Chances of showers Monday night and Tuesday morning are (currently) the only chances until Friday night. A couple days in the 70s and nights in the 40s, but most of the week will see highs in the low to mid-80s. A great week lies ahead!
“Light rain the Quiet Lakes’ area received last week will likely not raise lake levels much,” says Greg at Happy Hooker, “with most down 1-1.5 feet, so be cautious! Water temperatures are again in the upper 70s.
“Action is slow, fishing mid-summer doldrums is discouraging ‑ and confidence is the key! This should be a pleasant week in the north woods, with or without fish cooperation.
“Musky anglers are again targeting muskies, as water temperatures cooled to a reasonable level. Blades work best, followed by twitchbaits and jerkbaits. Work off deeper edges during the day, and flats and bars during low light.
“Walleye fishing is slow, with late evening into dark best for success, and anglers are catching some fish. Leeches, minnows, and crawlers on jigs, and trolling deep edges of rocks and weeds, have their time and place.
“Northern pike action is good around weeds, cabbage, grass, and coontail. Chatterbaits, spinners, crankbaits, and jerkbaits all work.
“Largemouth bass fishing could be better. In order, plastic worms, frogs, and spinnerbaits are the top bait choices, worked through lily pads, bulrushes, timber, and cabbage in 3-10 feet.
“Smallmouth bass are on deeper rock and weed transitions into basins. Leeches and plastics on jigs are great mid-day presentations, while topwaters such as Whopper Ploppers are excellent early morning and evening presentations.
“Panfish fishing is okay and predictable. Crappie and bluegill are in weeds in 3-12 feet; perch are on deeper edges in 10-15 feet. Minnows, crawlers, and plastics all work well.”
Jarrett at Hayward Bait says that with the warm water, many musky anglers are leaving rods on shore.
“For musky anglers still fishing, small bucktails, plastics, and topwaters are producing. The warmth pushed many fish deeper, with most movement during sunrise and sundown.
“Walleyes are in deep basins in 20 feet and deeper. Without high quality electronics, trolling is the easiest way to find fish. Once located, use jigs and crawlers to target less-aggressive fish.
“Northern pike locations vary. Bigger fish, in deep water to beat the heat, are catchable on trolled crankbaits and spoons. Smaller pike are in big weed beds in 8-15 feet, feeding on minnows and bluegills.
“Largemouth bass are in 2-25 feet. Many under shallow lily pads and weeds, avoiding the sun while foraging for frogs and bluegills. Some are on deeper weedlines and rock piles, with live bait, plastics, and topwaters good choices.
“Smallmouth bass are in 2-25 feet on deeper weedlines and rock piles chasing crawfish and baitfish. Live bait, plastics, and topwaters all produce.
“Crappies are cruising deep structure, weedlines, and basin areas, but it is tough to track fish constantly roaming large areas. Once you find a school, plastics are the way to go.
“Bluegills are all over, from shallow weedlines to cribs to cruising deeper water. Live bait, plastics, and surprisingly crankbaits, are working well.”
This week, DNR fisheries biologist Max Wolter says it is rare to harvest a full bag limit of fish.
“Anglers often have a keen interest in fishing regulations. Some anglers think about regulations in terms of how it might affect their own harvest, but many look at regulations from the standpoint of what they allow others to do. The motivation to support lower bag limits is often a belief that other anglers are taking too many fish.
“We hear such comments all the time. Some human nature is at play, but applying some statistics helps to understand the situation better. How likely is it for anglers to harvest their full bag limit of fish? We have a few ways to look at this.
“The DNR recently evaluated a suite of lakes that received experimental reduced bag limits for panfish. We asked anglers how many fish they caught and harvested when visiting these lakes. Harvesting a full bag limit of panfish was very rare. No more than 2 percent of anglers harvested their limit, even in cases with the most restrictive bag limits.
“We can also look at DNR creel data to answer this question with Sissabagama Lake, one of our area’s most popular crappie fisheries. Creel surveys showed just 18 percent of all panfish anglers harvested a full bag limit of 10 panfish. That means a huge majority (82 percent) did not harvest their limit ‑ and 33 percent of all anglers harvested no crappie.
“The odds of harvesting full limits are not much higher for other species. On the Chippewa Flowage, just 14 percent of anglers harvesting pike harvested a full limit ‑ even when the limit was 5, harvest promoted heavily, and incentivized! That does not account for unsuccessful pike anglers, meaning the true percent harvesting a full bag is even lower.
“Walleye anglers in Wisconsin’s ceded territory harvest a 3-walleye bag limit about 3 percent of the time. We see even lower numbers for bass, where often 90 percent or more of anglers have no interest in harvesting even one bass.
“These data should be a reset for how we think about the success of fellow anglers and their harvest. It also provides insights for fish biologists in how we think about regulations. Often, reducing bag limits only changes the harvest patterns of a select minority of the most skilled or dedicated anglers, as the majority of anglers already harvest very few fish.”
Pre-purchase a Wisconsin State Park Pass required for all motor vehicles at most state parks, forests, and recreation areas, and save time when entering those properties. Passes are available online, at individual properties, DNR service centers, and when renewing vehicle registrations.
