I have heard so many great fishing out at Willard lately. I would like to try fly fishing for wipers or walleyes or anything that I can catch.
I have never fish Willard Bay and I only live less than an hr a way. I guess its all those damn bugs that has kept me away from that place.
With all the success that I have heard about Willard Bay I would like to try it but I am not sure where to go. I only have a float tube and like to try Willard. I hear that the South marina is the place to be fishing. I know how to get to the main marina but how do you get to the So. marina? How is fishing on the North side of the lake by the outlet?
What kind of lure is best to use for these fish?
Any information regarding Willard Bay is appreciated.
I have been craving for fish lately.
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[cool][#0000ff]I tube Willard a lot...both north and south marina. It is a lot different this year, with the lower water, and the summer patterns are just starting to set in. The good news is that the next two to three months are going to be the best for fly flingers. The baby shad are just reaching the size where they are big enough for the wipers to key on and small enough to be easily imitated with fur and feathers.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Patterns? Almost anything white, with a bit of flash, around 2" in size will get fish...wipers, walleyes, cats, smallmouth and bluegills. You never know what will hit you. When the fish are up on top, boiling or just occasionally chasing small shad, a light rod and floating line will get you into action. But, don't use a light tippet unless you want to spend a lot of time with every fish...or do a lot of retieing. They hit hard and tear up tackle. A five or six weight outfit will work. A 7 or 8 will help you make longer casts when needed (especially in a breeze) and will help you control hooked fish better.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Fishing can be good out of both the north and south marina. But, for a flyrod fan, the south would get my nod...especially when the wipers chase shad up into the inlet channel, beyond the point where boats are allowed. That can be tubers' heaven when the boils are wide open and you don't have boats running over you.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If the fish are not inside, and are not visible, try a sink tip or intermediate sinking line, and either drift of cast and retrieve near the bottom out in at least 5-8 feet of water. But, if you have the legs and the stamina, kick north to the area out from the feed lots. There are big shallow flats during this low water time, and the baby shad often hang out there to escape wipers and other predators. The good news is that the predators don't always stay in deeper water and they sometimes raid the nursery.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Right now there are frequent small boils going on quite a ways offshore to the northwest of the south marina. If you can get into them, cast your flies out, let them sink a ways and then fast strip them back in. If the fish are active you will not be able to strip too fast. Just hang onto your precious rod.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The far NE corner, near the outlet, can provide some good wiper action too. Prevailing winds often blow lots of shad into that corner and the wipers follow. If you time it right you and have a ball, without quite the competiion from boaters on most days. If the fish are not showing, kick along the north dike, working in and out, casting and/or drifing until you find the fish. They do move around and you can get into brief flurries followed by nothing for a long time.[/#0000ff]
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