2021 Willard Bay Trip # 25 16 July 2021

[Tin-Can]

Tried to make an early trip to WB yesterday. Got to my storage unit a bit before 6 a.m. (as a long term customer, I have a code that allows me to enter before the normal opening time of 6 a.m.)  Early gate code, didn't work, just gave a reply of "see manager".  Waited till 6 a.m. tried my normal gate code. It wouldn't work either. Had another customer come in and theirs would not work either.  Employees don't show up till 9 a.m. so went home.  

Finally got the boat about 9:15, got up to Willard south and launched by just after 10 a.m. 




Of course the entry gate has the "Ramp Closed Use at your own risk" warning sign due to low water. But there were several 2 axle trailers in the lot so knew my little Tin-Can would launch just fine. 
At the center ramp, with just enough trailer in the water to float the boat, there was 1.9 fow indicated on my sonar. Motor trimmed up to point of just enough in water to draw in water.  At the outside edge of dock had 3.8 fow.  20 feet off the dock had a comfortable 5-6 fow.  Down the center of the channel was 5 to 6 fow with bottom coming up to 3.5 fow at the "hump" between channel and buoy area.  Out past the buoys good water depth 7 to 13 feet.  

Air temp at launch 80 deg.  water  temp 79 deg.  Water temp pretty much stayed bouncing at 79-80 the whole time I was on the water 1011 a.m. to 1 p.m.  but there was a fairly constant wind blowing from south west at about 7-9 mph. Just enough to keep the bugs away, and give me a drift speed of .58 to . 90 mph. 

Got out off the feed lot tower about 200 yards, over 10.5 fow, set out my shrimp baited lines and sat back.  First hit was almost immediate, Cat #1 boated, and 4 minutes later Cat # 2 boated.  

     

The bite was pretty much constant with hit, drag runs, and drops and having 3 Kitties in the boat exactly 1 hour from launch time.  And in just under 2 hours had 5 keeper Cats in the box and  had used up the 8 pieces of raw shrimp I had brought.   Had already decided to keep what I caught up to  the max limit. Needed to replenish my fish in the freezer. 


    

So out of bait and increasing power squadron showing up, called it a productive 2 hours and headed in. 

No other anglers using the cleaning station and it was both clean and free of carcass clogs. Guess the the south station is more used by folks that know how to keep it clean.  And I left it just as I found it. 

[FatBiker]

Good job Forest. Those are the days we look forward to happening. Been a while since I've had one. Might give it a shot Monday morning.