Willard...not so hot 6-6-24

[TubeDude]

   Launched at the south marina about 7:30 am.  Air temps 65…warming to over 80 by noon departure.  Water temps went from 65 to 68.  Forecast was for a hot day…for weather if not fishing.  First trip this year I tubed without waders.  Felt good.


Lots of boats out of the south marina.  But almost all of them headed for the west side...where there is increasing success on walleyes and other species.  My main motor (40# thrust electric) won't get me over there so I am restricted to fishing within electric motor range. But...when I can find fish I usually do just fine, thank ya.           

Started out fishing an area I scored quite a few walleyes out of the south marina about this time last year.  Depth was 24 feet…a couple of feet deeper than last year.  I was seeing very little on sonar and less on the end of my line.  Worked a lot of water…changing up lures, baits, depths, speeds, etc.  In fishing for over 2 hours in the deeper water…where everybody else seems to be doing best…all I got was a couple of wee wipers.

Had to be off the water by noon for a commitment in early afternoon back in Salt Lake.  Worked the last hour and a half in shallower water…18 – 20 feet.  Ya cain’t ketch ‘em where they ain’t.  They wasn’t in most water I fished out of the south marina but I did manage to find one small zone with some fishy marks on the screen…and a few “yawned” as my lures went by.

I had gone through a variety of bottom bouncer setups…and had also pulled some cranks.  Other than the aforementioned kamikaze wiperettes I got no love.  When I went shallower I brought out some “hybrid lure” crawler rigs that had scored some fish for me last year.  These were old “Hot Shot” diving plugs I had acquired about 50 years ago…for fishing steelhead on northern California rivers.  I repainted them in my fave walleye colors and found that all species in Willard thought they were dandy last year.  Took off the single treble hook rigged in the lower middle of the lures and added a “drop back” 2-hook crawler rig.


These little plugs dive several feet naturally, but I usually add a ¼ oz. weight about 4’ up the line to help them get more depth.  When slow trolled at about 1 to 1.5 mph...with the right amount of line for the water depth…they ride just above the bottom.  It usually takes a bit of experimenting and changing up during each run to get  it right.  And they have a good “come hither” side to side wobble that moves the trailing crawler rig enticingly. 

I used two different color patterns.  The normally killer fire tiger got only a few more “baby wipes”.  But the chartreuse with three red spots caught a couple of cats and a walleye before I had to boogie.  And it was getting to be time to go because of the building plethora of wakeboards that were turning the previously flat surface of the lake into the north Atlantic.


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[dubob]

Joe & I got a late start - 10:30.  Fished the openness until 2:00.  Joe got a cat & an eye.  I got nadda.  And yes, the wake borders are growing exponentially each day.  I think next week I need to give Jordy a shot for some kokes.

[Paddler]

I fished 9.5 hours yesterday for one 18" walleye. Just pulling cranks behind boards. Talked to a guy at the ramp who pulled worm harnesses 80' back off downriggers who did better. Unfortunately (or not) I left my downriggers and worm harnesses at home, and don't have any worms.

Here's my trail:



I still have a bunch of harnesses I tied up 20+ years ago, maybe I'll break them out.

[TubeDude]

I fished 9.5 hours yesterday for one 18" walleye.  Just pulling cranks behind boards.  Talked to a guy at the ramp who pulled worm harnesses 80' back off downriggers who did better.  Unfortunately (or not) I left my downriggers and worm harnesses at home, and don't have any worms. 

Here's my trail:



I still have a bunch of harnesses I tied up 20+ years ago, maybe I'll break them out.

I have fished Willard Bay since the late 1970s...and have seen it go through a lot of evolution of fish species, best techniques, best lures, etc.  Seems like every year is different.  That's why I always take out several possible rig setups and different baits...to try to figure out the pattern du jour.  Sometimes I get it right.  Just as often I get handed my anglers' humility badge...like most Willardites.  But it sure is a challenge and fun to play the game.