When purchasing online, visitors can use the email confirmation as proof of purchase immediately and receive a physical pass by mail. Print the email receipt or write the details on a piece of paper and place on the driver’s side dashboard, readable through the windshield.
Customers purchasing a 12-month pass during DMV registration receive a physical pass by mail with their vehicle registration stickers and Certificate of Registration. For those looking to bike, ride horseback, or inline skate, daily and annual state trail passes are also available online.
The DNR service centers, statewide call center, and email will be unavailable Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 26-27, due to service training for staff.
Anglers
The Cops & Bobbers Kids Free Fishing Event for kids ages 6-14 is Saturday, August 8, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at DJ’s Dockside Resort on Nelson Lake. The event offers a fun day of fishing, good food, and interaction with law enforcement officials from Sawyer County! Sign up online or in person at the Sawyer County Sheriff’s Office.
Hunters/Trappers
September 15 is the deadline for eligible hunters to apply for the hunters with disabilities gun deer hunt.
Jack Pine Savage Days in Spooner is this Friday and Saturday, August 7-8. Visit the website and events schedule for more information, or call (715) 635-2168.
ATV/UTV Trail Report
All ATV/UTV riders should review recent law changes effective June 1. Visit 2026 ATV/UTV regulations for details. Updates include new ATV/UTV seatbelt requirements, liability, towing, and window tint restrictions. For questions, contact DNR Customer Service at (888) 936-7463.
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; 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).
For updates and closures, visitHLVCB ATV/UTV trail conditions report.
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
Fishing slowed for most species, but anglers who invest some time report success. Focus on the best bite windows, locations, baits, and presentations, which you can learn from your favorite, trusted bait shop personnel. Anglers using live bait should keep a close eye on it. Some lake levels are low, so pay attention! Be safe out there!
Musky:
Muskies are showing movement at sunrise and sunset into after dark. Find them on deep edges during the day and on shallow to mid-depth bars and flats under low light periods. Productive offerings include small bucktails and other blade baits, twitchbaits, jerkbaits, plastics, and assorted topwaters.
Walleye:
Walleye fishing is okay and anglers are catching fish, with late evening into after dark best on shallow weed and bar edges with leeches, crawlers, and minnows on jigs. During the day, troll deep rock and weed edges and basins out to 20 feet and deeper with crankbaits and minnowbaits, and live bait on bottom bouncers.
Northern Pike:
Northern pike action is good. For numbers, fish shallow to mid-depth weeds, cabbage, coontail, and grass with smaller bait. For trophy pike, go deep with bigger baits. Minnows, spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, crankbaits, chatterbaits, jerkbaits, and minnowbaits are all working.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth bass fishing is okay, with room for improvement. Fish shallow weeds, lily pads, bulrushes, brush, and cabbage with spinners, spinnerbaits, crawlers, leeches, minnows, plastics/worms, frogs, and other topwaters.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth bass fishing is good from very shallow to 25 feet and deeper on deep weedlines, rock piles, and on rocks and weeds transitioning into basins. Best baits include sucker minnows, leeches, and crawlers on jigs, crawfish color plastics, and topwaters such as Whopper Ploppers.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is fair to good, and consistent, in 12 feet and deeper around weeds, deep structure, weedlines, and basins. Schools roaming large areas can be difficult to locate. Use crappie minnows, crawlers, plastics, and Gulp! baits on small jigs and plain hooks under slip bobbers,
Bluegill/Perch:
Bluegill fishing is good and stable. Find them in 2-14 feet in shallow weeds, on cribs, and in deeper areas. Perch are on weed edges in 8-18 feet. Use waxies, red worms, crawler chunks, and plastics on small jigs and teardrops, plus crappie minnows for perch.
Upcoming Events
Aug. 7-8: Jack Pine Savage Days in Spooner; events schedule (715-635-2168).
Aug. 8: Cops & Bobbers Kids Free Fishing Event at DJ’s Dockside Resort on Nelson Lake, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Aug. 8: Annual Ojibwe Canoe & Kayak Race, The Wannigan in Winter, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (715-266-5141).
Aug. 11-13: Perseids Meteor Shower, 2-4 a.m. peak, one of year’s best, 50-100/per hour, dark sky (waning moon).
Aug. 13-16: Sawyer County Fair (715-934-2721).
Aug. 16: HBC free Youth Bass Tourney, ages 10-17, pre-reg. required, The Landing, 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. (405-227-1789).
Aug. 17: Bonus antlerless deer harvest authorizations sales begin at 10 a.m. thru Go Wild and license sales locations.
Aug. 21-22: Seeley Lions PreFat Bike Race.
Aug. 23: HBC-NBA Tom Turner Benefit Open, Twin/Tiger Cat, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. $120 entry (405-227-1789).
Aug. 26-27: DNR service centers, statewide call center, and email unavailable due to staff training.
Aug. 28: Full Sturgeon Moon.
Sept. 1: Seasons open: Early teal; Early goose; Mourning dove (see closing dates).
Sept. 5-30: Lake Sturgeon hook-and-line season open.
Sept. 15: Deadline to apply for hunters with disabilities gun deer hunt.
Sept. 16-17: Disabled Veterans Fishing Outing on Nelson Lake, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., email or call (715-651-0482).
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.