Hayward Lakes VCB
06-21-2023, 02:09 PM
Please note that the lack of rain has caused a drop in water levels on most lakes, so be on the lookout for rocks, bars, stumps, and other structure that are now hazards. What you have boated over in the past might not be possible at this time!
Musky:
Musky action continues to improve, albeit slowly. Look for fish in/on shallow to mid-depth weeds, weed beds, weedlines, and weed flats, points, and humps. Smaller baits still work best, with bucktails, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, gliders, and topwaters all effective. Live bait can work well, too, but the warm water temperatures make it an iffy proposition.
Walleye:
Walleye fishing remains surprisingly steady for most anglers pursuing these fish. During the day, target deeper weeds, weedlines, and weed edges with leeches under slip bobbers. In late afternoon into dark, try working jigs with leeches, crawlers, and fatheads on the bottom. Trolled crankbaits, crawler harnesses, and live bait spinner rigs are producing on some of the larger lakes.
Northern Pike:
Northern pike fishing is good, consistent, and can be a trip saver. Hit shallower weeds for action and eaters, but focus on deep weedlines with larger baits for big, trophy pike. In addition, look for areas holding concentrations of baitfish and panfish. Northern and walleye suckers, minnows, #5 Mepps/spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, bucktails, crankbaits, and stickbaits all work for pike! Check out the Chippewa Flowage Pike Improvement Project and Spider Lake Pike Improvement Project.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth bass fishing is very good to excellent, with post-spawn fish in/on shallow weeds, weedlines, weed beds, reeds, lily pads, and slop. Live bait (minnows, crawlers, and leeches), spinners, spinnerbaits, drop-shot rigs, assorted plastics, and topwater baits (including frogs) will all tempt these fish.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth bass fishing is good, with post-spawn bass on weedlines, weed edges, rock, and other hard bottoms. The most productive offerings include sucker minnows, crawlers, leeches, Ned rigs, drop-shot rigs, and various plastics (tubes, worms, creatures) on jigs, all fished close to the bottom.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is good and steady, with fish in post-spawn. Look for them on weed beds and weed flats in 8-12 feet. During the day, fish are in deep weeds, but find the crappies shallower in evening hours. Baits of choice include crappie minnows, fatheads, panfish leeches, waxies, plastics, and Gulp! baits on jigs, and plain hooks, with or without slip bobbers, and Beetle Spins.
Bluegill:
Bluegill fishing is very good to excellent, with most fish in post-spawn. Find them on shallow weeds and structure such as docks, fallen trees, brush, and along shorelines, as well as on weed flats. Top baits include waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawler chunks, panfish leeches, plastics, and Gulp! baits on small jigs, teardrops, and plain hooks, with or without slip bobbers.
Musky:
Musky action continues to improve, albeit slowly. Look for fish in/on shallow to mid-depth weeds, weed beds, weedlines, and weed flats, points, and humps. Smaller baits still work best, with bucktails, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, gliders, and topwaters all effective. Live bait can work well, too, but the warm water temperatures make it an iffy proposition.
Walleye:
Walleye fishing remains surprisingly steady for most anglers pursuing these fish. During the day, target deeper weeds, weedlines, and weed edges with leeches under slip bobbers. In late afternoon into dark, try working jigs with leeches, crawlers, and fatheads on the bottom. Trolled crankbaits, crawler harnesses, and live bait spinner rigs are producing on some of the larger lakes.
Northern Pike:
Northern pike fishing is good, consistent, and can be a trip saver. Hit shallower weeds for action and eaters, but focus on deep weedlines with larger baits for big, trophy pike. In addition, look for areas holding concentrations of baitfish and panfish. Northern and walleye suckers, minnows, #5 Mepps/spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, bucktails, crankbaits, and stickbaits all work for pike! Check out the Chippewa Flowage Pike Improvement Project and Spider Lake Pike Improvement Project.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth bass fishing is very good to excellent, with post-spawn fish in/on shallow weeds, weedlines, weed beds, reeds, lily pads, and slop. Live bait (minnows, crawlers, and leeches), spinners, spinnerbaits, drop-shot rigs, assorted plastics, and topwater baits (including frogs) will all tempt these fish.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth bass fishing is good, with post-spawn bass on weedlines, weed edges, rock, and other hard bottoms. The most productive offerings include sucker minnows, crawlers, leeches, Ned rigs, drop-shot rigs, and various plastics (tubes, worms, creatures) on jigs, all fished close to the bottom.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is good and steady, with fish in post-spawn. Look for them on weed beds and weed flats in 8-12 feet. During the day, fish are in deep weeds, but find the crappies shallower in evening hours. Baits of choice include crappie minnows, fatheads, panfish leeches, waxies, plastics, and Gulp! baits on jigs, and plain hooks, with or without slip bobbers, and Beetle Spins.
Bluegill:
Bluegill fishing is very good to excellent, with most fish in post-spawn. Find them on shallow weeds and structure such as docks, fallen trees, brush, and along shorelines, as well as on weed flats. Top baits include waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawler chunks, panfish leeches, plastics, and Gulp! baits on small jigs, teardrops, and plain hooks, with or without slip bobbers.