Willard 9/21

[thatchergreg]

I took a vacation day Monday and went to Willard, launching out of the north marina I was on the water and fishing by 7 a.m.. The breakfast menu was two rods, one with a wonderbread flig tipped with shrimp the other with a silver/pink perch flig tipped with fillet-o-chub. I left the marina and headed for Eagle Beach at 1.2 mph.
At 7:15 the wonderbread/shrimp combo produced a solid hit and head shake, then nothing. I was standing there thinking about checking the bait when the other rod started dancing. After a good effort a 22" cat reluctantly gave up and slid into the net, not a bad way to start the day. There was enough bait left on the hook so it went back in the drink for round #2. Around 7:30 it produced another cookie cutter cat. The next hour was uneventful, then at 8:30 the wonderbread/shrimp team hooked up with another cookie cutter. As I was watching the kitty swim away the other rod bent over with my fourth cat of the morning, all between 19 and 22 inches. A fifth, smaller cat, was added to the talley at 9:30.
Sunday afternoon I installed a remote throttle on the kicker and was anxious to try it so I left the cats to try for wipers. Starting in the Northwest corner with two Scatter Raps I trolled for an hour toward the light pole,I had one hit on a Rainbow pattern Scatter Rap minnow.
Deciding a change of location was needed I headed for freeway Bay for more trolling, another hour with no action and I'd had a day. While reeling in the second rod a 17" wiper nailed it next to the boat and headed for parts unknown. After a valiant struggle it went into the net for a photo, then went back into the reservoir to eat more shad.
It was a very enjoyable day with a light breeze, warm Temps and few bugs, and cooperative fish.
A tech savvy kid showed me how to move photos from my flip phone to the tablet, so now I have pictures as well.

[wiperhunter2]

Nice report Greg, were you trolling at 1.2 mph with the fligs when you caught those cats? If so, how much weight were you using?

[Cowboypirate]

Take me to that tech say kid...i don't get alerts on my phone anymore about posts on BFT. Nice cats

[thatchergreg]

Nice report Greg, were you trolling at 1.2 mph with the fligs when you caught those cats? If so, how much weight were you using?

Yes, 1.2 mph was working so I left it alone. One rod had a 3/8 oz weight the other had 1/2 oz which is more than I prefer for 10 f.t.w. but its all I had.  I found a new bank sinker mold in the mailbox today so now I can fine tune the weight better. Its an 8 cavity from 1/8 to 1 1/2 oz.

[wiperhunter2]

Nice report Greg, were you trolling at 1.2 mph with the fligs when you caught those cats? If so, how much weight were you using?

Yes, 1.2 mph was working so I left it alone. One rod had a 3/8 oz weight the other had 1/2 oz which is more than I prefer for 10 f.t.w. but its all I had.  I found a new bank sinker mold in the mailbox today so now I can fine tune the weight better. Its an 8 cavity from 1/8 to 1 1/2 oz.

Ok, try going slower if you can, we do much better by slow trolling at .5 mph, going as fast as you are going, is causing your flig to be up too high, resulting in fewer fish being caught. Hope that helps.