Willard Bay is picking up these last couple weeks. Wiper boils are happening as the Gizzard Shad are schooling in what is called "bait balls". Look for these and cast or troll nearby with a shad pattern. I caught a nice 5lb 1oz wiper last Friday and a couple of 3lbers. Good luck.
So many good wipers showing up this year. Congrats
(07-23-2024, 01:12 PM)jberenyi Wrote: [ -> ]Willard Bay is picking up these last couple weeks. Wiper boils are happening as the Gizzard Shad are schooling in what is called "bait balls". Look for these and cast or troll nearby with a shad pattern. I caught a nice 5lb 1oz wiper last Friday and a couple of 3lbers. Good luck.
How long do they usually boil for? Do they go into the fall? I've only caught 1 wiper in my life haha. I'm trying to figure them out so I can catch more.
(07-24-2024, 04:32 PM)Fishpro22 Wrote: [ -> ]How long do they usually boil for? Do they go into the fall? I've only caught 1 wiper in my life haha. I'm trying to figure them out so I can catch more.
Yes, there are more wipers showing up this year than in other recent years. Still not as good as just before and after about 2010...when there were wide open boils in many parts of the lake...even inside the harbors at times.
Here is a PDF file I put together a while back. Should have some basic info that might help with your wiper quest.
Is it better to fish for them this time of year in the AM or PM?
(07-24-2024, 09:50 PM)Wells Wrote: [ -> ]Is it better to fish for them this time of year in the AM or PM?
There is no hard and fast rule. It can vary from one day to the next...but often there is a discernible pattern. So you have to watch the reports...but be prepared for any changes. A lot of times it is more of an evening or early morning thing...with lower light levels and cooler water. But I have seen wide open boils in the middle of the day.
The best time to go fishing is whenever you can. And if you are after wipers, watch the terns and gulls. If they are flying over an area...or diving on splashes...chances are there are some wipers dining on shad. Goose your big motor and get there as fast as possible...but slow down and ease in when you get close. Can't believe all the times some doofus will run a boat right in the middle of a boil you are fishing and put them down.
Another thing is lure choice. Noisy prop type topwater shad lures can work well. But almost anything roughly the size, shape and/or color of a shad will get a competitive smack. And sometimes fishing a weighted jig or diving crankbait below the topwater action will pick up some fish that are below...mopping up the wounded and escapee shad. Fluttering spoons can work great...either burned across the top or allowed to flutter down below the action.
Kind of a strange year for me as far as wipers go. As I usually don't ever specifically target them but usually get my share.ive only got into one school this year. We did see some shad busting last weekend but no takers.
(07-24-2024, 04:50 PM)TubeDude Wrote: [ -> ] (07-24-2024, 04:32 PM)Fishpro22 Wrote: [ -> ]How long do they usually boil for? Do they go into the fall? I've only caught 1 wiper in my life haha. I'm trying to figure them out so I can catch more.
Yes, there are more wipers showing up this year than in other recent years. Still not as good as just before and after about 2010...when there were wide open boils in many parts of the lake...even inside the harbors at times.
Here is a PDF file I put together a while back. Should have some basic info that might help with your wiper quest.
There certainly a lot of those small wipers that survived over the winter Do you think it is just shear numbers stocked or the switch from Palmetto to Sunshine or vise versa I’m not quite sure what they where using and what they moved to. One of my neighborhood kids I fish with quit a bit called me all excited from Willard yesterday he said he caught over 30 of those juvenile wiper off eagle beach out of boils on a night crawler suspended under a slip bobber in his kayak.
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(07-25-2024, 03:28 PM)obifishkenobi Wrote: [ -> ] (07-24-2024, 04:50 PM)TubeDude Wrote: [ -> ] (07-24-2024, 04:32 PM)Fishpro22 Wrote: [ -> ]How long do they usually boil for? Do they go into the fall? I've only caught 1 wiper in my life haha. I'm trying to figure them out so I can catch more.
Yes, there are more wipers showing up this year than in other recent years. Still not as good as just before and after about 2010...when there were wide open boils in many parts of the lake...even inside the harbors at times.
Here is a PDF file I put together a while back. Should have some basic info that might help with your wiper quest.
There certainly a lot of those small wipers that survived over the winter Do you think it is just shear numbers stocked or the switch from Palmetto to Sunshine or vise versa I’m not quite sure what they where using and what they moved to. One of my neighborhood kids I fish with quit a bit called me all excited from Willard yesterday he said he caught over 30 of those juvenile wiper off eagle beach out of boils on a night crawler suspended under a slip bobber in his kayak.
If I were to guess, I would say that it is probably a combination of a larger plant last year and also using the larger and tougher new hybrids. I will direct an inquiry to Chris Penne and post his reply.
(07-24-2024, 04:50 PM)TubeDude Wrote: [ -> ] (07-24-2024, 04:32 PM)Fishpro22 Wrote: [ -> ]How long do they usually boil for? Do they go into the fall? I've only caught 1 wiper in my life haha. I'm trying to figure them out so I can catch more.
Yes, there are more wipers showing up this year than in other recent years. Still not as good as just before and after about 2010...when there were wide open boils in many parts of the lake...even inside the harbors at times.
Here is a PDF file I put together a while back. Should have some basic info that might help with your wiper quest.
Thanks TubeDude! Definitely great info. I'll definitely have to take this info and target more wipers.