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Willard 4-20
#1
My buddy Dave wanted to run his boat for the 1st time this year so meet him at the south marina around 7:30ish, quite the crowd there already with rigs having to park in the lower lot as we prepared to launch. Lots of dirty water in the canal but lake was much better (appears that the water coming down the baffles is being sent to the SL down the other ditch as the muddy water wasn’t being pushed into the main body of the lake). Water temp was 54 when we launched and we headed to Freeway to start, picked up a 19” eye and had 1 other bump so after a couple hours we headed to the light pole and southwest corner. Worked a lot of water and had 4 takedowns that didn’t stick running bottom bouncers, switched over to flicker shad for the last 1.5 hours to see if we could get some of the suspended fish to go but to no avail. Water temp when we got off was 56, bugs have shown up and the lake lice/power squadron.
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#2
(04-20-2024, 10:01 PM)2knots Wrote: My buddy Dave wanted to run his boat for the 1st time this year so meet him at the south marina around 7:30ish, quite the crowd there already with rigs having to park in the lower lot as we prepared to launch. Lots of dirty water in the canal but lake was much better (appears that the water coming down the baffles is being sent to the SL down the other ditch as the muddy water wasn’t being pushed into the main body of the lake). Water temp was 54 when we launched and we headed to Freeway to start, picked up a 19” eye and had 1 other bump so after a couple hours we headed to the light pole and southwest corner. Worked a lot of water and had 4 takedowns that didn’t stick running bottom bouncers, switched over to flicker shad for the last 1.5 hours to see if we could get some of the suspended fish to go but to no avail. Water temp when we got off was 56, bugs have shown up and the lake lice/power squadron.

I worked the light pole area as well and threw back two small eyes. Made a move and got 2 good eyes and a perch before I left at noon. 
[Image: IMG-0661.jpg]

[Image: IMG-0664.jpg]
2.5lb
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#3
(04-20-2024, 10:51 PM)Redrebel Wrote:
(04-20-2024, 10:01 PM)2knots Wrote: My buddy Dave wanted to run his boat for the 1st time this year so meet him at the south marina around 7:30ish, quite the crowd there already with rigs having to park in the lower lot as we prepared to launch. Lots of dirty water in the canal but lake was much better (appears that the water coming down the baffles is being sent to the SL down the other ditch as the muddy water wasn’t being pushed into the main body of the lake). Water temp was 54 when we launched and we headed to Freeway to start, picked up a 19” eye and had 1 other bump so after a couple hours we headed to the light pole and southwest corner. Worked a lot of water and had 4 takedowns that didn’t stick running bottom bouncers, switched over to flicker shad for the last 1.5 hours to see if we could get some of the suspended fish to go but to no avail. Water temp when we got off was 56, bugs have shown up and the lake lice/power squadron.

I worked the light pole area as well and threw back two small eyes. Made a move and got 2 good eyes and a perch before I left at noon. 
[Image: IMG-0661.jpg]

[Image: IMG-0664.jpg]
2.5lb

Well done Joe, we’re bottom bouncing or running cranks
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#4
(04-20-2024, 10:53 PM)2knots Wrote:
(04-20-2024, 10:51 PM)Redrebel Wrote:
(04-20-2024, 10:01 PM)2knots Wrote: My buddy Dave wanted to run his boat for the 1st time this year so meet him at the south marina around 7:30ish, quite the crowd there already with rigs having to park in the lower lot as we prepared to launch. Lots of dirty water in the canal but lake was much better (appears that the water coming down the baffles is being sent to the SL down the other ditch as the muddy water wasn’t being pushed into the main body of the lake). Water temp was 54 when we launched and we headed to Freeway to start, picked up a 19” eye and had 1 other bump so after a couple hours we headed to the light pole and southwest corner. Worked a lot of water and had 4 takedowns that didn’t stick running bottom bouncers, switched over to flicker shad for the last 1.5 hours to see if we could get some of the suspended fish to go but to no avail. Water temp when we got off was 56, bugs have shown up and the lake lice/power squadron.

I worked the light pole area as well and threw back two small eyes. Made a move and got 2 good eyes and a perch before I left at noon. 
[Image: IMG-0661.jpg]

[Image: IMG-0664.jpg]
2.5lb

Well done Joe, we’re bottom bouncing or running cranks
Bottom bouncing a slow death with some additional bling.
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#5
I also hit the bay this afternoon had one hit and that was it we fished bottom bouncers as slow as 1 mph to 1.6 and flicker shads nice day to be out
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#6
I was up at free bay and trolled flicker shads. Got nothing. Sounds like I should try rigging up some bottom bouncers.
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#7
We fished Friday. It was slow but I did get my personal best wiper on a crawler harness! 7.16lbs.

[Image: Wiper-7-16lbs-4-19-2024.jpg]
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#8
(04-22-2024, 02:29 AM)BearLakeFishGuy Wrote: We fished Friday.  It was slow but I did get my personal best wiper on a crawler harness!  7.16lbs.

[Image: Wiper-7-16lbs-4-19-2024.jpg]

Congratulations! Amazing fish!!!
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#9
(04-22-2024, 02:29 AM)BearLakeFishGuy Wrote: We fished Friday.  It was slow but I did get my personal best wiper on a crawler harness!  7.16lbs.

[Image: Wiper-7-16lbs-4-19-2024.jpg]

That may be the best wiper I have seen in a long time from Willard. Congrats
Remember: keep the lid on the worms, share your jerky, and stop by to say hi to Cookie and the Cowboy-Pirate crew
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#10
Great fish Scott, congrats... Alan, Joe and all thanks for the report... Had a buddy hit it yesterday and got one eye one wiper and a perch, so sounds like it's starting to get going... Thanks all for the reports. Jeff
When things get stressful think I'll go fish'en and worry about it tomorrow!
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#11
BLFG, that thing is a PIG! Congrats on a great fish!
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#12
(04-22-2024, 02:29 AM)BearLakeFishGuy Wrote: We fished Friday.  It was slow but I did get my personal best wiper on a crawler harness!  7.16lbs.

[Image: Wiper-7-16lbs-4-19-2024.jpg]
Looks like your harness rigging session paid off.  Nice fish.
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#13
(04-22-2024, 02:29 AM)BearLakeFishGuy Wrote: We fished Friday.  It was slow but I did get my personal best wiper on a crawler harness!  7.16lbs.

Nice wiper Scott, thanks for sharing the pic of that nice fish. Were you using a down rigger or a bottom bouncer?
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#14
(04-22-2024, 05:25 PM)TubeDude Wrote:
(04-22-2024, 02:29 AM)BearLakeFishGuy Wrote: We fished Friday.  It was slow but I did get my personal best wiper on a crawler harness!  7.16lbs.

[Image: Wiper-7-16lbs-4-19-2024.jpg]
Looks like your harness rigging session paid off.  Nice fish.

Wow that old lady has been packing away the shad. Did you keep her?
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