The Sunday night/Monday morning low hit 16 degrees and maybe that will be the end of such low temperatures for this spring. The lowest low forecast for this week is twice that, with highs in the upper-60s to mid-70s. Look for sunshine for much of the week, but rain going into the weekend. Enjoy those good days when you can!
Clear night skies forecast for Monday through Wednesday this week could offer excellent opportunities to view the peak (April 22-23) of the Lyrid Meteor Shower. The best time is from 2-4 a.m. Fortunate observers looking east and overhead could see 15-20 meteors per hour in swift streaks, with luminous dust trains. Known for occasional bright fireballs, steady activity, and recorded for more than 2,700 years, the Lyrids are a spring favorite.
Travelers can check current road conditions at 511wi.gov for Wisconsin and 511mn.org for Minnesota.
“We can officially call ‘ice-out’ on the Quiet Lakes and the Spider Lake Chain,” says Greg at Happy Hooker. “Moose Lake is open as well, so we are going to be in good shape for the opener in a couple short weeks.
“Storms came through Friday and bought some crazy wind, rain, and small hail as well, with Saturday’s high only 39 degrees. We should get stable in the 50s over the next 15 days, which is not too bad if it holds true. Lake levels look good, although most roadside ponds are still very low. We could use a rainy spring to keep water levels in check.
“A fishing buddy is already doing well catching crappies in about 10 feet. Look for deep edges of weed beds that are already getting green.
“In a couple weeks we will get into the full swing of reports by species, but now is the time to go through the boat, charge batteries, check trailer tires, and most importantly make sure the boat plug is in good shape and present!
Jarrett at Hayward Bait says lakes and rivers are nearly completely open, with anglers installing docks and getting on the water.
“Water temperatures are in the high 30s to low 40s, and it will take a week of consistent warmth to heat to normal spring temperatures. Until the opener, anglers are after trout, panfish, and catch and release bass.
“Crappies should be in basins in 12-25 feet or in weeds where they spent the winter. Live bait often shines now, with crappie minnows and fatheads the number one baits. On sunny days, try plastics.
“Bluegills should be on weed patches and structure on flats, staying shallow to feed and warm. Slow jigging and slip bobbers work well, and ice jigs under slip bobbers are often a key to cold-water bluegills. In prime areas, try tipping jigs with waxies.
“Catch and release bass fishing is open all year, but fish are very lethargic in cold water, moving only for the right opportunity. Stickbaits 3-5 inches are the go-to, with a pause in the retrieve of 5-10 seconds. Let the fish dictate the time. Crayfish and other invertebrates are just becoming active, moving slowly along the bottom, and anything mimicking them, such as Ned rigs, will work.
“Trout anglers head to the Brule, hit the Namakagon close to home, and some hit areas in-between. Inline spinners and hard baits will work well, and crawlers do well in sections of the Brule. Check regulations for sections where live bait is legal. Inland trout harvest season opened April 4.”
This week, DNR fisheries biologist Max Wolter discusses ‘everything we know about musky spawning.’
“Everyone knows about our beloved musky here in the Hayward area, but they rarely observe one of musky’s most important behaviors: Musky spawning, the fish term for mating that happens in the spring. More specifically, spawning starts when water temperatures approach 50F. In Sawyer County, this typically happens somewhere between the third week of April and first week of May. Day length might also play a role in cueing the musky spawn.
“Actual spawning usually happens under the cover of darkness, with spawning most commonly between 7 p.m. and 3 p.m. This is when the water is calm and the risk of encountering a large predatory bird or mammal might be lower.
“Spawning happens in very shallow water, typically from 6 inches to 3 feet deep. Muskies will sometimes have their backs almost out of the water while spawning. The fish pair up side to side and cruise over their preferred spawning area.
“Oftentimes, multiple males will attempt to pair with a female and sometimes she will wind up with one partner on each side and another one or two following along! The female drops the eggs, and as they settle to the lakebed, the males release ‘milt’ to fertilize them. This can happen over several hundred yards of shoreline for one spawning pair.
“A small female musky might deposit around 20,000 eggs in a spawning season, while a very large one will have well more than 100,000. The fertilized eggs begin to hatch around 8-14 days later, depending on water temperature. Mortality of eggs and fry are both very high, which is why females lay such a large number of eggs.
“We also know that individual muskies will return to the same places to spawn year after year, with many likely returning to the same bay where they were born.”
Hunters/Trappers
The 2025-26 hunting licenses expired March 31. To hunt turkey this spring, you need a 2026-27 hunting license.
Mink and muskrat trapping seasons closed April 15 in the North Zone.
Trapping seasons close April 30 for beaver in the northwest zones and for otter in the North Zone.
The application period for the 2026 elk season drawing is open through May 31.
