04-20-2011, 03:22 PM
So we hit Willard yesterday and it turned out pretty good. When I say we I mean me, my boat, and my 2 dogs. We actually got to the lake on Monday evening and camped over. Fished the North dike from the outlet drain almost all the way to the light pole. Only had one follow, but no strikes. I threw every jig combination I had with every jigging method I know or could make up, nothing. Tuesday morning got on the water at about 6:30, man it was chilly out there when the wind picked up. I started at the North dike again near the outlet. I jigged, I bottom-bounced a crawler then a minnow, I Lindy rigged, I three-way rigged, I used my downriggers, I tried everything I know for cold water Walleye, but nothing. I then ran to the light pole and tried this at the West dike, then to the Island and more of the same, nothing. So, in desperation, I pulled out my go-to plugs and headed for Freeway Bay and Wiper Cove. I flat-lined 'em for about an hour and finally got what I believed to be a strike, but no hook-up. By then it was 1:30 and I had to go break camp. After cleaning up camp, I decided to give the area where I had the strike another pass or two. Finally at about 4:30 I was thinking of calling it. I started cleaning up my gear and wasn't paying much attention. Of course, that is when my first real hit came. I looked up to see my rod bent over and then landed myself a nice Crappie! From 4:30 to 7:30 it picked enough to keep me interested, which doesn't have to be much. I ended the day with a crappie, a wiper, and a walleye. I also had a couple more strikes, but no real takers. I knew I called myself Plug-Puller for a reason. That's where my success and my confidence are. Pulling plugs.
Now for the important stuff. I found that all the fish caught and all the strikes other than one, came in water between 15 and 20 feet deep but close to shallower water. I was marking fish at the 6-8 ft level and at the 13-15 ft level. I ran a plug at about 5-7 ft and that is where I caught the crappie. I ran the other at 12-14 ft and that is where I picked up the wiper and walleye.
Not the best day I've had at Willard, but a good one none the less.
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Now for the important stuff. I found that all the fish caught and all the strikes other than one, came in water between 15 and 20 feet deep but close to shallower water. I was marking fish at the 6-8 ft level and at the 13-15 ft level. I ran a plug at about 5-7 ft and that is where I caught the crappie. I ran the other at 12-14 ft and that is where I picked up the wiper and walleye.
Not the best day I've had at Willard, but a good one none the less.
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