Fishing Forum

I just could not stay inside any more this past week. I played hooky Wednesday and hit Willard with the oldest son (who recently joined BFT as Wing_man) We never even got a sniff, but met up with wiperhunter2 on the ramp as we were getting ready to leave. Always nice to have a conversation with Curt. The south marina is just barely full enough to launch the Tin-Can, but once off the dock, and out the channel, it was fine.

[inline "Kevin - WINGMAN.jpg"]

Now, I ordered this BFT flag from Curt with Wingman as my son's "handle" because he has been my "Wingman" (and we are both Air Force veterans) thru some very trying times the past 5 years. But he tells me he had to register on BFT as Wing_man because someone already had the name. So, to the other "Wingman", my apologies. I was not trying to highjack your screen name, and I hope you won't be offended if we fly this flag on the Tin-Can when he is aboard.

OK, move on to Saturday 21 March. Got out on the water at WB about 9 AM. Spoke to another BFT'er at the south ramp also in a small boat (older Lund, I think?) I didn't catch his name, maybe he didn't throw it.[:/].
I got out WAY past the buoys, and angled off to the north-west, barely got out into 10 FOW, got one line out and trailing while I worked on the second line, and whatever hit that first one almost spooled it be fore I could get the bail slapped down, and the drag set. I got a familiar dive and run tussle, spent about 3 minutes reeling, and at about 3 feet from the boat, as I grabbed my net, a big shinny silver sided Wiper, rolled over, gave me one big eye, an upraised middle fin, and I swear he grinned at me, opened his mouth and just about spit my Fire Tiger back in the boat at me. GONE.[mad]

[inline 150321_001.jpg]

Since I had the camera all set to do a CPR on a first Wiper of the season (for me), I just shot a pic of the direction he was headed when last I saw him.[pirate]

Now, I was a bit reluctant to post this report today after reading all the Wiper harvests from others this weekend. The only fish that I was able to coax into the boat all day yesterday was just one skinny Cat. No, John, not putting him on the contest. And I sounds like maybe Mike has a good Cat starter already. Wonder how TD and BLK are going to reply to that. Didn't get back out today, had some home repair projects to start getting prepped for.

[inline 150321_003.jpg]
[signature]

Sorry to read the wipers are showing you no love this year but it sounds like you were in the right spot. Forest, I don't know if you are aware of this or not but this time of the year it is never a good idea to keep trolling past a spot after having a nice fish on, like the one you lost at the boat. If you already know this then hopefully others will learn a little that might help them. Once I catch that first fish, I mark it on my GPS, then circle around and go threw that same spot again, in general, if there is one active fish, there will be more. I mark every fish I catch on my GPS until I figure out the pattern, then I just keep trolling that pattern, until the fish quit biting or they move away from that spot. If they move away, I keep making the circle larger, until I find them again.
As far as another member using the wingman name, you have no worries, looks like he hasn't logged on since 2003. Here is a link to that members profile:
http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/com...me=wingman
[signature]

Bummer on your loss of the wiper. But hey you know what they want now so next time....[]
[signature]

Hey Forest, glad you made it out and had a few tugs... Hey I heard Mike's story, but I haven't seen a picture yet... In fact I've heard lots of stories of nice fish, but very few are taking pictures and entering anything in the contest... I think BLK's 28"er is the fish to beat so far... As far as team scores go, who knows this year, not many entries yet and Yote hasn't blessed any so far...

Well maybe Friday I will get back to Willard for my second try of the year... Hope the cold week don't shut them down, but seems my luck only let's me go when the good times are past... Well at least it's a try... Catch ya later... J
[signature]

Hi there Tin can. It was I that you talked to in the south marina. Well it took us quite a few hours but we did end up with 10 wipers and 1 walleye. All caught in the southwest area. That's usually my goto spot,but just like in June we did not start catching until near 5pm. That's how it works for me every time at willard.
[signature]

Yea Curt, I know about that turn ever increasing circles around an area you get a bite. I started that, and then we got that choppy wind for awhile and I just couldn't keep cutting back broadside to it. I know I'll get into them wipers sooner or later, but with all the other issues going on this year, may not get as many chances as in the past. And thanks for the info on the "other" Wingman. You met my son last week. He doesn't get the chance to fish with me as often as we would like, so his new BFT flag won't be out often enough for anybody to be offended by it more than likely.
[signature]

OK, Now I can put a BFT name with a boat, I'll remember ya better next time (as long as it is in the same month)[:/].
Memory just ain't what it once was.
I started to cruise through that SW pocket, I figured someone was catching something with all the boats that were in that general area. But I got close to cut off by one boat, and almost crossed over the lines of another that made a close turn in front of me. So figured it was too busy. Just didn't feel up to being aggressive enough out there to press on. I have hit that SW corner a lot for Catfish when its hot and I want to toss an anchor, put up my Bimini top and just drown worms and snooze.
I guess I left a bit too early. I pulled out about 4 PM. Late afternoon can be a great bite time, cuz the sun is getting lower, warms up the water just a tad for a short time. But that's normally later in the season. Not much about this year so far that has been "normal" . Anyway, thanks for "hello" at the dock Saturday. Nice to know I'm not the only little Lund driver out there.
[signature]

Well that must be it then, cause like tin can, I didn't hit them either, but I left around 4....sounds like I left too early.

we fished er hard sunday and got one wiper. two other fish though...both nice crappies, on crankbaits of all things.

great fishery, Willard bay. Hope we got a little more snow pack the last couple days gents.
[signature]

I went the saturday before and spent 7 hrs and caught nothing. hit and miss lake that place is
[signature]