Hayward Lakes Outdoor Report 12-15-25

Steve Suman

Take advantage of a very short warm-up Tuesday thru Thursday this week when daytime highs hit the mid- to upper-30s. It is a brief window of opportunity, so be sure to enjoy it!

The winter solstice and first day of winter arrives Sunday, December 21. All night Sunday and Monday, looking north with clear skies, you can view the peak of the Ursids Meteor Shower, with 5-15 medium speed meteors per hour.

Travelers can check current road conditions at 511wi.gov for Wisconsin and 511mn.org for Minnesota.

“Single-digit highs over the weekend helped build ice on the Quiet Lakes,” says Greg at Happy Hooker. “A warm-up this week should make ice fishing very pleasant for anglers, as tip-up holes will not freeze as quickly, and anglers jigging will not freeze their hands!

“It appears most lakes are getting safer, with reports of 5-6 inches of good ice, topped by 1.5 inches of mixed snow and ice. Anglers should always check any ice this time of year. Spots we checked a week ago Sunday had a solid 3-4 inches. Last Friday, my fishing buddy texted the same spot had 6 inches, so lakes are building ice. Snowmobile clubs will check lakes this week to see if they can start staking trails.

“Tip-ups set on shallow ledges, reefs, and points extending into the lake are great for walleye, northern pike, bass, and other predator fish moving shallow to feed. Dawn and dusk are best on days with high sun, but all day can be good during overcast and low-light skies.

“On some lakes, anglers will find panfish on shallow green weeds and around inlets and outlets with oxygen. As the snow builds and blocks light penetration, fish will push into basins, school, and feed on small invertebrates off bottom. Minnows and waxies on small jigs or spoons will all catch panfish.

“As the ice thickens and anglers can move anywhere on the lakes, reports will include more species-specific spots.”

Jarrett at Hayward Bait says the snow dustings in the past two weeks have miraculously not hampered ice output, and most lakes report 4-8 inches of ice, depending on lake size.

“Lake trails are not marked, so use caution if crossing lakes on machines. The brief warm-up should not affect the ice, and good temperatures on solid ice will receive a warm welcome.

“Walleyes are in early season patterns despite the cold. Most fish are in shallow weeds, in 5-10 feet, feeding on small baitfish. Anglers typically spread tip-ups with suckers and shiners this time of year. Focus on weedlines in shallow bays, as walleyes use them for highways, picking off baitfish that wander too far from the weeds. Sunset and especially sundown are key times to target these fish.

“Northern pike should be in the same shallow places as walleye, and large shiners, northern suckers, and frozen baits are preferred. Target structures in 6-12 feet that hold baitfish. Pike are daytime predators, so while waiting for prime walleye hours, put some pike on the ice!

“Panfish are still in shallow weeds feeding on remaining bug life. Others roam basins in schools hunting for small fry and invertebrates. Waxies and spikes on small jigs work well for bluegills and crappies, and up-sizing for bigger fish in the school pays dividends.”

This week, DNR fisheries biologist Max Wolter discusses appreciation of the Winter Lakes Alliance.

“It is my privilege to work with many lake associations that care passionately about their lakes. The Winter Lakes Alliance is unique in that they passionately care about 10 lakes! The alliance serves many of the typical functions of a lake association, including aquatic invasive species (AIS) prevention, educating shoreline owners, water quality monitoring, social connections for shoreline owners, and more.

“Members from Black Dan, Barber, Winter, Island, Loretta, Blue Gill, Barker, Hunter, Fish Trap, and Blaisdell lakes make up the alliance. Some of its annual activities are very fish-centric, such as its annual kid’s fishing outing during Father’s Day weekend on the shore of Lake Winter each year.

“The alliance has been an important partner in our walleye stocking efforts in the Winter area. The DNR and the Winter Lakes Alliance have used a cooperative approach to stocking suitable walleye lakes, with the DNR taking the lead on stocking some lakes and Winter Lakes Alliance picking up a few more each year. This has allowed us to get walleye into all of the lakes where they have a reasonable chance to survive and provide fishing opportunities.

“The alliance has also stepped up in instances when other species needed stocking, as well. Deb Eirschele, the current president of the Winter Lakes Alliance, is an excellent collaborator and advocate for all kinds of projects on these lakes.

