We usually take a week vacation to the Hayward area but our rental on LCO is no longer available. We have a couple places to choose from. One is located on Round and another on Chief Lake. I really like Round but the family seems to be leaning towards the Flowage. I have never fished the Flowage just curious how the fishing is and is it a safe lake to navigate? Thanks!
I fished the Flowage for over 30 years. I fished mostly the east side of the lake, divided down the middle by County CC running north and south. The average depth is only maybe 5-6 feet. But there are many flat areas, bars, and major weed beds in this lake. Plenty of water for a boat. Not the kind of lake for high speed boats, though. This is a class A musky lake, so no motor trolling. When fishing this lake for the first time just watch the other boats. They will be fishing on weed beds, sand bars, and stump bars. Get yourself a map and pay attention to where you are going because you can get turned around and lose your bearings. Watch your depth finder. You can go from 20 feet of water to 2 feet in a short distance. Talk to others where you are staying. Ask where a walleye spot or two may be. I fished pretty much for musky because I like the challenge. You could hire a guide for a half day to get to know some spots near where you are staying. The best time to fish muskies is evening, but again you have to know where you're going. You can fish further out and move closer to your resort as it gets later. Chief Lake is on the west side of the lake, but the method is the same no matter where you fish. The one nice thing about the Chippewa Flowage is that it is a fisherman's lake. Not a lot of pleasure boaters making waves everywhere. Need anymore information, let me know. I loved it there. Had a trailer in a resort, but I have moved further south now, and it's too long of a ride.
I took a week long fishing trip there from 2011 - 2016. The first year I didn't have a lake chip and did end up hitting some pretty shallow water. Luckily I didn't ruin my prop or lower unit. Make sure to have a Humminbird unit with a LakeMaster chip and you'll be fine. We typically went towards the end of June or early July. There are so many different ways that you can fish there. I would throw a lot of frogs in pads, jigs and soft plastics in grass and reeds, crank baits along the shorelines, etc. I always enjoyed going there and every year expanded and found new areas to fish.
I fish it multiple times a year, the bass fishing has really taken a hit as of late because they have been drawing the lake down 10 feet in the winter which literally drains parts of the lake dry (there are pictures on the hayward newspaper website in the archives, pretty crazy). The point of that is to kill off the milfoil, the resorts dont like it. The drawdowns killed many many fish, all species, even some really big muskies. There is still some foil left in squaw bay, chief lake, and other bays spread across the flowage but its much different than it was even just 4-5 years ago. The panfishing and walleye fishing has been booming, some guys are saying its the best its ever been.
As far as navigation, if you have a lakemaster chip you'll be fine. I know 3 different guys that have had their props lose a blade or lose their whole lower unit there, so definitely use caution.. but the map chip is very accurate so just stay in the deeper water while on plane if you can. The east side is far more treacherous than the west, lots of rock bars and stump flats.
Basically what Im trying to say is its still a good place to fish and its beautiful, but there are a dozen other lakes that blow the flowage out of the water that are within a half hour of hayward. Round being one of them.
Wick you shouldn't be spreading untrue rumors about round lake. everyone knows that lake isn't full of big smalliesWhile were dispelling myths grindstone is a dead sea also. lol
Thanks for the info guys we actually got a place on Round instead and yeah Grindstone does suck! LOL
When are you going to be up there? I usually am on Round end of May or early June.Originally Posted by cneubass79
2005 Stratos 201 Pro XL
250HP Evinrude E-Tec
"Haulin' Ass and Chasin' Bass"
Nothing to see in Grindstone, just move along folks. Seriously, Big Round would be my suggestion for a family vaca. It is clear as opposed to the somewhat stained water of the Chip. While it wouldn't phase many I have heard complaints from others. Just like the duck mites on Grindstone, especially the E shoreline, don't bother me a lot of others would object. There are an awful lot of pleasure boaters on Round as Sunny Jim states but depending on the ages of the family it might be a plus. As teens and young adults our kids enjoyed the cousins place on Round actually due to the boat traffic and "social" nature of Round. Fishing, coming from LCO to Round would be an easy transition. Enjoy the trip.
We will be up there the first week of August. We usually go the 3rd week of July but everything was booked up. I can’t wait as I switched jobs last July and went from 5 weeks vacation down to 1 week for my first year. I’m sure I will be ready for a vacation and that’s the perfect place to relax and get some serious fishing in and some quality time with the family.
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