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| Failed in comparison to Vilas County in my opinion!!!
Kinda bummed,
Jaimy |
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Location: Richland Center, WI. | How so?
Ken |
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| muskyhunter63 - 8/16/2015 9:09 AM
How so?
Ken
Although my research showed the East side of the Chip to be better for musky, other things caused me to book a place on Chief Lake. The resort and the people were great but the water on the Chip just didn't have the cover / weedbeds / the "look" of quality musky water that I have found in many of the Vilas lakes. I fished alot of Chief, checked out Crane, and got as far as Birch Island never finding any water with that "wow, there's got to be one in here" feeling. The East side may be quite different but it will take some real convincing for me to head back that way to find out. We feel that the Boulder junction or Manitowish Waters area is more to our liking as well as Minoqua being a better choice for us when we want the "bigger town" attractions. And I well know that personal experience and opinion plays a big role in all these things, I'm not saying the Hayward area is bad...just not preferred by my family for several reasons. I'm not trying to sway folks from checking out Hayward, but some may find Vilas more appealing like we do. I am interested in hearing from those that have been to both areas to see what they think.
Jaimy |
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| My wife and I were in Hayward August 2 through the 8th. It was our first time heading North for Musky fishing. We absolutely loved the area. Weather was a lot nicer than here at home. it was about 72 degrees during the day and about 50 at night. We didn't have any trouble with mosquitos and only had a few black flies biting us. I fished the Chippewa Flowage quite a bit and only caught pike and walleyes there. I didn't hire a guide, but I did think about it. I was in a 16 foot alumacraft that I hauled up there and the lake was a little rough on it because it was so windy.
I switched to fishing some of the smaller lakes and we quickly boated 3 muskies. My wife caught one right after a thunder storm and I caught 2. Everyone that we interacted with was very nice and helpful.
Best fish that I caught on the trip was this 44 incher. I plan on returning to the area and may make an annual trip out of it, since my wife liked it so much also.
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Location: S.W. WI | BMuskyX - 8/16/2015 7:13 AM
Failed in comparison to Vilas County in my opinion!!!
Kinda bummed,
Jaimy
Hmmm,
And I was gonna send you a pm to see how you did on the West since I replied to your posted questions. Figured you probably had some luck. I was there a day or 2 a week ago and couldn't believe how aggressive they were. Not easy mind you... but the ones that ate... Crazy aggressive. I spoke with another dude who had 6 go in one evening a few days earlier, he said the same thing. Aggressive as heck! He lost most of em- but still really decent action on some bigger fish. I figured you would have had some action on typical spots that show up on any map. I know nothing of Chief lake except what I've heard.... "not many muskies in there", so I never venture there and didn't want to comment on that area. But there are good spots and good fish on the west side. And they were biting a week ago.
That sucks that you had lousy luck.
Now I wish I would have offered up a few suggestions, maybe it could have helped- or maybe not.
I know you would not have screwed up as bad as I did there last Sat nite on a biggie. Nobody but me loses that fish.
Edited by Rudedog 8/16/2015 7:24 PM
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Location: Twin Cities, MN | Rudedog - 8/16/2015 6:41 PM
I know you would not have screwed up as bad as I did there last Sat nite on a biggie. Nobody but me loses that fish.
Ha, ha, you should have seen the three ring circus going on last Tuesday night when I was on the Chip, I am sure I could give you a run for your money ...
That being said, I have fished in both the Minoqua and Hayward areas, and both have their strong points in my book. My family looked at both areas many years ago, and settled on the Hayward / Chippewa Flowage. We vacation on the Chip each year. The kids love the resort we stay out where they can tube, kayak, swim, and a multitude of other things.
For me, I just enjoy fishing the Chip, I cannot explain it, as it is not a lake that gives up muskies easily, or at least not for me. I was up there last week, and normally fish a couple spots on the West side, but did not venture there this year, as the bog was firmly planted across the bridge. I mostly fish the east side as I tend to have a better comfort level having stayed at three different resorts on the east side over the years.
Pal |
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Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | A bit harsh to rank a destination by one trip.
The Chip is, of course, a flowage, and a complicated one at that. The flowages I fish and learned to enjoy gave up their secrets grudgingly.
I know what you mean by not finding spots like you might on a lake in Vilas, but that's the nature of the beast. |
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| My feelings had nothing at all to do with the musky action.....I've been after these things for over twenty five years and know that tough weeks are gonna happen. Like I said before, none of the water had that "wow" factor that you only know when you see. We all have our own preferred waters and my wife just likes the towns in Vilas more than Hayward. I've caught mid 40" muskies in lakes that I will never go back to and go to some that I've yet to score on all based on the vibe I get. I really thought more of you guys would understand what i'm getting at here???
