Hayward Lakes Sherry
09-03-2013, 12:05 PM
Steve Suman
FISHING REPORT
Muskie:
Muskie anglers are enjoying relatively good action, with the best activity in early morning and late afternoon hours. Work weed beds, weed edges, and over deeper water with bucktails, Bull Dawgs, topwaters, plastics, gliders, and jerkbaits. Some nice fish caught in recent days!
Walleye:
Walleye action is erratic, though surprisingly good at times. The low light early morning and evening hours into dark continue to offer the best fishing. Fish are scattered in various locations, on gravel bars, weedlines, weed edges, brush, bogs, and cribs, in depths from 12 to more than 30 feet, depending on the lake. Leeches (if you can find them) and crawlers still lead the pack, with the minnow transition in progress.
Northern:
Northern pike action will improve with cooler temperatures. Work deep weeds, weedlines, and wherever you find panfish with spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, crankbaits, jigs and plastics, but it is still difficult to beat northern suckers.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth continue to provide the most consistent action for anglers. Look for them in and around shallow weeds, wood, docks, brush, bogs, and slop, particularly in heavy cover where extricating them can be a challenge. Plastics, spinners, spinnerbaits, topwaters (frogs, poppers), and crawlers all work well, and weedless baits can make for easier fishing.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth anglers are doing well fishing deeper water rocks, humps, cribs, and structure on/near hard bottom areas. Top bait choices include tubes, plastics, swim jigs, drop-shot rigs, deep diving Rapalas and crankbaits, leeches, and crawlers. Crayfish are the top forage for smallmouth, so choose color patterns accordingly. Just sayin’ ...
Crappie:
Crappie action is fair to good. Look for fish on deep weeds, cribs, and bogs, as well as suspending over deeper water. Baits of choice include crappie minnows, small fatheads, waxies, tubes, plastics, and Gulp! baits fished on small jigs and plain hooks, with or without bobbers.
Bluegill:
Bluegill fishing is generally good. Small fish are cooperative and offer plenty of action in shallow water. Catching larger ‘gills will require some patience. Work deeper weeds, weedlines, brush, and structure with waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawler chunks, and panfish leeches on small jigs, teardrops, or plain hooks. Small minnows work well for the bigger fish and help avoid bait robbers.
Upcoming Events
Sept. 1: Seasons opened: Early September Canada goose (see regs); Mourning dove; Wild ginseng.
Sept. 3: Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. meeting at Beer Bellies (715-634-4543).
Sept. 4: Bear season opens (see regs).
Sept. 7: Hook-and-line lake sturgeon season opens on designated waters.
Sept. 14: Seasons open: Early archery deer; Ruffed grouse in Zone A; Turkey; Gray and fox squirrel; Cottontail rabbit in northern zone; Crow.
Sept. 15: Early Canada goose season closes.
Sept. 16: Canada goose season opens in exterior zone.
Sept. 19-22: Youth Muskie Hunt at Mystic Moose Resort (715-462-3014).
Sept. 21: Hayward Fall Festival (715-634-8662).
Sept. 21: Duck season opens in northern exterior zone.
Sept. 27-28: Cable Area Fall Festival (800-533-7454).
Oct. 5-6: Youth Deer Hunt.
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.
FISHING REPORT
Muskie:
Muskie anglers are enjoying relatively good action, with the best activity in early morning and late afternoon hours. Work weed beds, weed edges, and over deeper water with bucktails, Bull Dawgs, topwaters, plastics, gliders, and jerkbaits. Some nice fish caught in recent days!
Walleye:
Walleye action is erratic, though surprisingly good at times. The low light early morning and evening hours into dark continue to offer the best fishing. Fish are scattered in various locations, on gravel bars, weedlines, weed edges, brush, bogs, and cribs, in depths from 12 to more than 30 feet, depending on the lake. Leeches (if you can find them) and crawlers still lead the pack, with the minnow transition in progress.
Northern:
Northern pike action will improve with cooler temperatures. Work deep weeds, weedlines, and wherever you find panfish with spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, crankbaits, jigs and plastics, but it is still difficult to beat northern suckers.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth continue to provide the most consistent action for anglers. Look for them in and around shallow weeds, wood, docks, brush, bogs, and slop, particularly in heavy cover where extricating them can be a challenge. Plastics, spinners, spinnerbaits, topwaters (frogs, poppers), and crawlers all work well, and weedless baits can make for easier fishing.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth anglers are doing well fishing deeper water rocks, humps, cribs, and structure on/near hard bottom areas. Top bait choices include tubes, plastics, swim jigs, drop-shot rigs, deep diving Rapalas and crankbaits, leeches, and crawlers. Crayfish are the top forage for smallmouth, so choose color patterns accordingly. Just sayin’ ...
Crappie:
Crappie action is fair to good. Look for fish on deep weeds, cribs, and bogs, as well as suspending over deeper water. Baits of choice include crappie minnows, small fatheads, waxies, tubes, plastics, and Gulp! baits fished on small jigs and plain hooks, with or without bobbers.
Bluegill:
Bluegill fishing is generally good. Small fish are cooperative and offer plenty of action in shallow water. Catching larger ‘gills will require some patience. Work deeper weeds, weedlines, brush, and structure with waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawler chunks, and panfish leeches on small jigs, teardrops, or plain hooks. Small minnows work well for the bigger fish and help avoid bait robbers.
Upcoming Events
Sept. 1: Seasons opened: Early September Canada goose (see regs); Mourning dove; Wild ginseng.
Sept. 3: Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. meeting at Beer Bellies (715-634-4543).
Sept. 4: Bear season opens (see regs).
Sept. 7: Hook-and-line lake sturgeon season opens on designated waters.
Sept. 14: Seasons open: Early archery deer; Ruffed grouse in Zone A; Turkey; Gray and fox squirrel; Cottontail rabbit in northern zone; Crow.
Sept. 15: Early Canada goose season closes.
Sept. 16: Canada goose season opens in exterior zone.
Sept. 19-22: Youth Muskie Hunt at Mystic Moose Resort (715-462-3014).
Sept. 21: Hayward Fall Festival (715-634-8662).
Sept. 21: Duck season opens in northern exterior zone.
Sept. 27-28: Cable Area Fall Festival (800-533-7454).
Oct. 5-6: Youth Deer Hunt.
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.