05-31-2009, 02:44 PM
Got to Willard around 8:30 Saturday. Finally met a forum members from another forum exchanged pleasant greetings and what we'd each be fish'n for.
Launched and we started off down the Freeway bay. Water temp was 67 and we were using bottom bouncers and harness. Also trolling cranks. Not a bite/bump to be had.![[Image: icon_confused.gif]](http://utahwildlife.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_confused.gif)
Trolled over to the North bay and as I'm letting out line it was fish on. Got a little 'Eye'...keeper and in the basket it goes.
Found there to be just a few more rec boaters in the North Bay and decided to head back over to the Freeway bay area. As were trolling in 20' had my drag go off but by the time I got to the pole nothing...snag or fish...Hmmmm
Decided to keep trolling up and south in the Freeway bay. Had a snag that busted off my harness so put my favorite Lindy color on and the bottom bouncer and harness didn't even hit the bottom and fish on again. Little deformed kitty missing one of its fins on the side and said hey we like catfish so in the basket this one goes also.
Get my line out always mindful of keeping the drag set loose for the wiper hit and and within 5 minutes pow another fish is on and as soon as the drag went off we knew it was a Wiper. Man we love the way these fish fight. Let the Wiper go some day we'll keep one and try'em for dinner.
Now believe it or not again as I'm letting out line had about 75' out on the line counter fish on again and another Eye and in the basket it goes.
Then I tell fish'n partner to change to the same Lindy harness I'm using she does and yep you got it within 20 minutes she has an eye but decides we have enough fish and we let it go. And I took her picture but for some damn reason the camera said file format not recognized. I changed the batteries and dinked with the camera and took a couple of test pictures and of course the camera works now. I was not a happy camper that her picture didn't turn out but she didn't care.
Probably 20 minutes later she gets another fish and gets it within 15' of the boat and dink the line goes slack....most likely another Eye.
Then and this is the honest to God truth. She just lets out her line sets the drag puts the pole in the rod holder and off goes her drag justa scream'n. Grabs the pole and by the fight it's another Wiper as this fish is tak'n drag. She gets it to the boat but we can't see it yet I'm ready with the net and the fish takes off again. She get's it slowed down and turned around and begins the retrieve to the boat and up it comes just below the surface about 10' from the boat it's not a Wiper but a massively huge Walleye![[Image: icon_eek.gif]](http://utahwildlife.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
we're think'n close to 30" OMG. The fish takes off again and as she brings it in out pops the back hook and the fish is gone.
Now we've marked big fish on our finder close to if not on the bottom and we can now tell you there are 'big' Walleye (at least one we know of now) in Willard that will give you a fight. This fish showed all the signs of being a Wiper by the fight but it was 'no-Wiper'...damn wish'n we could've gotten it to the boat for a photo op.
So with'n 15 minutes after this last fight the wind picked up and we called it another good Willard fish'n trip and headed for the North Marina with all the other boats. Man what a circus that is when everyone heads in...but nothing but a thing for us as using a boat all the time you get skilled at launching and retrieveing the boat at the days end.
All the fish were caught on the bottom bouncers and harness.
Anyhoo day total was 3 Eyes (2 kept), Wiper (released), Kitty (kept) in the boat with 2 fish coming off at the boat. Here's what we brought home and we sure wish you all have had a very relaxful weekend doing whatever you enjoy doing. [
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Launched and we started off down the Freeway bay. Water temp was 67 and we were using bottom bouncers and harness. Also trolling cranks. Not a bite/bump to be had.
Trolled over to the North bay and as I'm letting out line it was fish on. Got a little 'Eye'...keeper and in the basket it goes.
Found there to be just a few more rec boaters in the North Bay and decided to head back over to the Freeway bay area. As were trolling in 20' had my drag go off but by the time I got to the pole nothing...snag or fish...Hmmmm
Decided to keep trolling up and south in the Freeway bay. Had a snag that busted off my harness so put my favorite Lindy color on and the bottom bouncer and harness didn't even hit the bottom and fish on again. Little deformed kitty missing one of its fins on the side and said hey we like catfish so in the basket this one goes also.
Get my line out always mindful of keeping the drag set loose for the wiper hit and and within 5 minutes pow another fish is on and as soon as the drag went off we knew it was a Wiper. Man we love the way these fish fight. Let the Wiper go some day we'll keep one and try'em for dinner.
Now believe it or not again as I'm letting out line had about 75' out on the line counter fish on again and another Eye and in the basket it goes.
Then I tell fish'n partner to change to the same Lindy harness I'm using she does and yep you got it within 20 minutes she has an eye but decides we have enough fish and we let it go. And I took her picture but for some damn reason the camera said file format not recognized. I changed the batteries and dinked with the camera and took a couple of test pictures and of course the camera works now. I was not a happy camper that her picture didn't turn out but she didn't care.
Probably 20 minutes later she gets another fish and gets it within 15' of the boat and dink the line goes slack....most likely another Eye.
Then and this is the honest to God truth. She just lets out her line sets the drag puts the pole in the rod holder and off goes her drag justa scream'n. Grabs the pole and by the fight it's another Wiper as this fish is tak'n drag. She gets it to the boat but we can't see it yet I'm ready with the net and the fish takes off again. She get's it slowed down and turned around and begins the retrieve to the boat and up it comes just below the surface about 10' from the boat it's not a Wiper but a massively huge Walleye
we're think'n close to 30" OMG. The fish takes off again and as she brings it in out pops the back hook and the fish is gone. Now we've marked big fish on our finder close to if not on the bottom and we can now tell you there are 'big' Walleye (at least one we know of now) in Willard that will give you a fight. This fish showed all the signs of being a Wiper by the fight but it was 'no-Wiper'...damn wish'n we could've gotten it to the boat for a photo op.
So with'n 15 minutes after this last fight the wind picked up and we called it another good Willard fish'n trip and headed for the North Marina with all the other boats. Man what a circus that is when everyone heads in...but nothing but a thing for us as using a boat all the time you get skilled at launching and retrieveing the boat at the days end.
All the fish were caught on the bottom bouncers and harness.
Anyhoo day total was 3 Eyes (2 kept), Wiper (released), Kitty (kept) in the boat with 2 fish coming off at the boat. Here's what we brought home and we sure wish you all have had a very relaxful weekend doing whatever you enjoy doing. [
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