05-17-2008, 01:40 PM
[font "Times New Roman"]Finally, my first soft water trip of the year has been completed and everything still works. I went to Willard and got to the launch a little before Noon. The water is up from where I left it last year. The channel hump is at 5.8 feet instead of 4.2 feet, and the island is completely submerged.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"] [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]On the way out, I stopped and exchanged pleasantries with Tube Dude. He had a couple of kitties on his stringer at that time. How did you end up Pat? And the misses, how’d did she do?[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"] [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]I took off for the southeast corner and started trolling west along the south bank. I was trolling a white rooster tail and a blue and orange shad rap. There was a lot of water weeds floating everywhere at the start and it kept fouling the lures. I ran out of the stuff about 2/3 of the way to the southwest corner.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"] [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]There were about 7 bank fishermen at the corner and one said he had caught one fish but didn’t say what. Four of the 7 looked to be young fathers enjoying the day with their sons. I hope they had some luck.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"] [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]I continued on around the corner and headed for the light pole on the northwest corner. About 2/3 of the way there, I still had not had a hit so decided to head for the island buoy. I also changed lures to a couple of bigger shad raps in silver and silver/blue. That turned out to be a wise choice. I hadn’t gone very far when, BAM!, FISH ON. I had my first wiper of the year. Life is good
][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][inline "Willard on 16 May 001 - 400.jpg"] [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]This first one was just shy of 4# and was about 21” long; a good fighter.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"] [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Five minutes after putting the first one in the live well, the second one hit. This one went about 3 1/2#.[][][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][inline "Willard on 16 May 002 - 400.jpg"] [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Twenty minutes later, the third one hit.[][][][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][inline "Willard on 16 May 003 - 400.jpg"] [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]By now, it was almost 3 PM and I wanted to try for some catfish. I parked over the submerged island in 2 feet of water and put out some Magic Bait in liver flavor. That too was a good choice. Twenty minutes later, FISH ON! A 19” kitty was hooked and fighting hard to get off. He did not succeed in getting away and went into the live well. I continued to fish until 4:30 and caught two more and packed it in for the day.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"] [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]All in all, it was a very good first trip.[cool][cool][cool][cool][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][inline "Willard on 16 May 004 - 400.jpg"][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]The weather was beautiful with almost no wind. The water temps were in the high 60s. The water depth was 10 to 12 feet in most places I went with the maximum notice by me at 17 feet. And as Arnold said once – “I’ll be back.”[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"] [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]We had one of the kitties for diner last night with some canned corn, a nice salad, and a bowl of melon. I slept very well last night.[angelic][/font]
[signature]
[font "Times New Roman"] [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]On the way out, I stopped and exchanged pleasantries with Tube Dude. He had a couple of kitties on his stringer at that time. How did you end up Pat? And the misses, how’d did she do?[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"] [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]I took off for the southeast corner and started trolling west along the south bank. I was trolling a white rooster tail and a blue and orange shad rap. There was a lot of water weeds floating everywhere at the start and it kept fouling the lures. I ran out of the stuff about 2/3 of the way to the southwest corner.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"] [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]There were about 7 bank fishermen at the corner and one said he had caught one fish but didn’t say what. Four of the 7 looked to be young fathers enjoying the day with their sons. I hope they had some luck.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"] [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]I continued on around the corner and headed for the light pole on the northwest corner. About 2/3 of the way there, I still had not had a hit so decided to head for the island buoy. I also changed lures to a couple of bigger shad raps in silver and silver/blue. That turned out to be a wise choice. I hadn’t gone very far when, BAM!, FISH ON. I had my first wiper of the year. Life is good![
][/font][font "Times New Roman"][inline "Willard on 16 May 001 - 400.jpg"] [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]This first one was just shy of 4# and was about 21” long; a good fighter.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"] [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Five minutes after putting the first one in the live well, the second one hit. This one went about 3 1/2#.[
][][/font][font "Times New Roman"][inline "Willard on 16 May 002 - 400.jpg"] [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Twenty minutes later, the third one hit.[
][][][/font][font "Times New Roman"][inline "Willard on 16 May 003 - 400.jpg"] [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]By now, it was almost 3 PM and I wanted to try for some catfish. I parked over the submerged island in 2 feet of water and put out some Magic Bait in liver flavor. That too was a good choice. Twenty minutes later, FISH ON! A 19” kitty was hooked and fighting hard to get off. He did not succeed in getting away and went into the live well. I continued to fish until 4:30 and caught two more and packed it in for the day.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"] [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]All in all, it was a very good first trip.[cool][cool][cool][cool][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][inline "Willard on 16 May 004 - 400.jpg"][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]The weather was beautiful with almost no wind. The water temps were in the high 60s. The water depth was 10 to 12 feet in most places I went with the maximum notice by me at 17 feet. And as Arnold said once – “I’ll be back.”[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"] [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]We had one of the kitties for diner last night with some canned corn, a nice salad, and a bowl of melon. I slept very well last night.[angelic][/font]
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