[Paddler]

I fished 9.5 hours yesterday for one 18" walleye.  Just pulling cranks behind boards.  Talked to a guy at the ramp who pulled worm harnesses 80' back off downriggers who did better.  Unfortunately (or not) I left my downriggers and worm harnesses at home, and don't have any worms. 

Here's my trail:



I still have a bunch of harnesses I tied up 20+ years ago, maybe I'll break them out.

I have fished Willard Bay since the late 1970s...and have seen it go through a lot of evolution of fish species, best techniques, best lures, etc.  Seems like every year is different.  That's why I always take out several possible rig setups and different baits...to try to figure out the pattern du jour.  Sometimes I get it right.  Just as often I get handed my anglers' humility badge...like most Willardites.  But it sure is a challenge and fun to play the game.

This year seems a bit tougher than usual.  I dislike the option of worms but may have to resort to them if the trend continues.

[TubeDude]

This year seems a bit tougher than usual.  I dislike the option of worms but may have to resort to them if the trend continues.

You are right.  Referring to years of fishing logs on Willard I am seeing that although the fishing actually started to pick up earlier, it declined and changed up and down with the repeated fronts moving through...keeping the water colder longer.  Worms?  Always been a bait of choice for at least the walleyes this time of year...before the newly hatched shad get big enough to munch.  And all the other species seem to like them too.  Messy but sometimes the best way to put some fish in the cooler.

We all have our own preferred styles of fishing...as witnessed by the dry fly purist.  In the final analysis, that is what fishing is really about...fishing the way you want...especially if it works.  But what if it doesn't?  That's where many of us fit in.  We actually enjoy the challenge of figuring out exactly what it's going to take to fool/tempt the fish...and then to be able to catch something...even when nobody else is scoring.  Kinda like a big video game on the water.  You don't always win but it's always fun to play.

Focusing exclusively on only only water, one species or one style of fishing is okay...for some.  But to me it is kinda like the guy looking for a lost contact lens.  A friend stops to help him, and after a long time of not finding it he asked "Are you sure this is where you lost it?"  To which the first guy replies "No.  I lost it over there, but the light is better here."

[Paddler]

This year seems a bit tougher than usual.  I dislike the option of worms but may have to resort to them if the trend continues.

You are right.  Referring to years of fishing logs on Willard I am seeing that although the fishing actually started to pick up earlier, it declined and changed up and down with the repeated fronts moving through...keeping the water colder longer.  Worms?  Always been a bait of choice for at least the walleyes this time of year...before the newly hatched shad get big enough to munch.  And all the other species seem to like them too.  Messy but sometimes the best way to put some fish in the cooler.

We all have our own preferred styles of fishing...as witnessed by the dry fly purist.  In the final analysis, that is what fishing is really about...fishing the way you want...especially if it works.  But what if it doesn't?  That's where many of us fit in.  We actually enjoy the challenge of figuring out exactly what it's going to take to fool/tempt the fish...and then to be able to catch something...even when nobody else is scoring.  Kinda like a big video game on the water.  You don't always win but it's always fun to play.

Focusing exclusively on only only water, one species or one style of fishing is okay...for some.  But to me it is kinda like the guy looking for a lost contact lens.  A friend stops to help him, and after a long time of not finding it he asked "Are you sure this is where you lost it?"  To which the first guy replies "No.  I lost it over there, but the light is better here."

I admit it, I'm a confirmed no-bait troller at heart.  Except for kokanee, for which I use grocery store peg corn or Berkely maggots.  Although they're at opposite ends of the fight per pound scale, I fish for walleye the same way I fish for albacore.  Artificial lures only.  And I fish for kokanee the same as I do for ocean salmon, downriggers pulling flashers/dodgers ahead of squids or spoons.  

As I get older, and I'm getting up there, how I hunt or fish is more important than how much I kill or catch.  I'm happy just being out on the water or in the marsh.

