Willard if finally improving

[fmrusmc]

How’s the bug situation?

[wiperhunter2]

I went Saturday after the rain got one in the boat not long after starting had another one one while setting it back that came off then nothing for the rest of the evening Willard being Willard

It can be tough fishing after a storm goes through. What was the one you caught, a wiper or a walleye? Were you trolling cranks?

I was trolling bottom bouncers haven't got one yet on a crank bait  I also haven't found any wipers yet this year either. I usually do pretty good right after a rain storm if it's warm enough

What was the water temp?
Bugs haven't been that bad but that will be changing, now that the temps are warming

[BoatBallast]

I went out yesterday too after wipers.  In a few hours the only thing I caught trolling cranks was a carp.  At least that was new.  Never caught a carp on a crank.

I didn't feel like there were a TON of boats running around, but there were a lot of them.  The whole parking lot was filled with trailers by the time we got off the water around 13:30.

Did you catch the carp in the mouth or was it snagged? We have snagged a bunch of carp over the years but very few were caught in the mouth. Did you launch from the North marina?

Yeah, we caught it in the mouth.  It ate the crank.  I was really surprised because all the carp I've caught there were snagged.

Yes, launched from the north marina and fished Freeway Bay.

Water temp was 64.8 on my machine, pretty constantly.

[wiperhunter2]

I went out yesterday too after wipers.  In a few hours the only thing I caught trolling cranks was a carp.  At least that was new.  Never caught a carp on a crank.

I didn't feel like there were a TON of boats running around, but there were a lot of them.  The whole parking lot was filled with trailers by the time we got off the water around 13:30.

Did you catch the carp in the mouth or was it snagged? We have snagged a bunch of carp over the years but very few were caught in the mouth. Did you launch from the North marina?

Yeah, we caught it in the mouth.  It ate the crank.  I was really surprised because all the carp I've caught there were snagged.

Yes, launched from the north marina and fished Freeway Bay.

Water temp was 64.8 on my machine, pretty constantly.

Wow, you don't hear of that much, a carp hitting a crank. The reason I ask about you launching from the North or South, is because the South has a huge parking lot and I've never seen it total full. How did you like that new drive into the marina?

[BoatBallast]

Wow, you don't hear of that much, a carp hitting a crank. The reason I ask about you launching from the North or South, is because the South has a huge parking lot and I've never seen it total full. How did you like that new drive into the marina?

Right?  It was crazy, and when it hit it pinned the rod.  I thought we had the wiper of our dreams on for a minute.  I tried to explain to my family how weird it was to hook a carp in the mouth on a crank bait.  By the time I got into an explanation of mouth structures they had all tuned out, just letting the old man ramble on about sucker mouths vs jaws.  

I think the way they've redone the entrance is pretty silly.  I'm sure there is a reason for it that I don't understand but it seems like it's just an excuse to spend some extra money without making anything actually better. 

What are your thoughts on what Willard will do next?  It seems like it should be on fire with the water temps and the water level.  But it sure hasn't been.  I'd really like to plug a few nice wipers before it's full on summer.  Willard is usually an early season fishery for me because it turns on before the higher lakes do.  But, it's been pretty slow early season based on previous years.  I'm torn on whether or not to give it another shot this weekend or give up and head up to the higher lakes.

[fmrusmc]

I hope will rd keeps heating up. I’m currently sitting on it now trolling. Haven’t had a hit yet. But I did forget the damn worms.

[TubeDude]

The magic temp range for Willard spring walleye fishing is between about 65-70...with wipers getting more active at that time too.  But once water temps reach the high 70s and into the 80s the walleye tend to feed less during the day and are more focused on the newly hatched baby shad.  By then they are usually at least 1.5 to 2" long.  And when all a walleye has to do to get a bellyful is swim through a densely packed school of hatchlings with its mouth open (like a whale shark eating plankton) it doesn't have to mess with the silly stuff dragged around at mach 3 by anglers.  Plus, they may only feed for 15 minutes...after dark or just before daybreak...and then they just lay around all day and burp shad bubbles.

I tubed the south marina area yesterday (5-28-24).  Water temps went from 60 at launch to about 62 at noon.  I suspect they got higher during the warm afternoon.  But until they maintain a few more degrees the fishing will be spotty...good in a few spots but still poor in others.

I covered a lot of area within tubeable reach of the south marina.  Saw very little on TV and even less on my line.  No schools of anything and only a few suspended fish and bottom anomalies.  Didn't get hits from anything I saw and tried to work.  A few hits that were totally random in areas I was not even seeing fish.  Mostly bottom bouncing with crawler rigs but also served up some minnows and dragged some cranks.