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Location: Northern Illinois | I like both Vilas and Hayward. They both have great lakes with plenty of muskies in them. I think you are selling Hayward short because you didn't get a good vibe or find what you thought looked like spot on muskie habitat on one body of water. There are many other good lakes up there including Lost Land, Teal, Ghost, Moose, Spider, etc.
Hayward is in a remote and beautiful area of Wisconsin. Yes, the towns in Vilas might have more shopping and may be closer. There have been times in Hayward where I needed some milk and it was after 8:00PM and there was no option for maybe 20 miles. Is that a bad thing - it's part of the reason I go there.
Edited by mm3 8/17/2015 9:52 AM
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| Hire a guide? |
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| I also thought the Northern muskies were nicely marked up. Not just mostly silver like the ones down here.
We also had lots of follow ins, including a very large fish and about three hook ups with fish that we lost. My trip included about six vibes so I was happy with that. |
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Location: MN | BMuskyX - 8/16/2015 9:04 PM
My feelings had nothing at all to do with the musky action.....I've been after these things for over twenty five years and know that tough weeks are gonna happen. Like I said before, none of the water had that "wow" factor that you only know when you see. We all have our own preferred waters and my wife just likes the towns in Vilas more than Hayward. I've caught mid 40" muskies in lakes that I will never go back to and go to some that I've yet to score on all based on the vibe I get. I really thought more of you guys would understand what i'm getting at here???
Jaimy
This looks like ... Happy wife, happy life.
LOL
Edited by Nick59 8/17/2015 12:41 PM
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| Nick59 - 8/17/2015 10:07
This looks like ... Happy wife, happy life.
LOL
I guess I gave the wrong impression. We didn't have a bad time, we just "PREFERRED" our past experiences in Vilas. I had fun, wife had fun, son had fun. Resort and people were great. We caught some fish with my four year old...bluegill and bass. Hit up the lumberjack show. Miniature golf. Canoes. Parks. Sandbox. Played with frogs and toads! I suppose the Chip just didn't live up to my own pre-conceived expectations that I had for it, hence the "kinda bummed". I guess I was trying to promote Vilas more than bash the Chip but it didn't come off that way. I know I can't be the only one on here that likes Vilas better but maybe some don't want to chime in. If we all agree on everything this site would be pretty boring....someone would post something and all other posts that followed would just state, "YUP".
Jaimy |
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| "YUP" |
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Location: Sauk City WI | The chip can be a tough son of a gun. My in-laws have a cabin on chief lake and I've fished mainly the west side for the last 5 or 6 years. I have spent many hours and have yet to catch a musky actually in chief lake. A few just out of chief but never in. The chip always fishes wierd to me for some reason too. We were there the first week in august and my bil put a 48 in the boat and I got a 41 and 38 in the first day and a half then we got our asses handed to us the rest of the trip on the chip. It's really streaky for me at least anyway. Can't say I agree with the west side not being fishy it's just different than a lot of other popular places. Sorry to hear you had a bad week |
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Location: Sauk City WI | All that said I also find early august to be fairly difficult for me atleast. |
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| Been to the chip only once,,one of the best hamburgers I ever had at herman's landing.
Edited by happy hooker 8/17/2015 4:41 PM
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Location: Smith Creek | I kind of get what you're saying, but you're comparing an entire county to one very dynamic Flowage.
I live smack dab in between Vilas and Sawyer and tend to head west more often than east, for lots of reasons. And I don't often fish the Flowage, but when I do prefer the east end.
You really want to drive yourself crazy head over to the Turtle Flambeau. She'll have you banging your head against the wall.
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| Question for those of you who enjoy the Hayward area. Would you recommend staying at a resort on Lost Land Lake and focusing on it and Teal to get my wife her first musky? I was thinking of Vilas, but the 10mph speed limit on Lost Land and Teal sounds kind of refreshing. Thanks!
Eric
Edited by enice 8/17/2015 6:25 PM
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Location: Sawyer County, WI | enice - 8/17/2015 6:19 PM
Question for those of you who enjoy the Hayward area. Would you recommend staying at a resort on Lost Land Lake and focusing on it and Teal to get my wife her first musky? I was thinking of Vilas, but the 10mph speed limit on Lost Land and Teal sounds kind of refreshing. Thanks!
Eric
I'd recommend it. |
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Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Flambeauski - 8/17/2015 4:51 PM
I kind of get what you're saying, but you're comparing an entire county to one very dynamic Flowage.
I live smack dab in between Vilas and Sawyer and tend to head west more often than east, for lots of reasons. And I don't often fish the Flowage, but when I do prefer the east end.
You really want to drive yourself crazy head over to the Turtle Flambeau. She'll have you banging your head against the wall.
