Steve Suman
Fall finally arrived in the North Woods, with temperatures this week forecast for about 20 degrees cooler than last week! Look for highs in the low to mid-60s, lows in the mid-20s to low 40s ‑ and some frost advisories. This should enhance hunting and fishing opportunities, as well as make for more pleasant conditions for fall clean-up and other projects. Take advantage, as the next turn will likely not be for the better (depending on perspective)! Fall color reports indicate foliage color is now at 50-60 percent in the Hayward area.
If you cannot get a view of the Full Harvest Moon Monday night, October 6, it appears the skies should be clear to see a lesser version of it Tuesday night.
“In the Quiet Lakes’ area, this is great weather for getting stuff done,” says Greg at Happy Hooker, “but it is about the worst possible weather for fall musky fishing! Friday, the first day of the Muskies Inc. fall tournament, was flat, calm, and hot, and Saturday was hot and windy. Some coming lows in the 30s should really help fishing, as water temperatures remain warmer than 70 degrees.”
Jarrett at Hayward Bait says musky anglers find active fish during the day, even with the high water temperatures.
“Most anglers are throwing bucktails and topwaters. Suckers are available, but fish are not committing to suckers in this warm water. Water temperatures will cool and change the bite to slow moving live bait and big rubber baits. For now, on most lakes, search in 4-12 feet.
“Walleyes are deep and in late summer patterns and anglers coax fish with trolled crawlers, Lindy Rigs, and stickbaits. With cooler weather, fish will move shallow chasing baitfish. Going into fall, the hot bait is usually walleye suckers on slip bobbers or live bait rigs. Anglers targeting fish moving shallow throw jerkbaits and plastics on jigs. Depending on the lake, fish can be in 10-25 feet.
“Northern pike, big fish, will move to shallow weed flats through the winter season. Northern suckers under slip bobbers or jigs and minnows should prove effective. For anglers preferring to cast, swimbaits, spinnerbaits, and spoons are great for pulling pike from heavy weed cover. Target fish in 8-14 feet, ideally finding schools of baitfish the pike are tracking through the weed cover.
“Bass are all over the place. Live bait is excellent going into fall, bigger is typically better, and swimbaits and jerkbaits in minnow patterns will produce fish. Largemouth will start tracking frogs migrating towards hibernating shorelines as the waters cools. Some might stay deeper to chase bluegills and baitfish moving to structure. Smallmouth will move to shallower rocks and weeds, feeding on crayfish and small minnows.
“Crappies are on deep structure such as cribs and deep weed edges. Some might be roaming the basins, and minnows and plastics on jigs work well. As the water cools, switch from 1-inch baits to 2- and 3-inch baits. Fish will put on the feedbag and go after something substantial.
“Bluegills are on deeper structure, feeding on insects and small minnows. Try crawlers and red worms on slip bobbers, or cast small spoons and crankbaits.”
This week, DNR fisheries biologist Max Wolter discusses local fisheries and the warm fall.
“By the time this runs, the September through early October heat might have broken, but some of the damage might already be done. Sustained high water temperature late into fall creates risks for some of our most unique and vulnerable local fish species.
“Cisco and lake whitefish live in some of our deepest and coldest lakes. Not many anglers catch them, but they are an important food for musky, walleye, and other gamefish. In summer and early fall, cisco in particular have limited habitat in which to survive.
“The deepest portions of the lakes have no oxygen, while the upper portions are too warm during most of the summer. That leaves a narrow band, or a ‘Goldilocks zone,’ in the middle of the water column where there is cooler water, but still some oxygen for the cisco.
“The problem is that this zone shrinks as summer wears on and oxygen continues to deplete. Surface waters cool in fall and release fish from this zone during a phenomenon called ‘turnover.’ At this time, the upper and lower portions of the water column reach a similar temperature and mix.
“Warming water overall and longer summers, has been identified as risks to our coldwater fisheries, such as cisco, and this fall is a great example of that risk. We still see water temperatures greater than 70F in the first week of October, meaning cisco might wait even longer for that habitat release and oxygen might be getting scarce.
“This also creates challenges for musky and trout anglers who seek the cooler water typically found in fall for more active fish and better conditions for fish handing.
“Our continuous fish monitoring and survey efforts serve the purpose of helping to better understand how our new climate reality is affecting our local fish populations.”
The 2025 weekly deer harvest numbers are available by referencing the 2025 DMU map and deer harvest summary.
Hunting and fishing season updates include the Oct. 7 closing of bear season, the Gun Deer Hunt for Hunters with Disabilities through Oct. 12, the Oct. 11-12 Youth Deer Hunt, and the Oct. 15 closing of general inland trout season, albeit there are some exceptions.
Wisconsin’s Youth Deer Hunt is this Saturday and Sunday, October 11-12. This hunt encourages experienced hunters to introduce the rich tradition of deer hunting to the next generation.
The youth hunt offers resident and nonresident hunters 15 years old and younger the chance to learn hunting techniques and develop a connection to nature without the pressure of the traditional 9-day gun season. Youth hunters, with or without hunter education certification, are eligible to hunt while under the supervision of a mentor.