I fished all depths from 12' right off the dikes out to over 24'.  Did see quite a few fish in the 14 to 15 foot zone but none that wanted to play.  Also saw a number of boats working the same general areas that I did...and didn't see any of them get their nets wet.  All moved out to other areas.  Good/bad indicator.

I caught a couple of everlovin' cats, a cantankerous carp and a "small-eye".  Thats not a smallmouth with an eye, it's a small walleye.  One of the smallest I have ever caught at Willard.


More unsetted weather ahead.  But by mid June I predict the usual wide open walleye whackin'.  

[wiperhunter2]

I hope will rd keeps heating up. I’m currently sitting on it now trolling. Haven’t had a hit yet. But I did forget the damn worms.

Since you forgot the worms, my best suggestion would be to troll cranks and do it out in the open, away from the shore.

[wiperhunter2]

The magic temp range for Willard spring walleye fishing is between about 65-70...with wipers getting more active at that time too.  But once water temps reach the high 70s and into the 80s the walleye tend to feed less during the day and are more focused on the newly hatched baby shad.  By then they are usually at least 1.5 to 2" long.  And when all a walleye has to do to get a bellyful is swim through a densely packed school of hatchlings with its mouth open (like a whale shark eating plankton) it doesn't have to mess with the silly stuff dragged around at mach 3 by anglers.  Plus, they may only feed for 15 minutes...after dark or just before daybreak...and then they just lay around all day and burp shad bubbles.

I tubed the south marina area yesterday (5-28-24).  Water temps went from 60 at launch to about 62 at noon.  I suspect they got higher during the warm afternoon.  But until they maintain a few more degrees the fishing will be spotty...good in a few spots but still poor in others.

I covered a lot of area within tubeable reach of the south marina.  Saw very little on TV and even less on my line.  No schools of anything and only a few suspended fish and bottom anomalies.  Didn't get hits from anything I saw and tried to work.  A few hits that were totally random in areas I was not even seeing fish.  Mostly bottom bouncing with crawler rigs but also served up some minnows and dragged some cranks.

I fished all depths from 12' right off the dikes out to over 24'.  Did see quite a few fish in the 14 to 15 foot zone but none that wanted to play.  Also saw a number of boats working the same general areas that I did...and didn't see any of them get their nets wet.  All moved out to other areas.  Good/bad indicator.

I caught a couple of everlovin' cats, a cantankerous carp and a "small-eye".  Thats not a smallmouth with an eye, it's a small walleye.  One of the smallest I have ever caught at Willard.

More unsetted weather ahead.  But by mid June I predict the usual wide open walleye whackin'.  

That is the size of the smaller eyes we have been catching this year. Too bad the catching wasn't better. How far did you get away from the shore to find water that was 24 ft?

[fmrusmc]

I hope will rd keeps heating up. I’m currently sitting on it now trolling. Haven’t had a hit yet. But I did forget the damn worms.

Since you forgot the worms, my best suggestion would be to troll cranks and do it out in the open, away from the shore.

Yep. That’s what I got going now.

[TubeDude]

The magic temp range for Willard spring walleye fishing is between about 65-70...with wipers getting more active at that time too.  But once water temps reach the high 70s and into the 80s the walleye tend to feed less during the day and are more focused on the newly hatched baby shad.  By then they are usually at least 1.5 to 2" long.  And when all a walleye has to do to get a bellyful is swim through a densely packed school of hatchlings with its mouth open (like a whale shark eating plankton) it doesn't have to mess with the silly stuff dragged around at mach 3 by anglers.  Plus, they may only feed for 15 minutes...after dark or just before daybreak...and then they just lay around all day and burp shad bubbles.

I tubed the south marina area yesterday (5-28-24).  Water temps went from 60 at launch to about 62 at noon.  I suspect they got higher during the warm afternoon.  But until they maintain a few more degrees the fishing will be spotty...good in a few spots but still poor in others.

I covered a lot of area within tubeable reach of the south marina.  Saw very little on TV and even less on my line.  No schools of anything and only a few suspended fish and bottom anomalies.  Didn't get hits from anything I saw and tried to work.  A few hits that were totally random in areas I was not even seeing fish.  Mostly bottom bouncing with crawler rigs but also served up some minnows and dragged some cranks.

I fished all depths from 12' right off the dikes out to over 24'.  Did see quite a few fish in the 14 to 15 foot zone but none that wanted to play.  Also saw a number of boats working the same general areas that I did...and didn't see any of them get their nets wet.  All moved out to other areas.  Good/bad indicator.

I caught a couple of everlovin' cats, a cantankerous carp and a "small-eye".  Thats not a smallmouth with an eye, it's a small walleye.  One of the smallest I have ever caught at Willard.

More unsetted weather ahead.  But by mid June I predict the usual wide open walleye whackin'.  

