Steve Suman
The North Woods has enjoyed a very pleasant fall, but some changes are in transit, from 80 degrees Monday and 71 Tuesday, to a clear and sunny high of 49 degrees Wednesday! The remainder of the week should see highs in the low to mid-50s and low 60s, with some rain possible, still very nice weather for late October. Take advantage while you can!
“A cold front arrives in the Quiet Lakes’ area Wednesday,” says Greg at Happy Hooker, “and we need some rain. Most lakes are down a foot or more, so be careful. Fish are in a fall pattern, and fishing is good.
“Musky action is good on suckers fished on shallow weeds in 5-10 feet. Glide baits, Suicks, and twitch baits work, too. Take your time fishing through areas.
“Walleye fishing picked up, with anglers finding fish on weed edges in 8-12 feet. Walleye suckers cast lightly and jigged back to the boat are the ticket.
“Northern pike are hitting musky baits in shallow weed beds and weedy bays.
“Largemouth bass anglers can find fish on spinnerbaits and crankbaits cast in and around weed beds on warmer days.
“Smallmouth bass anglers are catching fish on deep edges in 8-12 feet with suckers, jigs and plastics, Jiggin’ Raps, Rippin’ Raps, and other jigging baits.
“Crappies are on shallow weed beds and mid-lake weedy humps in 4-8 feet, hitting crappie minnows and plastics. As the water cools or turns over, fish should stay shallow until ice-up.
“Bluegill and perch are in shallow weeds, and the good oxygen and food should keep them there.”
Jarrett at Hayward Bait says turnover is on its way, the giants are emerging from their deep summer haunts, and with most fish putting on the feedbag, anglers should beef up presentations.
“Muskies are moving onto shallow weed flats in 5-15 feet, chasing panfish, bass, and walleye. Anglers should use baits such as Bull Dawgs, Medussas, bucktails, glide baits, and stickbaits. Some fish remain in/near deep basins, and big vertically fished baits such as suckers and tubes work well.
“Walleye action should split similar to muskies. As cooler water shuts down deep growth, many fish will move shallow, chasing panfish into any remaining healthy weeds. Small bluegills and crappies rush to shallow cover, drawing walleyes. Walleye suckers, jerkbaits, and small swimbaits work well. For fish remaining deep, use live bait rigs on the bottom or slow-pull drop-shots with plastics.
“Crappies are deep, basin bound in search of food. Look for fish in 15-35 feet. Basin fish should be near bottom, as oxygen is still plentiful, especially in waterbodies beginning turnover. Fatheads and plastics on small jigs or under slip floats, and small crankbaits, should work well to boat fall slabs.”
Mike at Jenk’s says the Chippewa Flowage pool is down about 3 feet, with the water temperature in the high 40s.
“Musky action is tougher than usual, but anglers are still catching some fish. The trend is moving away from bucktails and surface baits, to rubber baits, jerkbaits, and gliders ‑ and definitely suckers this late in the fall. Target deep edges and breaklines, and check your electronics for signs of baitfish. If not, move to a new spot.
“Walleye fishing is a bit quiet, mainly due to most anglers fishing for crappie and musky. Minnows are the bait of choice, but crawlers are a good option due to the warmer fall. Weed beds in 4-8 feet or steeper breaklines are good places to start searching for fish.
“Crappies are moving into Moores Bay and the Blueberries, but are a little reluctant to hit. Crappie minnows and one-inch Gulp! Minnows are the baits of choice. Fish are at various levels in the water column. Anglers report catching fish in 20 feet, and some report fish suspending in 8-12 feet. Work your way in from the entrances of Moores and Blueberries.”
This week, DNR fisheries biologist Max Wolter discusses 2024 and a climate shifting away from walleye.
“Walleye are one of the most popular species in our area for both anglers and tribal harvesters. As such, the design of much of our management effort, from stocking to surveying, is to maintain abundant and harvestable walleye populations.
“Our best, i.e., most abundant, walleye populations are in lakes that have strong natural reproduction. However, the lakes where successful reproduction still occurs have been dwindling over the last few decades. Furthermore, the half-dozen lakes that still have decent natural reproduction are generally seeing smaller year classes than in the past, and more gaps between years having young walleye production.
“Unfortunately, 2024 looks to be a bad year for our local walleye populations, almost across the board. This fall, we surveyed all of our naturally reproducing walleye lakes, with the exception of Moose Lake, to assess year-class strength. Round, Grindstone, Sand, and Windigo all had very small amounts of natural reproduction, especially in comparison to what we know these lakes produced in the past.
“The Chippewa Flowage had a moderate year class, but still much lower than the long-term average. While these kinds of results are becoming more common over time as the climate changes, we can also look at specific conditions within this year.
“Spring 2024 produced conditions that were not conducive to walleye reproduction. The lack of snow resulted in little new inflowing water in the spring, from which walleye benefit, and lake levels were low. The exceptionally early ice-out might have been detrimental as well. As we enter another winter, we can only guess what kinds of spawning conditions walleye might find come spring.
“Species that are more adaptable in their spawning timing and methods, such as largemouth bass, do just fine with these kinds of variable conditions. This is a big reason why largemouth bass are a ‘winner’ in our changing and unpredictable climate, while walleyes have struggled to keep pace.”
