Thursday 10/12/06 Mike C and I headed out for a 3 day company Musky tournament held on Moose Lake, located in Sawyer County, East of Hayward WI. The event started Friday and ended 10:00am Sunday. This picture is what we woke up to Friday morning. With the cold snap, snow and high winds, fishing was a test of man and gear. We passed the test with the man part, but the gear, Mike C now has a new nickname.
The only fish boated for us was this 34 inch healthy ski taken with a walleye 8” Swimming Joe after only a few cast. We thought for sure we were going to just slay the Musky, wrong. This plastic swim bait looks very nice coming through the water. It also has a very cool looking pause staying suspended nicely. We were also pulling suckers on quick strike rigs. The suckers did produce the most action for all the boats; this however was a tough task, being boat control is done by oar and, there was a 25-40mph wind. Moose Lake is a class a lake and trolling is not allowed. The most action found was on wind blown banks dropping straight into 15FOW. This is where we found the bait fish and on the locator, there were large marks (Musky) just under the bait fish!
Now to Mike’s nickname, Backlash! All I can say is I had to keep telling him; for us to win this thing, it sure would help if we were both fishing! He had more trouble than I think either of us has ever had fishing together!!! I must say he did keep his cool while working on stuff. Mike can now get rid of a backlash in a matter of a couple minutes!
There were a number of Musky caught in the group, the largest was 38 inches. Many 34 – 36 inch fish were caught. We know there are larger fish in this lake because we have boated them before. It just wasn’t going to be on this trip.
I would also like to thank Jim and Barb for wonderful accommodations at the Mystic Moose Resort. http://www.mysticmoose.com The cabins are second to none. The cabins have all the fixings of home and are very clean and comfortable. There is also a gift/sport shop ready to put you in the right gear and tackle for your fishing adventure. Jim also guides in the area and was more than willing to share info with us.
Moose Lake holds a large number of Musky and also provides Perch in the 12 – 14 inch class, nice Crappies and Walleyes. If you are looking for your first Musky, I highly recommend Moose Lake.
The picture is of course is from the morning we had to leave.
Great report!!
Brrrrrrrrr, at least you gave it a run. I remember two years ago I was fishing Forest Lake and half of it was iced over. Mangaged three skis in two days of fishing, it is definitely worth it to be out right now.
I agree Dan. I wish I lived closer to Musky action.
This picture is the amount of snow that fell Thursday night. At times Friday with the wind gusting to 40mph and snow you couldn’t see 100 yards!
We are having some fun now
i bet you’d rather be ice fishing?
Nice report!
Nice report! You fellas look warm.
Thanks for the Hayward area update guys! This is normally the time of year that a guy can get out and really pound some fall walleyes fishing lakes like Moose, Teal, and Lost Land during the daytime, but the guys looking for toothies outnumbers us mere mortal walleye fishermen by a considerable margin. Tis the season for big Hayward ‘skis!
Bret, I was talking with Jim at Mystic Moose today! Heck that’s bearly a morning drive from the metro area!
I was surprised to learn there was a Moose Lake in WI too.
So here’s my question, since trolling isn’t allowed…can you use your trolling motor to reposition yourself further up the weed line..WITH a sucker on a cork in the water? Or are trolling motors just not allowed at all.
Next question…since you are an ice type of guy, what’s the action like up there on hard water?
Brian, the hard-line answer to your first question is no. While you may only be using the motor to reposition the boat down the weedline, that also has the effect of using the motor-driven boat to move a bait….a “no-no” on many lakes in WI. Trolling motors are certainly allowed, but they can’t be used to move a bait, either intentionally or otherwise.
I, for one, can’t believe that in 2006, WI still prohibits motor trolling (with some exceptions) but is happy to allow the use of 3 lines per angler.
But that’s a topic for another thread.
What Jason said
If you have a live bait in the water you better not be using your trolling motor! If you are just casting, using the trolling motor for positioning is just fine.
As far as ice fish, they have a draw down on the lake in preparation for winter. I hear it is only a few feet. I am going to make a trip there this winter to check it out
By the sounds of it, them Perch would be a blast to get into!
If you check out the Mystic Moose Web they do have cabins available year round. It is also a great place to hit for snowmobiling
Nice report “raisin man”. Mike’s not the only one that earned a new nickname. Bunking with you guys is never boring.
Thanks Tim
Mike C and I don’t like to see any down time while away from home
Great report Buddy Bret.
As always we had a blast fishing for “ski’s” in northern Wisconsin at a great resort and with a great group of employees and retirees from work. 
What else could you ask for? A little snow never hurt anyone and you didn’t have to worry about your beverage getting warm. 
