Willard was windy today

[wiperhunter2]

Ira and I got out to Willard today with 2knots. It started off too windy to slow troll fligs, so we made a trip around the lake trying to find a spot out of the Wind that held some fish but after looking along the North dike, then the West dike and not finding what we were looking for, we finally headed over to the Island and found what looked good but it never panned out. With the wind finally dying down, we went back to our always productive spot and within minutes had our first fish on. We stayed there for another two hours or so and a little after 2 PM we called it a day. We ended up with 5 or 6 cats and one eye. It wasn't as fast as last week but we did not spend as much time in our area either, so we felt good about what we caught. Pink tiger fligs did good today but we also caught them on other colors.  Alan found some baby fish in the walleye's stomach but I'll let him tell that story. Enjoyed getting out there with you today Alan, got to do it again soon.

[stocktondunkley]

Ira and I got out to Willard today with 2knots. It started off too windy to slow troll fligs, so we made a trip around the lake trying to find a spot out of the Wind that held some fish but after looking along the North dike, then the West dike and not finding what we were looking for, we finally headed over to the Island and found what looked good but it never panned out. With the wind finally dying down, we went back to our always productive spot and within minutes had our first fish on. We stayed there for another two hours or so and a little after 2 PM we called it a day. We ended up with 5 or 6 cats and one eye. It wasn't as fast as last week but we did not spend as much time in our area either, so we felt good about what we caught. Pink tiger fligs did good today but we also caught them on other colors.  Alan found some baby fish in the walleye's stomach but I'll let him tell that story. Enjoyed getting out there with you today Alan, got to do it again soon.

I’ve been wanting to head out there recently. How is it for bank anglers?

[wiperhunter2]

Ira and I got out to Willard today with 2knots. It started off too windy to slow troll fligs, so we made a trip around the lake trying to find a spot out of the Wind that held some fish but after looking along the North dike, then the West dike and not finding what we were looking for, we finally headed over to the Island and found what looked good but it never panned out. With the wind finally dying down, we went back to our always productive spot and within minutes had our first fish on. We stayed there for another two hours or so and a little after 2 PM we called it a day. We ended up with 5 or 6 cats and one eye. It wasn't as fast as last week but we did not spend as much time in our area either, so we felt good about what we caught. Pink tiger fligs did good today but we also caught them on other colors.  Alan found some baby fish in the walleye's stomach but I'll let him tell that story. Enjoyed getting out there with you today Alan, got to do it again soon.

I’ve been wanting to head out there recently. How is it for bank anglers?

Ripnlips has had a couple of successful trips out there fishing from shore, here is a link to his last trip:
https://www.bigfishtackle.com/forum/show...id=1100521
Catching from shore will continue to improve as the water warms but I think you could catch eyes from shore right now if you were to fish the West dike in the late evening or night, as they are spawning and they move in close to the dike to spawn in low light conditions.

[2knots]

Fun day despite the wind, got to try out my new FF with side scan and learned a lot about its use from Curt and Ira, going to be a good tool. The eye I caught, thanks to the pass off of the rod from Ira, had a bunch of baby cats in its stomach when I cleaned it (pic below with 3 of the ones still in better shape), the spines don’t dissolve as fast as the rest of the fish lol. Looking forward to the next trip guys, just let me know.

[stocktondunkley]

Ira and I got out to Willard today with 2knots. It started off too windy to slow troll fligs, so we made a trip around the lake trying to find a spot out of the Wind that held some fish but after looking along the North dike, then the West dike and not finding what we were looking for, we finally headed over to the Island and found what looked good but it never panned out. With the wind finally dying down, we went back to our always productive spot and within minutes had our first fish on. We stayed there for another two hours or so and a little after 2 PM we called it a day. We ended up with 5 or 6 cats and one eye. It wasn't as fast as last week but we did not spend as much time in our area either, so we felt good about what we caught. Pink tiger fligs did good today but we also caught them on other colors.  Alan found some baby fish in the walleye's stomach but I'll let him tell that story. Enjoyed getting out there with you today Alan, got to do it again soon.

I’ve been wanting to head out there recently. How is it for bank anglers?