For hunters younger than 11 years or ages 12-15 who have not completed hunter education, the mentor must be at least 18 years old, a hunter education graduate, hold a current hunting license, and remain within arm’s reach of the youth hunter at all times.
For hunters ages 12-15 who have completed hunter education, the mentor must be at least 18 years old but does not need to be a hunter education graduate or a licensed hunter. The mentor must be in both visual and voice contact with the youth hunter at all times. One mentor may not accompany more than two youths at the same time. See Youth Deer Hunt Rules and Regulations for full details.
New hunters can celebrate the experience with a first harvest certificate.
ATV/UTV Trail Report
All ATV/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.
Check for trail openings, closures, and more atHLVCB ATV/UTV trail conditions report. Contacts for forest ATV/UTV trails are as follows: Sawyer County Forest (715-634-4846), Chequamegon National Forest (715-634-4821), and Flambeau State Forest (715-332-5271).
Sawyer County snowmobile and ATV trail maps are available from Hayward Lakes Visitor & Convention Bureau.
Fishing Report
Cooling weather and water should greatly enhance fishing opportunities going forward. Fish will begin/continue their transitioning and where you found them yesterday might not be where they are today. Your favorite bait shop personnel will share the most current “secrets” of fish locations, bite windows, and favored baits and presentations. Talk with them!
Musky:
Musky action waned with the recent hot weather, but considerably cooler temperatures should resurrect it. Find fish around weed beds, weedlines, and areas holding panfish out to 15 feet or so. Suckers on quick-strike rigs, bucktails, Bull Dawgs, Medussas, glide baits, jerkbaits, and topwaters are the current baits of choice.
Walleye:
Walleye fishing is fair to good, and improving as the water cools. Look for fish in depths from shallow to more than 25 feet on weedlines, breaklines, rocks, ledges, and areas holding baitfish. Walleye suckers, fatheads, jigged and trolled crawlers, Lindy Rigs, plastics, crankbaits, jerkbaits, stickbaits, and jigging baits are all working.
Northern Pike:
Northern pike action is good to very good for all sizes of pike in and around shallow to mid-depth weeds, weed flats, and wherever you find concentrations of baitfish and panfish out to about 15 feet. Best offerings include northern suckers, walleye suckers, and minnows on jigs, spinners, spinnerbaits, swimbaits, spoons, bucktails, crankbaits, and chatterbaits.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth bass fishing is good, but fish are transitioning. Locations range from shallow green weeds, lily pads, and still in place docks, out to deeper weeds and structure holding panfish and baitfish. The most productive baits include sucker minnows, fatheads, spinnerbaits, swimbaits, wacky and Ned rigs, plastics, and topwaters.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth bass fishing is good to very good, with fish easy to find on shallow to mid-depth weeds, rock, and stumps, to deeper weeds, rocks, ledges, and other structure. Sucker minnows, spinnerbaits, swimbaits, and jerkbaits in minnow patterns, crankbaits, Ned and wacky worms, plastics, and topwaters are all producing action.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is good and it will only get better as fish go on their fall feed. Look for crappies on deep weedlines, weed edges, cribs, brush, and basins. Crappie minnows, fatheads, waxies, plastics, and Gulp! Minnows on jigs and/or under slip bobbers, and Beetle Spins, can all be effective. Use larger baits for larger fish.
Bluegill:
Bluegill fishing is good in/on shallow green weeds and warm bays, as well as on deeper weeds and brush. Top producing baits include waxies, crawler chunks, red worms, leaf worms, plastics, and Gulp! baits on small jigs, teardrops, and plain hooks under slip bobbers. Try small minnows for larger bluegills.
Upcoming Events
Sept. 27: Duck season opened in Northern Zone.
Sept. 30: Hook-and-line lake sturgeon season closed (see regs).
Oct. 4-12: Gun Deer Hunt for Hunters with Disabilities (see regs).
Oct. 6: Full Harvest Moon.
Oct. 7: Bear season ends.
Oct. 11-12: Youth Deer Hunt (see regs).
Oct. 15: General inland trout season closes (see regs).
Oct. 17-19: Ladies Musky Fishing School ‑ Deerfoot Lodge & Resort (715-462-3328).
Oct. 18: Seasons open: Pheasant; Bobwhite Quail; Hungarian Partridge (see regs); Sharp-tailed grouse (by drawing).
Oct. 18-Nov. 16: Elk season, first period (by drawing).
Oct. 18: Trapping seasons open: Coyote; Muskrat; Mink; Fisher.
Oct. 18: Trapping/hunting seasons open: Bobcat; Fox; Raccoon (resident).
Oct. 21-22: Orionids Meteor Shower, south 2-4 a.m., 15-25/hr., Swift streaks.
Nov. 1: Trapping/hunting seasons open: Beaver (Northwest Zone); Otter (North Zone); Raccoon (non-resident).
Nov. 2: Daylight Saving Time ends ‑ turn back clocks one hour.
Nov. 3: Woodcock season closes.
Nov. 4-5: South Taurids Meteor Shower, south, 1-3 a.m., 10-20/hr., bright and very slow.
Nov. 5: Full Beaver 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.