Hayward Lakes Sherry
06-23-2009, 09:52 AM
June 22, 2009
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
Summer’s official start is June 21, and “summer” weather arrived on schedule. The change from daily highs in the 60s and 70s to mid-80s and 90s was abrupt, but summer is a short season in the north woods
Hayward’s 60th Annual Musky Festival is June 25-28. It’s a fast-paced weekend filled with fishing and casting contests, sidewalk sales, carnival, street dance, live entertainment, and more, and be sure to check into the Hayward Lions Club fishing contest. The Festival closes Sunday with the Musky Festival Grand Parade. Visit Musky Festival (www.muskyfestival.com) or call 715-634-8662 for more information.
DNR fisheries biologist Frank Pratt encourages families to visit Shue’s Pond on Friday and Saturday of Musky Festival, from noon to 5 p.m. There will be lure making, casting, fishing, and more for the kids, and Park Service personnel will offer “fish painting.”
The Quiet Lakes Crappie-A-Thon on Lost Land, Teal, and Ghost lakes runs through October 15. Tagged crappies worth up to $500 in cash prizes are swimming in those lakes. All entrants are eligible for the year-end drawing – you could win a prize without catching a fish! The $3 tournament badges (plus free Tattle Tail lure) are available at participating Quiet Lakes resorts or bait shops.
Turtle nesting reaches its peak in June and the DNR reminds drivers to be on the lookout when on roads near wetlands and rivers. Motorists are encouraged to move turtles across the road – in the direction the turtle was traveling – when traffic conditions are safe.
Muskies:
Muskies are becoming more active and fishing is improving. Concentrate on weeds and weed lines, bars, humps, and points in a wide range of depths, as well as suspending fish. During the day use bucktails, plastics, crank and jerk baits, but in the evening hours switch to topwater baits.
Walleye:
Walleye fishing is fair to good, but the mayfly hatch is making catching efforts more difficult. The fish are scattered, so not all are dining on mayflies. Fish the edges of weeds and weed beds, flats, bars, brush, and humps in 8-20 feet of water. Some are deeper ... some shallower. Leeches and crawlers are working better than minnows, though that’s not necessarily true for all waters. (Take a mix of baits.) Use jigs and/or slip bobbers, and harnesses. Trolled crankbaits and Beetle Spins are also producing catches.
Northern:
Water is warming, northern pike are moving to deeper, cooler water, and action continues to be good. You will find fish on the edges of weeds (particularly near new weed beds), flats, and bars, and some in shallow water. Crank and spinner baits, spinner, spoons, and northern suckers are all productive baits at this time. Fish deeper for larger pike.
Largemouth Bass:
Bass season in the Northern Zone switched to daily bag limits this past weekend (June 20) and fishing is very good in nearly all area lakes. Spawning is winding down or done, though fish are still shallow. Fish the weeds, slop, lily pads, submerged trees, and other structure. You have a good assortment of baits from which to choose, so throw your favorites ... or ones you would like to lose. Topwaters, plastics (including crawfish imitations), buzz, crank, and spinner baits, leeches, and crawlers will all attract largemouth.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth bass have completed their spawning and are now locating in deeper water. Look for rocky bottoms on main lake bars and points, and drop-offs near the spawning areas. Crankbaits (especially X-Raps), spinnerbaits, soft plastics, jigs, and topwaters are all working very well at this time.
Crappie:
Crappie spawning continues on some of the deeper lakes, but for the most part, it has ended on the shallower lakes. Action is good to excellent, even with fish somewhat scattered. Fish weeds and weed lines in 5-12 feet of water, particularly locations near spawning areas, cribs and brush. Most productive baits include crappie minnows, waxies, and leeches, Beetle Spins, topwaters, and plastics such as Mini-Mites and Tattle Tails. Once you find the fish, slip bobbers can hold the bait at the correct depth. If you have never used a slip bobber – learn to do so. You’ll increase your success.
Bluegill:
Bluegill spawning should peak this week and action is very good to excellent on most lakes. Look for shallow water and sandy bottoms with “elephant tracks” (spawning beds) and you should find large numbers of fish. Bigger bluegills will be slightly deeper. Best baits include waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawler chunks, and leeches fished on plain hooks or jigs, with or without a bobber, and Mini-Mites, Tattle Tails, and other plastics.
Upcoming Events
June 25-28: Musky Festival (715-634-8662.)
June 26-27: Hayward Lions Musky Fest Fishing Contest.
July 1: Training dogs by pursuing bear allowed through August 31. (See regs.)
July 15: Turtle season opens statewide. (See regs.)
July 24-26: 50th Annual Lumberjack World Championships (715-644-2484.)
