A sunny Monday begins what the forecast predicts is a mild and rainy week (maybe), with highs mostly in the 70s and lows in the 40s. The forecast has fluctuated considerably, so enjoy the good weather, but keep an eye on the sky!
Sunday, June 21, is both the Summer Solstice and first day of summer as well as Father’s Day! Give dad a break and take him fishing, canoeing, to the range, the golf course, or whatever activity he might enjoy!
Musky Festival, June 26-28, is Hayward’s largest summer celebration, honoring the fishing heritage of Wisconsin’s North Woods. Musky Fest features the crowning of the Musky Queen, sidewalk sales, arts and crafts show, live music, children’s games, food trucks, Musky Run/Walk, fishing contest, and carnival, and regional musicians take the stage during the day and Friday and Saturday night street dances. The Grand Parade concludes the weekend.
For information, visit Musky Festival, Musky Fest schedule of events, or call (715) 634-8662.
“The weekend in the Quiet Lakes’ area was beautiful,” says Greg at Happy Hooker, “with highs topping out around 70 degrees and lows in 50s. This week looks similar, but with rain. The rain last week helped everything! Fishing is good and should get better with this cooler weather.
“Musky action picked up, with smaller bucktails, crankbaits, and topwaters all catching fish. Concentrate your efforts around shallow weeds and off the deep edges.
“Walleye fishing is solid, with anglers doing well working minnows and leeches around deep weed and rock edges. At night, work shallow sandy shorelines and points.
“Northern pike action is very good in and around weeds in 3-12 feet. The pike are eating anything and everything, and swimbaits, crankbaits, and live bait all work very well.
“Largemouth bass are in and around shallow weeds, reeds, lily pads, and cabbage. Senko worms on wacky rigs, fatheads and walleye suckers, and spinnerbaits, topwater frogs, prop style baits, and walk-the-dog baits are great choices.
“Smallmouth bass are on deep edges and shallow, but very near deep water. Minnows, leeches, and plastics on jigs all work well. Smallmouth harvest season does not open until June 20 in the Northern Bass Zone.
“Crappie fishing slowed, though anglers are still catching fish in pockets of a few fish here and there. Anglers should find fish in 6-10 feet around weeds and timber, with minnows the best choice.
“Bluegills are in 2-6 feet and spawning or have spawned with the warm water. Crawlers and leaf worms on jigs and bare hooks under floats are tough to beat throughout the summer.
“Perch are schooling in 12 feet off structure, hitting minnows, leeches, and crawlers on jigs.”
This week, DNR fisheries biologist Max Wolter discusses the best dads in the fish world.
“Happy Father’s Day to all human dads out there! There are actually some great dads in the fish world, too. Most of our best fish dads in local waters all belong to the same family, Centrarchidae, more commonly called the Sunfish Family.
“For sunfish, parenting is a big deal ‑ and almost all parenting responsibilities fall on the male.
“Their job starts when the male scoops out a saucer-shaped nest in a shallow area of the lake. Bass and crappie males nest independently, with no other males in the immediate vicinity. Bluegill males nest in a colony, which appear as a ‘honeycomb’ of many adjacent nests in the lakebed.
“The courtship begins once they make the nest. Males make ‘displays’ to approaching females, trying to coax them into laying eggs in the nest. If the male is suitably impressive and persuasive, the female drops anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand eggs into the nest, which the male fertilizes as they settle into the nest.
“Once a male fertilizes the eggs, he becomes intensely attentive, running off nest predators and fanning the eggs with his fins so they receive a continuous flow of oxygenated water. Eggs can take several days to hatch, emerging from the nest as fry.
“Bass dads continue to guard the small school of fry until they get a little larger and swim off in different directions. In June, if you see small black fry in a ball, look around and you might see the dad bass nearby, keeping an eye on them.
“Another fish dad also does more than just babysit. Bowfin dads perform similar nest, egg, and fry protection, but with an extra level of aggressiveness. There are reports of bowfin launching out of the water to try to attack potential predators of their fry!
“A dedicated dad is a great thing, so happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there, whether you have fins or feet!”
Anglers
Smallmouth bass season in the North Zone is catch-and-release-only until June 20.
Anglers: Make sure you have a 2026-27 fishing license and necessary/required stamps!
Enter to win the 2006 summer fishing getaway and get on the water with Chad Grigsby!
Chad will take the winner and a guest on a Hayward Lakes area lake Saturday, August 29, and provide everything you need for the day. The lake selection is still in the decision-making process.
The prize package includes overnight accommodations for two for Friday and Saturday nights, August 28 and 29, at Northwoods Motel. The winner will receive two rods and reels from St. Croix Rods; Some 1919 Root Beer; and a voucher for a free set of four B.F. Goodrich tires.
Chad is a two-time FLW Tour Champion and runner-up in the FLW Forest Wood Cup. He has fished tournaments full time for 22 years and recorded more than $1.4 million in career earnings.
The contest will accept entries through July 31.
For contest details, and to enter, visit “Summer Fishing Getaway” or call (715) 634-4801.
Hunters/Trappers
Hayward Rod & Gun Club’s seasonal trap shooting is open to the public Tuesday evenings from 6 p.m. until all have had enough. The price per round (25 shots) is $5/members and $10/non-members. The club supplies the clay targets. Bring your shotgun, target load shotshells, and eye and ear protection.
For more information, visit Hayward Rod & Gun Club or call (715) 634-4912 and leave a message.