The Sawyer County deer harvest total for this season, as of October 15, is 169 deer, including 95 antlered and 74 antlerless. These totals include:
- Archery: 42 deer (23 antlered, 19 antlerless)
- Crossbow: 76 deer (39 antlered, 37 antlerless)
- Youth Deer Hunt (Oct. 5-6): 46 deer (30 antlered, 16 antlerless)
For more information, search “deer harvest summary” on the DNR website.
ATV/UTV TRAIL REPORT
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. The Trail Treker app shows the changes. Trails 174 and 176 in Spider Lake Township are no longer open to ATV/UTV use.
The ATV/UTV trails in Sawyer County Forest (715-634-4846), Chequamegon National Forest (715-634-4821), and Flambeau State Forest (715-332-5271) are open, but check NOW atHLVCB ATV/UTV trail conditions report and Sawyer County Snowmobile & ATV Alliance for trail and road updates and closures.
Fishing Report
The change of seasons also changes fish patterns as they transition and adapt to new surroundings. This includes turnover, which is or soon will be in progress. Weather changes this week could expedite the process. Lake levels are low, so adjust your location choices (check with the bait shops!) to suit conditions, and watch for shallow hazards.
Musky:
Musky fishing is good and getting better, with fish around weeds, weedlines, edges, breaklines, basins, rock, humps, points, and around panfish concentrations. Suckers on quick-strike rigs, tubes, Medussas, Bull Dawgs, bucktails, Suicks, stickbaits, twitch baits, jerkbaits, gliders, and trolling larger baits are all producing action.
Walleye:
Walleye fishing is fair, but improving. Look for fish in 4-15 feet on green weeds and weed edges, drop-offs, and breaklines. Walleye suckers and fatheads on jigs, slip bobbers, live bait rigs, and drop-shots work well, as do jerkbaits, swimbaits, and crankbaits, and crawlers are still a very viable choice.
Northern Pike:
Northern pike action is good to very good around shallow to mid-depth weeds and weedlines, bays, and areas with concentrations of baitfish and panfish. Northern and walleye suckers, spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, stickbaits, swimbaits, crankbaits, jerkbaits, and plastics all work at this time.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth bass fishing wanes with colder weather, but fishing is good for those who pursue these fish ‑ especially with the warmer weather. Find them on weeds, weed beds, brush, bays, cribs, and other cover. Live bait, spinnerbaits, swimbaits, stickbaits, crankbaits, chatterbaits, and plastics all look good to largemouth!
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth fishing is good and anglers are catching fish on mid-depth to deep hard bottom points, rock, humps, edges, and transition areas. The most productive baits include sucker minnows, plastics, drop-shots, Ned rigs, stickbaits, crankbaits, Jiggin’ Raps, Rippin’ Raps, and other jigging baits.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is generally good. Fish are scattered anywhere from 4-30 feet on weed beds, weedy humps, and deep basins, as well as hugging the bottom and suspending over deeper water. Check the entire water column! Baits of choice include crappie minnows, fatheads, plastics, and one-inch Gulp! Minnows on jigs and/or under slip bobbers.
Bluegill:
Bluegill fishing is fair to good, with anglers finding fish around shallow to mid-depth green weeds, weed edges, cribs, and basins. Waxies, worms, crawler chunks, plastics, and Gulp! baits on jigs, teardrops, and plain hooks fished under bobbers are working well.
Upcoming Events
Oct. 15: General inland trout fishing season closed.
Oct. 19: Seasons opened: Pheasant; Bobwhite quail; Hungarian Partridge; Coyote trapping; Fox hunting/trapping; Bobcat hunting/trapping Period 1; Fisher trapping; Raccoon hunting/trapping.
Oct. 20-26: Forest Products Week.
Oct. 21-22: Orionids Meteor Shower; 15-25/hr., swift streaks, south 2-4 a.m.
Nov. 2: Trapping seasons open: Beaver; Mink; Muskrat; Otter; Raccoon (non-resident).
Nov. 3: Daylight Saving Time ends at a.m.; turn clocks back one hour.
Nov. 4-5: South Taurids Meteor Showers; 10-20/hr., very slow and bright, south 1-3 a.m.
Nov. 4: Woodcock season closes.
Nov. 10: Elk season closes in Clam Lake management zone (888-936-7463).
Nov. 12: Hayward Chapter-Muskies Inc. general meeting, 7 p.m., Flat Creek Lodge (715-634-4543).
Nov. 12-14: North Taurids Meteor Showers; 10-20/hr., slow fireballs, south 12-2 a.m.
Nov. 15: Full Beaver Moon.
Nov. 16-17: Leonids Meteor Shower; 10-15/hr., very swift, southeast 4-5 a.m.
Nov. 16-22: Hayward Rod & Gun Club sight-in days, $6/firearm, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (715-492-0834).
Nov. 19: Duck season closes in Northern Zone.
Nov. 22: Fall turkey season closes in zones 6, 7.
Nov. 23: Seasons open: Fall turkey in zones 1-5; Crow.
Nov. 23-Dec. 1: Traditional nine-day gun deer season.
Nov. 29: Mourning dove season closes.
Dec. 2-11: Muzzleloader deer season.
Dec. 10: Application deadline for spring turkey, fall bear permits.
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 800-724-2992.