Through July 31: Illegal to run dogs on 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
Summer’s official start is June 21, and “summer” weather arrived on schedule. The change from daily highs in the 60s and 70s to mid-80s and 90s was abrupt, but summer is a short season in the north woods
Hayward’s 60th Annual Musky Festival is June 25-28. It’s a fast-paced weekend filled with fishing and casting contests, sidewalk sales, carnival, street dance, live entertainment, and more, and be sure to check into the Hayward Lions Club fishing contest. The Festival closes Sunday with the Musky Festival Grand Parade. Visit Musky Festival (www.muskyfestival.com) or call 715-634-8662 for more information.
DNR fisheries biologist Frank Pratt encourages families to visit Shue’s Pond on Friday and Saturday of Musky Festival, from noon to 5 p.m. There will be lure making, casting, fishing, and more for the kids, and Park Service personnel will offer “fish painting.”
The Quiet Lakes Crappie-A-Thon on Lost Land, Teal, and Ghost lakes runs through October 15. Tagged crappies worth up to $500 in cash prizes are swimming in those lakes. All entrants are eligible for the year-end drawing – you could win a prize without catching a fish! The $3 tournament badges (plus free Tattle Tail lure) are available at participating Quiet Lakes resorts or bait shops.
Turtle nesting reaches its peak in June and the DNR reminds drivers to be on the lookout when on roads near wetlands and rivers. Motorists are encouraged to move turtles across the road – in the direction the turtle was traveling – when traffic conditions are safe.
Muskies:
Muskies are becoming more active and fishing is improving. Concentrate on weeds and weed lines, bars, humps, and points in a wide range of depths, as well as suspending fish. During the day use bucktails, plastics, crank and jerk baits, but in the evening hours switch to topwater baits.
Walleye:
Walleye fishing is fair to good, but the mayfly hatch is making catching efforts more difficult. The fish are scattered, so not all are dining on mayflies. Fish the edges of weeds and weed beds, flats, bars, brush, and humps in 8-20 feet of water. Some are deeper ... some shallower. Leeches and crawlers are working better than minnows, though that’s not necessarily true for all waters. (Take a mix of baits.) Use jigs and/or slip bobbers, and harnesses. Trolled crankbaits and Beetle Spins are also producing catches.
Northern:
Water is warming, northern pike are moving to deeper, cooler water, and action continues to be good. You will find fish on the edges of weeds (particularly near new weed beds), flats, and bars, and some in shallow water. Crank and spinner baits, spinner, spoons, and northern suckers are all productive baits at this time. Fish deeper for larger pike.
Largemouth Bass:
Bass season in the Northern Zone switched to daily bag limits this past weekend (June 20) and fishing is very good in nearly all area lakes. Spawning is winding down or done, though fish are still shallow. Fish the weeds, slop, lily pads, submerged trees, and other structure. You have a good assortment of baits from which to choose, so throw your favorites ... or ones you would like to lose. Topwaters, plastics (including crawfish imitations), buzz, crank, and spinner baits, leeches, and crawlers will all attract largemouth.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth bass have completed their spawning and are now locating in deeper water. Look for rocky bottoms on main lake bars and points, and drop-offs near the spawning areas. Crankbaits (especially X-Raps), spinnerbaits, soft plastics, jigs, and topwaters are all working very well at this time.
Crappie:
Crappie spawning continues on some of the deeper lakes, but for the most part, it has ended on the shallower lakes. Action is good to excellent, even with fish somewhat scattered. Fish weeds and weed lines in 5-12 feet of water, particularly locations near spawning areas, cribs and brush. Most productive baits include crappie minnows, waxies, and leeches, Beetle Spins, topwaters, and plastics such as Mini-Mites and Tattle Tails. Once you find the fish, slip bobbers can hold the bait at the correct depth. If you have never used a slip bobber – learn to do so. You’ll increase your success.
Bluegill:
Bluegill spawning should peak this week and action is very good to excellent on most lakes. Look for shallow water and sandy bottoms with “elephant tracks” (spawning beds) and you should find large numbers of fish. Bigger bluegills will be slightly deeper. Best baits include waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawler chunks, and leeches fished on plain hooks or jigs, with or without a bobber, and Mini-Mites, Tattle Tails, and other plastics.
Upcoming Events
June 25-28: Musky Festival (715-634-8662.)
June 26-27: Hayward Lions Musky Fest Fishing Contest.
July 1: Training dogs by pursuing bear allowed through August 31. (See regs.)
July 15: Turtle season opens statewide. (See regs.)
July 24-26: 50th Annual Lumberjack World Championships (715-644-2484.)
Through July 31: Illegal to run dogs on 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.