Hayward Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  You will find Hayward Lake in Menominee County, Michigan. Elevation runs to 620 feet. About 420 acres, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. Shoreline length is close to 11 miles, and each section fishes a little differently. Among the waters listed for Menominee County, none is wider. Menominee at 19 miles is the nearest place to stop. The nearest city of size is Green Bay, 63 miles away. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Hayward Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish documented in Menominee County include white sucker, johnny darter and brown trout. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Anyone new to Hayward Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 16°F and July at about 68°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Ice-out usually falls in mid April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Open water usually runs from mid April until about early December. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. The season on Hayward Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Launching is at Hayward Lake Flooding Boat Launch, about half a mile away. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. If the gate is shut, Myers Lake at 0.7 miles is the nearest alternative. For Hayward Lake in particular, ask before you travel.