Ripnlips has had a couple of succeful trip out there ishing from shore, here is a link to his last trip:
https://www.bigfishtackle.com/forum/show...id=1100521
Catching from shore will continue to improve as the water warms but I think you could catch eyes from shore right now if you were to fish the West dike in the late evening or night, as they are spawning and they move in close to the dike to spawn in low light conditions.

Thank you! I’ll be doing that. I’ll be be sure to post an update when I head out.

[SkunkedAgain]

Way to go guys it's sounding like it's getting to that time of the year... congrats... J

[Mr. J]

Ira and I got out to Willard today with 2knots. It started off too windy to slow troll fligs, so we made a trip around the lake trying to find a spot out of the Wind that held some fish but after looking along the North dike, then the West dike and not finding what we were looking for, we finally headed over to the Island and found what looked good but it never panned out. With the wind finally dying down, we went back to our always productive spot and within minutes had our first fish on. We stayed there for another two hours or so and a little after 2 PM we called it a day. We ended up with 5 or 6 cats and one eye. It wasn't as fast as last week but we did not spend as much time in our area either, so we felt good about what we caught. Pink tiger fligs did good today but we also caught them on other colors.  Alan found some baby fish in the walleye's stomach but I'll let him tell that story. Enjoyed getting out there with you today Alan, got to do it again soon.

It looks like you fished from Alan's boat today. Nice isn't it?  Sorry you had to spend the extra time looking for them. As they say, that's why they call it fishing.

Is the water level still coming up?

rj

[wiperhunter2]

It looks like you fished from Alan's boat today. Nice isn't it?  Sorry you had to spend the extra time looking for them. As they say, that's why they call it fishing.

Is the water level still coming up?

rj

Yes, Alan has a very nice boat, I've enjoyed fishing out of it every time I've been out with him. Yes, the water level is still coming up.

[Catfishhunter19]

Ira and I got out to Willard today with 2knots. It started off too windy to slow troll fligs, so we made a trip around the lake trying to find a spot out of the Wind that held some fish but after looking along the North dike, then the West dike and not finding what we were looking for, we finally headed over to the Island and found what looked good but it never panned out. With the wind finally dying down, we went back to our always productive spot and within minutes had our first fish on. We stayed there for another two hours or so and a little after 2 PM we called it a day. We ended up with 5 or 6 cats and one eye. It wasn't as fast as last week but we did not spend as much time in our area either, so we felt good about what we caught. Pink tiger fligs did good today but we also caught them on other colors.  Alan found some baby fish in the walleye's stomach but I'll let him tell that story. Enjoyed getting out there with you today Alan, got to do it again soon.

Can I ask where I might get some fligs?

[petty4life]

We got one on Saturday but it made the whole day worth while.

[SkunkedAgain]

Great wiper, I'll bet that one had some horse power... congrats.. J

[TubeDude]

Ira and I got out to Willard today with 2knots. It started off too windy to slow troll fligs, so we made a trip around the lake trying to find a spot out of the Wind that held some fish but after looking along the North dike, then the West dike and not finding what we were looking for, we finally headed over to the Island and found what looked good but it never panned out. With the wind finally dying down, we went back to our always productive spot and within minutes had our first fish on. We stayed there for another two hours or so and a little after 2 PM we called it a day. We ended up with 5 or 6 cats and one eye. It wasn't as fast as last week but we did not spend as much time in our area either, so we felt good about what we caught. Pink tiger fligs did good today but we also caught them on other colors.  Alan found some baby fish in the walleye's stomach but I'll let him tell that story. Enjoyed getting out there with you today Alan, got to do it again soon.

Can I ask where I might get some fligs?

"Fligs" are floating jigs.  You can buy them a lot of places...in tackle supply stores or online.  But I have been making (and selling) my own for quite a few years.  They have really proven to be be effective on Utah fishies.

[Redrebel]

I’m close to Willard but it scares me to go there. Wife and I bottomed out the SUP so I can only imagine what I would do to my nice red paint on the lund. Any advice on what to avoid will be helpful. Thanks!

[wiperhunter2]

Ira and I got out to Willard today with 2knots. It started off too windy to slow troll fligs, so we made a trip around the lake trying to find a spot out of the Wind that held some fish but after looking along the North dike, then the West dike and not finding what we were looking for, we finally headed over to the Island and found what looked good but it never panned out. With the wind finally dying down, we went back to our always productive spot and within minutes had our first fish on. We stayed there for another two hours or so and a little after 2 PM we called it a day. We ended up with 5 or 6 cats and one eye. It wasn't as fast as last week but we did not spend as much time in our area either, so we felt good about what we caught. Pink tiger fligs did good today but we also caught them on other colors.  Alan found some baby fish in the walleye's stomach but I'll let him tell that story. Enjoyed getting out there with you today Alan, got to do it again soon.