The water temp went from 66.5F to over 72F yesterday, warm enough to troll 2.5+ MPH.  It's just a matter of locating fish and putting the right lure, (action, size and color) at the right depth at the right time of day in front of their noses.  Simple, right? 

[TubeDude]

I admit it, I'm a confirmed no-bait troller at heart.  Except for kokanee, for which I use grocery store peg corn or Berkely maggots.  Although they're at opposite ends of the fight per pound scale, I fish for walleye the same way I fish for albacore.  Artificial lures only.  And I fish for kokanee the same as I do for ocean salmon, downriggers pulling flashers/dodgers ahead of squids or spoons.  

As I get older, and I'm getting up there, how I hunt or fish is more important than how much I kill or catch.  I'm happy just being out on the water or in the marsh.

The water temp went from 66.5F to over 72F yesterday, warm enough to troll 2.5+ MPH.  It's just a matter of locating fish and putting the right lure, (action, size and color) at the right depth at the right time of day in front of their noses.  Simple, right? 

Yep.  Simple.  But not always easy.  Kinda like trying to figure out what your wife REALLY means when she asks for something or tells you to do something.

Getting up there in years?  I turn 81 in July.  And I am with you on the purpose of the trip not just being to bring home the fish.  As they say about other things in life..."The journey is its own reward."...or something like that.  At least that's one excuse us old-timers have that doesn't work as well with the younger set when they have a poor catching trip.

[obifishkenobi]

This year seems a bit tougher than usual.  I dislike the option of worms but may have to resort to them if the trend continues.

You are right.  Referring to years of fishing logs on Willard I am seeing that although the fishing actually started to pick up earlier, it declined and changed up and down with the repeated fronts moving through...keeping the water colder longer.  Worms?  Always been a bait of choice for at least the walleyes this time of year...before the newly hatched shad get big enough to munch.  And all the other species seem to like them too.  Messy but sometimes the best way to put some fish in the cooler.

We all have our own preferred styles of fishing...as witnessed by the dry fly purist.  In the final analysis, that is what fishing is really about...fishing the way you want...especially if it works.  But what if it doesn't?  That's where many of us fit in.  We actually enjoy the challenge of figuring out exactly what it's going to take to fool/tempt the fish...and then to be able to catch something...even when nobody else is scoring.  Kinda like a big video game on the water.  You don't always win but it's always fun to play.

Focusing exclusively on only only water, one species or one style of fishing is okay...for some.  But to me it is kinda like the guy looking for a lost contact lens.  A friend stops to help him, and after a long time of not finding it he asked "Are you sure this is where you lost it?"  To which the first guy replies "No.  I lost it over there, but the light is better here."

I admit it, I'm a confirmed no-bait troller at heart.  Except for kokanee, for which I use grocery store peg corn or Berkely maggots.  Although they're at opposite ends of the fight per pound scale, I fish for walleye the same way I fish for albacore.  Artificial lures only.  And I fish for kokanee the same as I do for ocean salmon, downriggers pulling flashers/dodgers ahead of squids or spoons.  

As I get older, and I'm getting up there, how I hunt or fish is more important than how much I kill or catch.  I'm happy just being out on the water or in the marsh.

The water temp went from 66.5F to over 72F yesterday, warm enough to troll 2.5+ MPH.  It's just a matter of locating fish and putting the right lure, (action, size and color) at the right depth at the right time of day in front of their noses.  Simple, right? 

What scratches my itch these days is putting people on fish, so I chase the “easy” ones. I don’t need to reel in any fish. I have a seasonal log in my brain that moves me from one bite to the next, I live in northern Utah now and it’s Willard Walleye time I’m about to transition into Strawberry Kokanee then I’ll come back to catfish air fall trout fishing. When I lived in North Idaho I chased Salmon and steelhead then in between runs caught bass or even carp. I love catching fish and putting other people on them.