Turtle nesting season is in progress from late May into June when female turtles emerge from rivers, lakes, and wetlands and head to their nesting sites. Road mortality is a leading cause of turtle decline in Wisconsin. The DNR encourages the public to slow down when driving near swamps, lakes, and rivers.
Wisconsin’s 11 turtle species lay eggs in shallow, buried nests, often along roads and in residential yards. During nesting season, turtles are more active and face added risks, such as run over by vehicles and predation from raccoons, skunks, and coyotes. To learn how to help turtles, visit Wisconsin Turtle Conservation Program.
The DNR’s preliminary totals for the 2026 spring turkey season shows hunters harvested 47,725 birds during the spring season, 8.6 percent greater than the five-year average. This spring marked 50 years since Wisconsin successfully reintroduced wild turkeys and they are now in all 72 counties. The first statewide hunt took place in spring 1983.
The DNR made 254,226 authorizations available for the spring season, with 235,429 hunters applying for or purchasing them,
For more information, visit “Turkey Hunting” on the DNR website.
ATV/UTV Trail Report
NEW: The DNR urges ATV/UTV riders to review recent law changes that went into effect June 1. The 2026 ATV/UTV regulations detail numerous law changes and updates pertaining to ATV/UTV operation.
Updates include new ATV/UTV seatbelt requirements, liability, towing, and window tint restrictions.
For questions, contact your local DNR warden or DNR Customer Service at 888-936-7463.
All ATV and UTV operators born on or after Jan. 1, 1988, who are at least 12 years old for ATV and at least 16 years old for UTV, must complete an ATV/UTV safety certification course to operate legally on public ATV/UTV trails and areas in Wisconsin. The DNR requires trail passes for non-residents and Wisconsin residents must display a registration sticker. Riders must run headlights at all times when operating. Visit the DNR ATV website for rules and regulations.
Unless otherwise posted, all county roads outside the LCO Reservation in Sawyer County are legal for ATV/UTV use. Contact numbers are as follows for the ATV/UTV trails in Sawyer County Forest (715-634-4846); Chequamegon National Forest (715-634-4821); and Flambeau State Forest (715-332-5271).
Sawyer County ATV & Snowmobile trail maps are available from the Hayward Lakes Visitor & Convention Bureau, or download the Trail Treker app ($2) on your smartphone for the complete map ($2) and most current information. If you previously purchased maps from Trail Treker, delete them and reinstall (re-purchase not necessary). Check out the app!
VisitHLVCB ATV/UTV trail conditions report for trail and road updates.
Fishing Report
Fishing remains good for most species. Panfish are wrapping up their spawning efforts and other species are moving into their summer patterns. Cooler weather activated the fish and makes for pleasant fishing. Smallmouth bass season in the Northern Bass Zone is catch-and-release-only until June 20.
Musky:
Musky action has improved, with fish off the deep edges of shallow weeds and around panfish concentrations. Smaller bucktails, crankbaits, jerkbaits, gliders, swimbaits, rubber baits, and topwaters are all producing.
Walleye:
Walleye fishing is good during the day on deep weed and rock edges and wood out to 25 feet. In evening into dark, focus on shallow sandy shorelines and points. Top baits include minnows, leeches, and crawlers on jigs, slip bobbers, and Lindy rigs, and jerkbaits and crankbaits.
Northern Pike:
Northern pike action is very good around shallow weeds and panfish concentrations out to about 12 feet. Northern suckers, minnows, swimbaits, spinnerbaits, crankbaits ‑ throw what you have and they will probably hit it!
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth bass fishing is good in and around shallow weeds, reeds, cabbage, and lily pads. Walleye suckers, fatheads, wacky rigged Senko worms, spinnerbaits, and topwater frogs, prop and walk-the-dog baits all work well.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth bass are active on deep edges and in shallow areas adjacent to deep water. Sucker minnows, leeches, crawlers, and plastics on jigs should produce some action. Smallmouth bass harvest season in the Northern Bass Zone does not open until June 20.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing slowed as fish recover from spawn and move mid-depths and deeper water. Look for scattered smaller groups around weeds and wood in depths to 12 feet or so. Crappie minnows, fatheads, plastics, and Gulp! Minnows on small jigs under slip bobbers will do the trick.
Bluegill:
Bluegills are shallow, and depending on the lake, are in some stage of spawning, from pre- to post- to in the middle of it. The water cooled somewhat, and that might have delayed their progress. Waxies, crawler chunks, leaf worms, and plastics on small jigs, teardrops, and plain hooks under floats will catch them. Use restraint on these vulnerable fish.
Perch:
Perch anglers are finding fish in schools off structure in about 12 feet. Minnows, minnow heads, crawlers, and leeches on jigs work well.
Upcoming Events
June 20: Smallmouth bass harvest season opens in Northern Bass Zone.
June 21: Summer Solstice (first day of summer).
June 21: Father’s Day.
June 22-26: Musky Fest Medallion Hunt (715-634-4871).
June 25-27: Musky Fest Fishing Contest (715-558-2835).
June 26-28: Hayward Musky Festival – Musky Fest schedule of events, or call (715) 634-8662.
June 27: Sawyer County Dairy Breakfast, 6:30-11 a.m. (715-558-2562).
June 28: Hayward Bass Club Round Lakes Open bass tournament (715-699-1015).
June 29: Full Strawberry Moon.
For more information on area events and activities, visit the Hayward Lakes Visitor and Convention Bureau and Hayward Area Chamber of Commerce websites, view the Calendar of Events, or call (715) 634-8662 or (715) 634-4801.