Can I ask where I might get some fligs?

I buy mine from TubeDude, the colors he produces are better than any sold on the market, he sells a wide varity of colors and they work. We have been using them for about four years now and I can tell you, from early Spring, into the late Fall, they are best for catch cats at Willard and we also pull in some walleye and wipers with them, along with some decent sized perch.

 We have never caught a wiper as big as the one Petty4life caught with them but my guess is there just aren't many wipers in Willard that big, so you have to be very lucky to catchy one that big or manybe it was his good luck charm he had with him that day, his youngest son.

[TubeDude]

Fun day despite the wind, got to try out my new FF with side scan and learned a lot about its use from Curt and Ira, going to be a good tool. The eye I caught, thanks to the pass off of the rod from Ira, had a bunch of baby cats in its stomach when I cleaned it (pic below with 3 of the ones still in better shape), the spines don’t dissolve as fast as the rest of the fish lol. Looking forward to the next trip guys, just let me know.

Good to hear the new FF is working for you.  That side finder can really help when searching for fish. 

Not surprising to see that the fish are dining on small catfish.  First I have seen in Willard wallies but have caught some wipers with catlets in them.  All the predators in Willard have to forage more creatively during the months there are no gizzard shad of easy eating size.  Possible to find young crappies, bluegills, perch, carp or cats in them.  There are also some that dine on the low resident populations of spottail shiners or log perch.  Of course they also munch the tasty crawdads when they can find them.  A fish has got to eat, ya know. 

Down in Utah Lake the menu is even more varied, with white bass being about the main forage species...with bluegills, crappies, perch, carp, suckers, channel cats and bullheads all occasionally showing up in predator autopsies.  Here is a pic of a Utah Lake walleye that had a pretty good sized bullhead in its innards.

[wiperhunter2]

I’m close to Willard but it scares me to go there. Wife and I bottomed out the SUP so I can only imagine what I would do to my nice red paint on the lund. Any advice on what to avoid will be helpful. Thanks!

I had no idea what a SUP was, so I looked it up, guess it is a Stand Up Paddle board. Not really sure how you would bottom that out, unless you tried to go into the perminate Summer boat dock area of North marina last Fall, when it was very shallow. The water level is shallow to the East of the North marina launch but as long as you watch your depth finder and go right out the channel, after you launch, you will be fine. After you go out the channel, do not turn left or right for 50 to 75 yards and you should be fine out in the main part of the lake. In the next month or so as the water level goes up, it will be even better but by June or so I would expect the water level to start dropping again to the point by mid Summer it might be tough to even launch at Willard, unless we get a very wet Spring and Summer.  Also because the South marina is so shallow, until you get into the channel, I would not launch there and if you do, only nose up to the dock, it is very shallow with big pices of concrete right below the outer part of the dock.

[Redrebel]

I’m close to Willard but it scares me to go there. Wife and I bottomed out the SUP so I can only imagine what I would do to my nice red paint on the lund. Any advice on what to avoid will be helpful. Thanks!

I had no idea what a SUP was, so I looked it up, guess it is a Stand Up Paddle board. Not really sure how you would bottom that out, unless you tried to go into the perminate Summer boat dock area of North marina last Fall, when it was very shallow. The water level is shallow to the East of the North marina launch but as long as you watch your depth finder and go right out the channel, after you launch, you will be fine. After you go out the channel, do not turn left or right for 50 to 75 yards and you should be fine out in the main part of the lake. In the next month or so as the water level goes up, it will be even better but by June or so I would expect the water level to start dropping again to the point by mid Summer it might be tough to even launch at Willard, unless we get a very wet Spring and Summer.  Also because the South marina is so shallow, until you get into the channel, I would not launch there and if you do, only nose up to the dock, it is very shallow with big pices of concrete right below the outer part of the dock.

Thanks for the tips. It was last summer and the water level was pretty low. It was off the shore near the north marina.Made for fun times! Easy fix on the paddle boards.