What he said on the TFF. The Rainbow, too.
Yep, there be muskies in there. And some of the biggest bluegills and crappies in the State. |
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Location: Sauk City WI | enice - 8/17/2015 6:19 PM
Question for those of you who enjoy the Hayward area. Would you recommend staying at a resort on Lost Land Lake and focusing on it and Teal to get my wife her first musky? I was thinking of Vilas, but the 10mph speed limit on Lost Land and Teal sounds kind of refreshing. Thanks!
Eric I'd recommend lost land and teal for sure. I don't have a ton of experience on them but the experience I do have has been positive. The speed limit is nice but it seems like more of a suggestion to me. Seems most boats were still running wot across lost land the last time I was there. Plus you would be close to a few other good lakes if you wanted to lake hop. |
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Location: Sawyer County, WI | jmitch - 8/18/2015 6:45 AM
enice - 8/17/2015 6:19 PM
Question for those of you who enjoy the Hayward area. Would you recommend staying at a resort on Lost Land Lake and focusing on it and Teal to get my wife her first musky? I was thinking of Vilas, but the 10mph speed limit on Lost Land and Teal sounds kind of refreshing. Thanks!
Eric I'd recommend lost land and teal for sure. I don't have a ton of experience on them but the experience I do have has been positive. The speed limit is nice but it seems like more of a suggestion to me. Seems most boats were still running wot across lost land the last time I was there. Plus you would be close to a few other good lakes if you wanted to lake hop.
Similar to fishing regulations, the speed limit won't be enforced if officers aren't present. That said, nobody seems to get their shorts in a knot with boats going from point to point on plane.
The key feature is that water skiing, tubing, and PWCs are off limits so they won't bother your fishing. |
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Location: Ashland WI | dfkiii - 8/18/2015 7:51 AM
jmitch - 8/18/2015 6:45 AM
enice - 8/17/2015 6:19 PM
Question for those of you who enjoy the Hayward area. Would you recommend staying at a resort on Lost Land Lake and focusing on it and Teal to get my wife her first musky? I was thinking of Vilas, but the 10mph speed limit on Lost Land and Teal sounds kind of refreshing. Thanks!
Eric I'd recommend lost land and teal for sure. I don't have a ton of experience on them but the experience I do have has been positive. The speed limit is nice but it seems like more of a suggestion to me. Seems most boats were still running wot across lost land the last time I was there. Plus you would be close to a few other good lakes if you wanted to lake hop.
Similar to fishing regulations, the speed limit won't be enforced if officers aren't present. That said, nobody seems to get their shorts in a knot with boats going from point to point on plane.
The key feature is that water skiing, tubing, and PWCs are off limits so they won't bother your fishing.
This was my experience as well when I was there.
I did fish Lost Land, and had a tough time. It could be that I am just a bad fisherman though. |
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Location: Twin Cities, MN | enice - 8/17/2015 6:19 PM
Question for those of you who enjoy the Hayward area. Would you recommend staying at a resort on Lost Land Lake and focusing on it and Teal to get my wife her first musky? I was thinking of Vilas, but the 10mph speed limit on Lost Land and Teal sounds kind of refreshing. Thanks!
Eric
Lost Land and Teal are 2 nice lakes to fish, yes.
I would add Moose as a nice option also though.
I only know the Turtle Flambeau on the Vilas side, and that is one lake you need to be careful on, but the rewards can be worth your time.
Good Luck
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Location: Sauk City WI | dfkiii - 8/18/2015 7:51 AM
jmitch - 8/18/2015 6:45 AM
enice - 8/17/2015 6:19 PM
Question for those of you who enjoy the Hayward area. Would you recommend staying at a resort on Lost Land Lake and focusing on it and Teal to get my wife her first musky? I was thinking of Vilas, but the 10mph speed limit on Lost Land and Teal sounds kind of refreshing. Thanks!
Eric I'd recommend lost land and teal for sure. I don't have a ton of experience on them but the experience I do have has been positive. The speed limit is nice but it seems like more of a suggestion to me. Seems most boats were still running wot across lost land the last time I was there. Plus you would be close to a few other good lakes if you wanted to lake hop.
Similar to fishing regulations, the speed limit won't be enforced if officers aren't present. That said, nobody seems to get their shorts in a knot with boats going from point to point on plane.
The key feature is that water skiing, tubing, and PWCs are off limits so they won't bother your fishing. |
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Posts: 548
Location: MN |
Similar to fishing regulations, the speed limit won't be enforced if officers aren't present. That said, nobody seems to get their shorts in a knot with boats going from point to point on plane.
The key feature is that water skiing, tubing, and PWCs are off limits so they won't bother your fishing.
This is what makes these lakes the Quiet Lakes.
Gotta love it. |
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