As for the new nickname, Backlash, I sure deserved that one. There’s nothing better than sitting in a rolling boat, snow beating you in the face and trying to undo a backlash from 
and Bret telling you that you have a hit on your sucker. This was our first year at Mystic Moose and like Bret said, Jim and Barb have a wonderful resort and are great hosts. 
Brian,
There is a lot of confusion about the trolling rule you’re asking about. Wisconsin clarified the rule not long ago to clear up the difference between trolling and position fishing because it truly was a gray area. The definition of position fishing includes trailing a sucker while casting and it is legal to position fish anywhere in Wisconsin. Check page 16 on the WI Fishing Regs: Link to Wisconsin Fishing Regulations in PDF format
Thanks for the muskie report, Brett! Congrats on getting a fish in the boat!
John
I stayed/fished there a year ago. Thye truly are great people and the cabins are top notch. Jim is a great host. I did boat a 38″ ‘ski while bass fishing in the Fall. Had my in-laws and wife in the boat. Quite an adventure seeing I was using a m/l rod and 8 lb test. father-in law couldn’t not get my musky net undone and mother-in-law dropped her digital camera in the water trying to get a picture. Did I mentionit was a early evening cocktail cruise?
Did manage to boat the fish and release it. Nice lake with some really nice smallies too.
Has the water come up at all or is it still real low?
The Chippewa River was over flowing at the dam. I would say the lake is at normal stage for this time of the year. There was also plenty of water in the Moose and Little Moose rivers. These rivers also hold a good number of fish
Not true. Do that with an electric or other motor and a warden will ticket you for trolling in WI on a non-trolling lake.
I agree 100%. I have asked this specific question of two COs…my local CO here in Chippewa County (Gullickson) and one of the COs operating out of Hayward (Sue Miller). Both said, without hesitation, that trailing a live bait rig (ie bait under a cork) while moving the boat with a motor is trolling which equals a citation.
I was told by both that if your line is vertical while the boat is being positioned, then you’re ok. This would be akin to vertical jigging a rockpile and holding position with the motor. If however, the line extends horizontally from the boat before entering the water, then you’re trolling.
Goofy rules, no doubt, but rules they are. Skirt them at your own risk!
I’ve talked to DNR officers about this AND been checked by the DNR at least twice while dragging suckers and casting while running the motor. I believe the difference is that I run the suckers vertically next to the boat without bobbers.
But anyway……..pulling suckers while using oars is a great way to cover water and follow breaks, weed lines, rock piles and follow shore lines. It is however a little easier when there is not a 40mhp plus wind
Mike C and I have caught a number of Musky using this method on Moose LK, pulling quick strike rigs with large suckers. It is kind of like deer hunting, just when you start to get bored all bageebas break loose! It is a better heart check than you can get from your local doctor, not to mention a lot more fun 
Bret
Nice report Bret, seeing those pictures makes a gut appreciate Ice fishing
For some reason fishing in the snow is not as cold when you are on the ice.
Sorry to get the post off track, Bret! Jason and I exchanged PM’s and figured out that he was talking about using bobbers and I was talking about hanging a sucker vertically off the side of the boat.
Thanks again for a MUSKIE report!
I can’t wait for ice Scott! 25 degrees in a boat with wind is way colder than 10 below on the ice
I just want to thank Bret and all the guys from Century Tel for braving the cold and spending a few days with my wife and myself at Mystic Moose Resort on Moose Lake. I just wanted to tell the guys one of our regular guests fished this week from Wed to Sunday the 22nd. They boated a 42 about 50 yards off our dock. ( this was on a sucker 15 inches) Beautiful fish. (Sorry I could not get any large succkers the week you guys were here. Big suckers big fish) This past week we had no snow but a little chilly.
The rule on draging suckers. I manage the fishery on Moose for our lake assn. I also am the DNR representative for the Hayward Lakes Resort Assn. This question of dragging suckers has come up a lot. Trolling in Wisconsin is illegal. But motor trolling is permitted on some lakes. Sawyer Co. has about 267 lakes and only 7 you can troll on. These lake are posted in the DNR fishing regulations guide book. Motor trolling is defined in the regulations. The key is to put your sucker rod in a rod holder. Put your sucker next to the boat with the least amount of line out. No bobber!!! Make sure your bait caster has the clicker turned on and your free spool adjustment tightened down slightly. Push your casting button and wait. Cast your other rod and retreve the lure back to the sucker. When your sucker gets nervious you know what is happening. (He is being eyed up for lunch) If you get bit the clicker will alert you that something is happening. The thing about bobbers is if you want to tell everyone on the lake what you are doing, use a bobber, but keep it close to your boat. These muskies will come right next to your boat to take the sucker.
Positioning over structure with the trolling motor is allowed. This definition of positioning is left up to the discretion of each warden. They all have a little different view on this. This is the way most of us guides do it in the Hayward area. Have a good day Jim Onarheim at Mystic Moose Resort Hayward