Outdoor Report September 29, 2014

September 29, 2014
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman

It was a good run while it lasted, but forecasts predict lower highs, lower lows, and chances for rain nearly every day this week (well, of course – it is Muskies, Inc. tournament weekend!)

“Muskies are on shallow weedlines and deep drop-offs,” says Pat at Happy Hooker, “hitting bucktails, plastics, topwaters, and suckers on quick strike rigs. Find walleyes on weeds or structure in 18-25 feet with fatheads, crawlers, and minnow baits. Catch northerns on suckers, spinners, and crankbaits along deeper structure.
“Fish largemouth on weedlines in 5-18 feet with fatheads, crawlers, plastics, and topwaters. Catch smallmouth on rock bars and breaks with tubes, swim jigs, suckers, crawlers, and topwaters.
“Crappies are on weeds in 8-15 feet and suspending on deeper weedlines. Try crappie minnows and jig/plastic combinations. For bluegills, fish 6-30 feet with jigs and waxies, crawler chunks, or plastics.”
Guide Dave Dorazio at Outdoor Creations says muskie action remains great on the Chippewa Flowage.
“Fish are relating to weeds in 2-6 feet and bucktails, topwaters, jerk, and twitch baits are hot, with suckers accounting for some fish.
“Walleyes in 12-22 feet near brush or sunken bogs are hitting fluorescent jigs tipped with fatheads. Northern action is decent on the west side with bright bucktails and 6-inch twitch baits. Crappies are in Moore’s Bay, Blueberry Flats, and scattered in 14-22 feet. Try crappie minnows and jig/ tube combos, or Gulp! baits.”
Jim at Hayward Bait says smaller Ghost Tails and gliders are still producing muskies on weed beds in as little as 2 feet out to 15 feet.
“For walleyes, use crawlers, walleye suckers, fatheads, and stickbaits on gravel bars out to 40 feet. Northern action is good on suckers, crankbaits, and spinners on points and weedlines in 5-15 feet. Fish topwaters and plastics for largemouth and walleye suckers, crawlers, and topwaters on weeds, wood, and rock for smallmouth.
“Use Mini-Mites, Gulp!, and Power Nymphs for crappies suspending over deeper water. For bluegills, fish waxies, leaf worms, and plastics on rock bars and weedlines in 5-15 feet.”
Mike at Jenk’s says Chippewa Flowage muskie fishing is decent, with many fat, 40-inch fish reported last week.
“The best bet is subsurface baits such as Bull Dawgs, Vexers, Suicks, and Cranes. Suckers are scarce.
“Try fishing walleye in weeds and brush in 18-25 feet with crawlers and fatheads. Northern action is good on weeds and bars with spinners, spoons, and northern suckers.
“Crappie fishing is very good, with fish on cribs and brush starting to school in Moore’s Bay, Blueberry Flats, and Crane Lake. Use crappie minnows, Mini-Mites, one inch GULP! Minnows, and tube jigs for great action.”

This week, DNR fisheries biologist Max Wolter discusses recovery times for catch and release fish.
“Anglers practicing catch and release may observe fish swimming off slowly that are ‘worn out’ from putting up a good fight. How long does it take a fish to recover from that experience?
“Researchers in Canada looked at recovery times of angler-caught rock bass. They measured recovery time as the amount of time it took for a fish’s heart rate to return to normal. They found exhausted rock bass exposed to air for 30 seconds (time to remove the hook) needed two hours to recover fully. When hook removal took three minutes, the recovery time was four hours.
“Take care to quickly return fish to the water to minimize stress and recovery, and to ensure you practice humane catch and release fishing.”
DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt says muskie anglers report fish are active nearly all day.
“The most successful baits continue to be bucktails, jerkbaits, soft-bodied lures, and large suckers for anglers able to find them. Walleye anglers seem to have given up until the start of the good fall bite.
“Largemouth and smallmouth bass action remains erratic and many anglers put their gear away for this season. Panfish are on deeper weed edges.
“Sturgeon anglers report catching sub-legal fish 40 to 54 inches and just a few legal fish 60 inches and larger, primarily on crawler gobs or cut bait fished in deep holes and river bends.”

