Hayward Lakes area fishing report

Hi everyone,

Here's this weeks weekly report by the HLVC.

August 16, 2010
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman

The string of hot and humid weather finally broke this past weekend, with cooler temperatures and low humidity.
DNR fisheries biologist Frank Pratt reports fishery crews took advantage high water to survey nearly seven miles of Namekagon River downstream from Hayward.
"The river looks great," Pratt says. "There are lots of smallmouth, some walleye, nice size muskies and northern pike, a few big brown trout, and a robust redhorse community - exactly what a biologically healthy ecosystem should have in a river this size at this latitude."
DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt says canoeists should check local conditions before starting any extended float trips.
"Rivers may be near flood stage, and high stream and river flows filled most flowages and drainage lakes to the brim. Anyone making outdoor trips should bring bug repellent for the high numbers of mosquitoes, gnats, and ankle biters."
Pat at Happy Hooker reminds anglers the Quiet Lakes Crappie-A-Thon continues through October 8. Tagged fish are worth up to $500 in cash prizes, and all entrants are eligible for the year-end drawings for three rod and reel outfits. Pick up a $3 tournament badge (and free Tattle Tail lure) at any participating Quiet Lakes resort or bait shop before fishing.
Deer management unit 13, the Hayward area's primary DMU, is one of 19 regular units with NO antlerless/bonus tags available for this deer season.
For DMUs with antlerless tags available, tag sales for odd-numbered units start at noon Saturday Aug. 21; sales for even-numbered units start at noon Sunday Aug. 22. Remaining tags go on sale Monday Aug. 23 and continue until sold out or end of deer season.

Fishing Reports
Muskies:
Musky action is best during early and late hours, and after dark. Fish are scattered and holding/suspending at various depths from 3-30 feet, near/over weeds and weed edges, rocks, mid-lake humps, deep breaks, bars and bar edges. Use bucktails (particularly large, double bladed), Bull Dawgs, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits, and topwater will again be effective with cooling water temperatures.

Walleye:
Walleye fishing remains slow, but changing weather patterns could make the fish more receptive. For now, best success is during early morning and late evening/night (i.e., low light hours.) Look for walleyes on outside weed edges, mid-lake humps, rock bars, drop-offs, weed edges, brush, structure, and mud flats in 12-35 feet of water. Trolling the thermocline (30-35 feet) is producing nice catches for some anglers. Crawlers, leeches, and minnows on spinner rigs, jigs, and harnesses, and crank and stick baits, are the top choices.

Northern:
Northern pike are active, aggressive, and found on weeds and weed line edges in 5-26 feet. Larger pike are in deeper, cooler water. Spoons, spinners and spinnerbaits, stickbaits, crankbaits, buzz baits, and topwaters are all good pike baits, and a good size northern sucker fished in those deeper areas could also hook a trophy pike.

Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth action is fair to very good. They are holding on weeds, wood, points, bars, and slop in 2-15 feet of water. They are plentiful, and nearly any cover can contain largemouth. The most productive artificials include plastics, stick, spinner, crank, and topwater baits, jigs, Texas-rigged plastics, wacky worms, and plastic frogs. Crawlers, leeches, and fatheads on harnesses, jigs, or plain hooks, with or without bobbers, are also productive.

Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action is fair. Look for smallies in 5-25 feet of water on rocks, rock bars, humps, wood, weed edges, and along deep breaks. Crank, spinner, and topwater baits, tubes, jigs, plastics, leeches, crawlers, and small suckers are all working. Experiment with presentations, such as slip bobbers, drop-shot rigs, and weedless set-ups.

Crappie:
Crappie fishing is fair to good in 3-15 feet of water around cribs, brush, weeds, and weed edges, with some fish suspending in deeper water. Crappie minnows, plastics, Mini-Mites, Tattle Tails, spinners, and tube jigs are working well, and one-inch Berkley Gulp! baits are especially effective.

Bluegill:
Bluegill action is fair to good, though taking home a meal could require a bit of sorting. The 'gills are at depths from 3 to 24 feet, in/on weeds and weed edges, brush, cribs, and structure. Some are suspending. Waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawlers, leeches, minnows, plastics, and small spinners and jigging spoons are the most productive baits. Use plain hooks, plain or dressed jigs, with or without bobbers. Artificials usually work best tipped with live bait.

Perch:
Perch anglers are having success with small jigs or plain hooks tipped with waxies, leaf worms, or small minnows fished right on the bottom near weed lines.

Upcoming Events
Aug. 19-22: 103rd annual Sawyer County Fair (715-934-2721.)
Aug. 21-23: Bonus antlerless deer tags on sale for units with quotas.
Aug. 24: Deadline to transfer Class A bear harvest permit to a person under age 18.
Aug. 27-29: Mega Bass Shootout at Musky Tale Resort (715-462-3838.)
Aug. 28: Remaining fall turkey permits go on sale at noon.
Aug. 28: SCOPE Family Fun Days (www.countyoutdoors.com.)
Aug. 31: Bear dog training by pursuing bear closes. (See regs.)
Sept. 1: Seasons Open: Early Canada goose (see regs); Mourning dove.
Sept. 4: Lake sturgeon season opens on designated waters. (See regs.)
Sept. 8: Bear season opens. (See regs.)
Sept. 18: Seasons Open: Archery deer; Ruffed grouse (Zone A); Canada goose (northern zone); Turkey; Cottontail rabbit (northern zone); Gray and fox squirrel; Crow.
Sept. 18-19: Youth Waterfowl Hunt.
Sept. 25: Seasons Open: Duck and Canada goose (Northern Zone) at 9 a.m.; Woodcock.
Sept. 30: Seasons Close: Trout on inland waters (see regs.); Lake trout (Lake Superior); Sturgeon.

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.





Thanks for reading!

Sherry Beckman
Hayward Lakes Visitors and Convention Bureau



Good luck fishing everyone.

Walleyemaxx