That is the size of the smaller eyes we have been catching this year. Too bad the catching wasn't better. How far did you get away from the shore to find water that was 24 ft?

Guesstimate a quarter mile or so.  Don't have GPS mapping hooked up on my sonar.  Saw nothing at all in deeper water but started seeing a few blips between 20 - 22 feet.  Some at 18 feet.  And the aforementioned 14-15 feet.  Actually, the carp and one of the catfish...as well as the smalleye...were all caught within a hundred yards or so of the rocks...in less than 15 FOW. 

Also, when I came back to the marina entrance...after fishing down off the feed lot...I worked up the dike south of the marina entrance for a ways.  Started seeing some small schools of fish that looked perchy.  But they din't want nuttin' I was offering.  And they were in 13 - 14 FOW.

[wiperhunter2]

I think the way they've redone the entrance is pretty silly.  I'm sure there is a reason for it that I don't understand but it seems like it's just an excuse to spend some extra money without making anything actually better. 

What are your thoughts on what Willard will do next?  It seems like it should be on fire with the water temps and the water level.  But it sure hasn't been.  I'd really like to plug a few nice wipers before it's full on summer.  Willard is usually an early season fishery for me because it turns on before the higher lakes do.  But, it's been pretty slow early season based on previous years.  I'm torn on whether or not to give it another shot this weekend or give up and head up to the higher lakes.

According to Shawn (Obi), the reason they redid the entrance to the North marina is because the traffic gets so bad in the Summer that it blocks the off and on ramps to the freeway, because to backs up so far.
I know they are working on a new camping area just South of Pelican beach and another one in that area where they are looping the road around to get in the park. As TD said, the best catching will be here soon. With all the unstable weather we had been getting, it has caused the water temps to stay low but now that it's changing, so will the catching. We will be out there again on Fri, we are hoping the catching will improve by then but who knows. Will report back on how we do.

[BoatBallast]

I think the way they've redone the entrance is pretty silly.  I'm sure there is a reason for it that I don't understand but it seems like it's just an excuse to spend some extra money without making anything actually better. 

What are your thoughts on what Willard will do next?  It seems like it should be on fire with the water temps and the water level.  But it sure hasn't been.  I'd really like to plug a few nice wipers before it's full on summer.  Willard is usually an early season fishery for me because it turns on before the higher lakes do.  But, it's been pretty slow early season based on previous years.  I'm torn on whether or not to give it another shot this weekend or give up and head up to the higher lakes.

According to Shawn (Obi), the reason they redid the entrance to the North marina is because the traffic gets so bad in the Summer that it blocks the off and on ramps to the freeway, because to backs up so far.
I know they are working on a new camping area just South of Pelican beach and another one in that area where they are looping the road around to get in the park. As TD said, the best catching will be here soon. With all the unstable weather we had been getting, it has caused the water temps to stay low but now that it's changing, so will the catching. We will be out there again on Fri, we are hoping the catching will improve by then but who knows. Will report back on how we do.

Thanks!  I'd appreciate a Friday report!

[obifishkenobi]

I think the way they've redone the entrance is pretty silly.  I'm sure there is a reason for it that I don't understand but it seems like it's just an excuse to spend some extra money without making anything actually better. 

What are your thoughts on what Willard will do next?  It seems like it should be on fire with the water temps and the water level.  But it sure hasn't been.  I'd really like to plug a few nice wipers before it's full on summer.  Willard is usually an early season fishery for me because it turns on before the higher lakes do.  But, it's been pretty slow early season based on previous years.  I'm torn on whether or not to give it another shot this weekend or give up and head up to the higher lakes.

According to Shawn (Obi), the reason they redid the entrance to the North marina is because the traffic gets so bad in the Summer that it blocks the off and on ramps to the freeway, because to backs up so far.
I know they are working on a new camping area just South of Pelican beach and another one in that area where they are looping the road around to get in the park. As TD said, the best catching will be here soon. With all the unstable weather we had been getting, it has caused the water temps to stay low but now that it's changing, so will the catching. We will be out there again on Fri, we are hoping the catching will improve by then but who knows. Will report back on how we do.

I told Ben the Willard Park Manager that the new entrance was not so popular with some guys and he said you cant blame him that was in the works long before he became the Manager two years ago. The area south of Pelican beach is a day use area, no camping, they where just finishing up last week and it may be open this week.

[wiperhunter2]

I think the way they've redone the entrance is pretty silly.  I'm sure there is a reason for it that I don't understand but it seems like it's just an excuse to spend some extra money without making anything actually better. 

What are your thoughts on what Willard will do next?  It seems like it should be on fire with the water temps and the water level.  But it sure hasn't been.  I'd really like to plug a few nice wipers before it's full on summer.  Willard is usually an early season fishery for me because it turns on before the higher lakes do.  But, it's been pretty slow early season based on previous years.  I'm torn on whether or not to give it another shot this weekend or give up and head up to the higher lakes.

