Fished Willard yesterday. Got there around 6:30 am. Went out to the island saw a few people catch fish but it was crowded. Went out to the west dike trolled about 2.5 miles an hour using blue and silver lipless crank baits and caught 8 smallmouth all about 10 inches.
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Not a bad day at all. We were the yesterday as well and did see there were boats gathered in spots but when we joined in around them we found the fish were still not really gathered up much just one or two here or there. But we didn't try for any bass like you did, so nice job!
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We were out yesterday morning as well, launched out of North Marina about 8 AM in my Buddies 18 ft. black Targa, trolled cranks on planer boards and a crank and a worm harness on down riggers. most action came on the worm harness trolled at 2.3 MPH. It was pretty slow we didn't fish the island much headed toward west dike. One small walleye we threw back, several lost fish that were probably small walleye and one nice 20 1/2 wiper. The only thing caught on the cranks was a carp that probably went 10 or 12 pounds. Headed to my home in Northern Wis. next week for a couple weeks usually always great fishing back there this time of year. [fishon]
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We too stayed up at the north end area, so we probably passed by one another just close enough to say hi (white/silver Hewescraft) - we got all our catch (6 eyes and smaller wiper) all trolling about 2.1-2.3 with cranks off planer boards and worm harnesses out the back. All our fish were on the smaller side.
I was just out that way (in N Illinois) end of April early May but it wasn't a fishing kind of trip. Hope you have a fun, safe trip - we used to spend a lot time in Wis and upper pennisula Michigan growing up.
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Way to go Kim. At least you found something. It will warm up soon. Thanks for your report.
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The bugs were terrible even some big horse flys that would bite through your shirt. Carp by the hundreds splashing in the rocks. Scott snagged a big one. Surprised we only snagged one.
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I have never seen carp chasing around on the surface so far away from shore, when we would get close enough to them it was usually several small males chasing a big female, they were all over the area we were fishing, usually see this along the rocks but not out on the open water. My son did catch a big female on a flicker shad behind a planer board.
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The last time I saw carp in the rocks spawnING we caught cats stuffing them selves with eggs. They were easy to catch, wipers too.
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We actually went out to the west dike thinking we could catch some catfish. But we only caught those small smallmouth.
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