In the past week, Hayward area registration stations (Shooting Star, Hillman’s Store, Hayward Bait) registered five bears and five buck deer. Registrations are extremely slow for this time of year, most likely due to the warm weather.

Stone Lake’s 36th Annual Cranberry Festival and Parade this weekend includes food, artisans, crafters, and more than 300 vendors. For information, visit www.stonelakecranberryfestival.com.

There is still time to enter the Hayward Lakes Chapter-Muskies, Inc. Fall Muskie Tournament October 3-5. Every entrant is eligible for the Grand Prize drawing for a 2014 Lund 1725 Pro Guide tiller boat, ShoreLand’r trailer, and 60 hp Mercury motor. Entry fees are $90 for adults and $25 for youth 16 and younger. Enter in person or by phone at Hayward Bait (715-634-2921) or Jenk’s (715-462-3055) until 11 p.m. October 2. For more information, visit www.muskiesinc-hayward.org.

FISHING REPORT
Muskie:
Muskie action is fair to very good. Work weedlines and drop-offs in 2-17 feet with bucktails, Bull Dawgs, spinnerbaits, plastics, gliders, topwaters (especially early and late), and suckers on quick-strike rigs.

Walleye:
Walleyes are scattered, with the best bite during low light hours. Concentrate on gravel, brush, bogs, weeds, and other structure in 12-40 feet with crawlers, fatheads, and walleye suckers on jigs, slip bobbers, and live bait rigs. Trolled crank and stick baits also work well.

Northern Pike:
Northern action is good on points, weeds, bars, flats, and structure out to 17 feet with northern suckers, spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, bucktails, buzz, crank, and twitch baits.

Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth fishing is inconsistent as the fish transition – you can catch them in 5-18 feet on weedlines, weed flats, cribs, and brush with plastics (worms, topwater frogs, tubes), spinners, crankbaits, fatheads, and crawlers.

Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action is also inconsistent and slow to fair. Fish weeds, wood, rocks, and breaks with walleye suckers, crawlers, crankbaits, drop-shot rigs, tubes, and topwaters.

Crappie:
Crappie fishing is very good to excellent on Moore’s Bay, Blueberry Flats, and Crane Lake, and for suspending and schooling fish in 8-22 feet on weedlines, cribs, brush, and bogs. Top baits include crappie minnows, Gulp!, Mini-Mites, Tattle Tails, and plastics.

Bluegill:
Catch bluegills on weed edges, weedlines, and rock bars in 5-30 feet with waxies, worms, leaf worms, crawler chunks, plastics, and Gulp! baits on jigs, teardrops, and plain hooks.

Perch:
Perch are near bottom on shallow to deep weed edges and sand flats, depending on the lake and time of day. Use fatheads, crappie minnows, and leaf worms on jigs, split shot rigs, and/or slip bobbers.

Upcoming Events
Sept. 27: Duck season opened in Northern Zone.
Sept. 30: Woodcock season opens.
Sept. 30: Seasons close: Inland trout; Lake Superior lake trout; Sturgeon on inland waters.
Oct. 3-5: Hayward Lakes Chapter-Muskies, Inc. Fall Muskie Tournament (715-634-2921; 462-3055).
Oct. 4: 36th Annual Stone Lake Cranberry Festival and Parade.
Oct. 4-12: Special deer hunt for people with disabilities.
Oct. 7: Bear season closes.
Oct. 11: Fishing Has No Boundaries (FHNB) fall fundraiser at Flat Creek Inn & Suites (715-634-3185).
Oct. 11-12: Youth deer hunt.
Oct. 18: Seasons open: Raccoon hunting/trapping (resident); Red and gray fox hunting/trapping; Coyote trapping; Fisher trapping; Bobcat hunting/trapping Period 1.
Oct. 21: CDAC meeting at Hayward Veterans Community Center; 7 p.m. (715-945-2771).
Oct. 25: Seasons open: Muskrat; Mink.

Hayward Lakes Visitor and Convention Bureau and Sawyer County Record co-sponsor this report. For more information on area events and activities, visit the HLVCB’s Calendar of Events or call 800-724-2992.