According to Shawn (Obi), the reason they redid the entrance to the North marina is because the traffic gets so bad in the Summer that it blocks the off and on ramps to the freeway, because to backs up so far.
I know they are working on a new camping area just South of Pelican beach and another one in that area where they are looping the road around to get in the park. As TD said, the best catching will be here soon. With all the unstable weather we had been getting, it has caused the water temps to stay low but now that it's changing, so will the catching. We will be out there again on Fri, we are hoping the catching will improve by then but who knows. Will report back on how we do.

I told Ben the Willard Park Manager that the new entrance was not so popular with some guys and he said you cant blame him that was in the works long before he became the Manager two years ago. The area south of Pelican beach is a day use area, no camping, they where just finishing up last week and it may be open this week.

The original plan was for them to extend that new area by Pelican beach, all the way to the South end of the trees, it seems to me they are only working on the Northern part of that area. Maybe they will extend it to the South end later, did Ben say anything about that?

[obifishkenobi]

I think the way they've redone the entrance is pretty silly.  I'm sure there is a reason for it that I don't understand but it seems like it's just an excuse to spend some extra money without making anything actually better. 

What are your thoughts on what Willard will do next?  It seems like it should be on fire with the water temps and the water level.  But it sure hasn't been.  I'd really like to plug a few nice wipers before it's full on summer.  Willard is usually an early season fishery for me because it turns on before the higher lakes do.  But, it's been pretty slow early season based on previous years.  I'm torn on whether or not to give it another shot this weekend or give up and head up to the higher lakes.

According to Shawn (Obi), the reason they redid the entrance to the North marina is because the traffic gets so bad in the Summer that it blocks the off and on ramps to the freeway, because to backs up so far.
I know they are working on a new camping area just South of Pelican beach and another one in that area where they are looping the road around to get in the park. As TD said, the best catching will be here soon. With all the unstable weather we had been getting, it has caused the water temps to stay low but now that it's changing, so will the catching. We will be out there again on Fri, we are hoping the catching will improve by then but who knows. Will report back on how we do.

I told Ben the Willard Park Manager that the new entrance was not so popular with some guys and he said you cant blame him that was in the works long before he became the Manager two years ago. The area south of Pelican beach is a day use area, no camping, they where just finishing up last week and it may be open this week.

The original plan was for them to extend that new area by Pelican beach, all the way to the South end of the trees, it seems to me they are only working on the Northern part of that area. Maybe they will extend it to the South end later, did Ben say anything about that?

No he didn't, the only reason I know what I do is because he got a phone call while we were out on the lake, telling him it was done asking if they needed to move there equipment to open it for memorial weekend. He opted to wait until the following week.

[wiperhunter2]

I think the way they've redone the entrance is pretty silly.  I'm sure there is a reason for it that I don't understand but it seems like it's just an excuse to spend some extra money without making anything actually better. 

What are your thoughts on what Willard will do next?  It seems like it should be on fire with the water temps and the water level.  But it sure hasn't been.  I'd really like to plug a few nice wipers before it's full on summer.  Willard is usually an early season fishery for me because it turns on before the higher lakes do.  But, it's been pretty slow early season based on previous years.  I'm torn on whether or not to give it another shot this weekend or give up and head up to the higher lakes.

According to Shawn (Obi), the reason they redid the entrance to the North marina is because the traffic gets so bad in the Summer that it blocks the off and on ramps to the freeway, because to backs up so far.
I know they are working on a new camping area just South of Pelican beach and another one in that area where they are looping the road around to get in the park. As TD said, the best catching will be here soon. With all the unstable weather we had been getting, it has caused the water temps to stay low but now that it's changing, so will the catching. We will be out there again on Fri, we are hoping the catching will improve by then but who knows. Will report back on how we do.

I told Ben the Willard Park Manager that the new entrance was not so popular with some guys and he said you cant blame him that was in the works long before he became the Manager two years ago. The area south of Pelican beach is a day use area, no camping, they where just finishing up last week and it may be open this week.

The original plan was for them to extend that new area by Pelican beach, all the way to the South end of the trees, it seems to me they are only working on the Northern part of that area. Maybe they will extend it to the South end later, did Ben say anything about that?

No he didn't, the only reason I know what I do is because he got a phone call while we were out on the lake, telling him it was done asking if they needed to move there equipment to open it for memorial weekend. He opted to wait until the following week.

Do you think they put in an asphalt road or just left it dirt? I drove into that area last Fall but it was no where near being done at that point. I was hoping they would do the whole area, because it would make access easier to Freeway bay, during ice fishing season.