Sales of bonus harvest authorizations for the 2026 spring turkey season continue through Go Wild and license sales agents on a first come, first served basis, at one per day, until the zone and period sell out or the season closes. Check the zone map and available bonus authorizations. Authorizations remain available in zones 1 and 3 for periods E (May 13-19) and F (May 20-26). The cost is $10/resident and $15/nonresident. Purchases do not affect preference point status for future spring drawings. For more information, visit turkey hunting on the DNR website.
Anglers
The 2025-26 fishing licenses expired March 31. If you intend to fish this year, you will need a 2026-27 license.
The general inland trout season on inland streams, springs, and spring ponds opened April 4. In addition, musky fishing season now opens with the regular gamefish season (May 2 this year).
Brule River fishing is open for fishing downstream of Highway 2. It is illegal to fish the river from a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise from March 28-May 1 and from October 1-November 15, and to fish 500 feet upstream and downstream from the sea lamprey barrier. See page 6 of the trout fishing regulations.
Hayward Chapter-Muskies, Inc. has made changes to the dates and location for its 48th Annual Fall Musky Tournament. This year, it is Friday through Sunday, September 25-27, with the Saturday night raffles, door prizes, and Sunday awards ceremony at the Hayward Sports Center Arena. For more information, visit the website or Facebook page, or call Mike Persson at (715) 558-2835.
Hayward Lakes Chapter-Muskies Inc. invites the public to attend its club meeting Monday, May 4, at Hayward Rod and Gun Club. The business meeting begins at 7 p.m., with the special speaker TBA. Admission is free, and attendees interested in becoming a new member of Muskies, Inc. can purchase a half-price membership.
For more information, call Mike Persson at (715) 558-2835.
In March, the DNR hosted an informational public meeting in Ashland concerning Chequamegon Bay lake whitefish. A recording of the meeting is available on the Lake Superior Fisheries Outreach webpage. The DNR also prepared an online questionnaire to learn more about the fishery, including angling experiences, values, and opinions toward current regulations. The questionnaire is available until April 30.
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. Contact numbers are as follows for ATV/UTV trails in Sawyer County Forest (715-634-4846); Chequamegon National Forest (715-634-4821); and Flambeau State Forest (715-332-5271).
Visit the HLVCB ATV/UTV trail conditions report and Sawyer County Alliance.com for trail updates and closures.
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).
Fishing Report
It is now less than two weeks until the opening of Wisconsin’s general inland gamefish season May 2! Most lakes are free of ice, and a mix of warmer temperatures, sunshine, and rain this week should help raise water temperatures and increase fish activity. Use this time to repair and replace tackle and equipment, and renew fishing licenses!
For anglers who cannot wait until the opener, the general inland trout season opened April 4. Check the new trout regulations booklet for any changes! Bass fishing is open for catch and release, and panfish fishing is open year-around.
Hayward area DNR fisheries biologist Max Wolter provided a link to survey reports from last spring’s efforts for Moose, Round, Sissabagama, and Windfall lakes, with fish management plans, including for Big Sissabagama Lake.
Upcoming Events
April 4: General inland trout season opened.
April 15: Trapping seasons closed: Mink and muskrat in North Zone.
April 15: Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame opened, 9:30 a.m.-4p.m. (715-634-4440).
April 22-23: Peak Lyrid Meteor Shower; 2-4 a.m. best, 10-20 hr., east and overhead, swift streaks, luminous dust trains.
April 30: Trapping seasons close: Beaver in northwest zones; Otter in North Zone.
May 1: Full Flower Moon.
May 1-2: Governor’s Fishing Opener in Hayward (715-635-9696).
May 2: Family Fishing Day in Hayward, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (715-634-4801).
May 4: Hayward Chapter-Muskies, Inc., meeting, speaker TBA, 7 p.m., Hayward Rod and Gun Club (715-634-4543).
May 4: Peak Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower; debris from Halley’s Comet, 10 per hour, close to horizon, predawn best.
May 6-9: 41st Annual Treeland Challenge is full (715-462-3874).
May 9: North Country Riders ATV Club spaghetti feed at Veterans Community Center, 4-7 p.m. (715-558-6653).
May 15-16: 39th Annual Fishing Has No Boundaries Hayward Event (715-634-3185).
May 15-17: Musky Tale Resort Northern Encounter, (715-462-3838).
May 23: Winter Annual Spring Fling 9 a.m.-2 p.m. (715-415-1966).
May 23: Wisconsin Canoe Heritage Day at Wisconsin Canoe Heritage Museum in Spooner, free (715-635-5002).
May 25: Memorial Day ‑ memorializing the veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for this country.
May 31: Full Blue Moon.
May 31: Deadline to apply for the 2026 elk hunting season.
Spring turkey season is six, seven-day periods running Wednesday through the following Tuesday, in seven zones.
Period A: April 15-21
Period B: April 22-28
Period C: April 29-May 5
Period D: May 6-12
Period E: May 13-19
Period F: May 20-26
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.
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.