedlines, bogs, and structure out to about 20 feet. Work shallower weeds, rocks, and bars in the evening hours. Top producing walleye offerings include leeches, crawlers, and fatheads on jigs, slip-bobbers, and live bait rigs. Also working well are trolled stick and crank baits.
Northern:
Northern pike action is good to excellent on most waters. Anglers fishing for other species, such as muskie anglers and crappie anglers using minnows, are making many incidental catches of some big pike. Look for northern along weedlines, new weed beds, and spawning panfish in depths out to about 15 feet. Northern suckers fished under bobbers are difficult to beat, but anglers are also catching pike on spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, stickbaits, and crankbaits.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth bass are on the spawning beds in shallow water and aggressively protective of their nests. Plastic worms, crankbaits, buzz baits, spinners, spinnerbaits, and plastics are all productive at this time. If you want a meal, keep a few smaller fish, but release the big ones to fight (and spawn) another day.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth fishing is very good, with fish on spawning beds. Using artificials, such as tubes and crankbaits, and continuing to practice catch-and-release will help sustain our trophy smallmouth fishery.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing remains very good as fish begin to move toward deeper water, but you might find them from very shallow to about 20 feet of water near weeds and wood. Top producing baits include crappie minnows, waxies, Tattle-Tails, Mini-Mites, plastics, tubes, Beetle Spins, and Gulp! baits. Be prepared to offer them the option the desire that day.
Bluegill:
Bluegill action is excellent and, depending on the lake, near the season peak as fish move into the shallows for spawning. Bait choices include waxies, worms, leaf worms, plastics, Gulp! baits, poppers, and topwaters. As with other species, use common sense and discretion – it is too easy to overharvest at this time.
Upcoming Events
June 15: Bass harvest season opened in Northern Bass Zone.
June 20: Walleyes for Northwest Wisconsin meeting (715-462-3559).
June 20-23: 64th Annual Musky Festival (715-634-8662).
June 21-23: Hayward Lions Club Musky Fest Fishing Contest (715-634-8662).
June 23: Hayward Bass Club open tournament (715-699-1015).
June 23: Flambeau River State Forest critter hunt 1-2 p.m. Connors Lake picnic area (715-332-5271).
July 19-21: Birchwood Bluegill Festival (800-236-2252).
July 25-27: Lumberjack World Championships (715-634-2484).
Through July 31: Illegal to allow dogs to run on DNR lands and Federal WPA (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 1-800-724-2992.