“Anyone who has been involved with a lake association knows how much work it can be to care for a lake. We tip our hats to the folks in Winter who are taking care of almost a dozen lakes at once!”

Hunters:

Fall turkey season in zones 1-5 only is open thru Jan. 4, with many bonus tags still available in zones 1-4

The second period elk season is open Dec. 11-19 (see regs)

Goose season in the Northern Zone closes Dec. 16

An antlerless-only holiday hunt is open only in select farmland zones Dec. 24- Jan. 1 (see regs)

Anglers:

Musky season closes statewide Dec. 31

Early inland catch-and-release only trout season opens at 5 a.m. January 3 ‑ check the regs!

The Deer Management Units in the Northern Forest Management zones were converted to habitat-based units by number, rather than county-based units. Review the map of the new DMUs so you know in which DMU you are hunting, and view a breakdown of the season structure by county and DMU. Units in Sawyer County extend into other counties. The 2025 weekly DMU deer harvest numbers for these units, as of December 9, are available by referencing the DMU map and deer harvest summary. In a number of units, bonus antlerless licenses remain available.

Wisconsin’s Deer Donation Program that began in 2000 helps stock food pantries and supports residents in need. Since 2000, hunters have donated more than 4 million pounds of ground venison, providing nutritious, hearty meals.

Donating is easy and at no cost. Hunters donate the entire deer, processors ask them to complete an intent-to-donate sheet, and charitable organizations distribute the processed venison.

Hunters and non-hunters can support the Deer Donation Program through monetary donations at  license sales locations or online through  Go Wild. For more information, visit “Deer Donation Program.”

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 at HLVCB 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.

Snowmobile/Ski Trail Report

Snowmobiles must have a current registration and display a valid snowmobile trail pass to operate on public snowmobile trails. You can renew registrations and order trail passes online or purchase trail passes from sales agents. Members of the Association of Wisconsin Snowmobile Clubs (AWSC) can purchase trail passes at a discounted rate directly from www.awsc.org. You do not need to be a Wisconsin resident to be an AWSC member.

Sawyer County snowmobile and ATV trail maps are available from Hayward Lakes Visitor & Convention Bureau.

The December 11 HLVCB snowmobile trail report says that for more than two weeks volunteers have been out day and night clearing trails of downed trees, low hanging branches, packing swamps, checking ice, and repairing equipment. They worked incredibly hard and their work continues. The crews made great progress, but trails are not yet ready to ride.

The crews have cleared most main trails and corridors of brush, debris, downed trees, and branches, such as Tuscobia Trail from county line to county line. Crews are not yet grooming, but are panning to compact and flatten the snow to lie flat, freeze, and create a nice base. Grooming is smoothing moguls after heavy traffic.

Many side trails need considerable work and crews will do so this week. All volunteers welcome!

Reports on lake ice say an average of about 5 inches or less, at best, of good ice. For safety, we generally stake around 8-10 inches of good ice that must be constant throughout the lake, not just the trail area. Most swamps had low water levels this summer and fall, so they are freezing a bit better this season.

Check the HLVCB report this week for a full report and clearer picture of trail conditions.

Fishing Report

Lakes are making ice and this week’s brief warm-up of mid- to upper- 30s Tuesday thru Thursday should produce comfortable fishing conditions. Ice safety remains extremely important, so check the ice as you go, and always carry safety equipment. Crews could stake some snowmobile trails this week where ice is thick enough for safe travel. Check the HLVCB snowmobile trail report for more on ice conditions, and check with your favorite bait shop for timely information on fish movements, bite windows, and preferred baits.

Walleye:

Walleyes are in early season patterns, with sunrise and sunset the prime hours. Use walleye suckers, shiners, and frozen bait under tip-ups for fish on shallow to mid-depth weeds, ledges, and bays holding baitfish and panfish. Final reminder: Chippewa Flowage walleye season closed November 30!

Northern Pike:

Northern pike action is good to very good during the day in shallow weeds that hold panfish and baitfish, and shallow to mid-depth ledges and points leading into the lake. Use northern suckers, large shiners, and frozen bait on tip-ups.

Crappie/Bluegill/Perch:

Panfish fishing is fair to good. Concentrate on fish in shallow, green weeds until ice thickens for safer access to deeper water. Waxies, spikes, minnows, plastics, and Gulp! baits on small jigs are all catching fish.