Willard report 7/9/05 eyewiperastic day!!!!

[iconoclasticPaul]

I finally got my long-overdue kitchen pass to go up to Willard with my fishing buddy Jason in his white/blue Tracker boat. Launched from south marina at 6:30 am. Trolled the island, feedlot, north side, light pole, and the northeast area until 3:30 pm, when the winds died down so did the bite. Used the usual willard specials, bottom bouncers with crawler harnesses, and storm jr thundersticks.

Between me and Jason, we landed 14 wipers, 15 walleyes, and 6 cats. It has been a real productive morning with the strong southwest winds creating hefty waves and whitecaps, which really brought on the walleye/wiper bites.

It has been a great day and both of us having 2-pole permits really helps make things really interesting. Twice we both has four fish on at the same time which makes handling the boat and landing fish rather dicey in the winds.

I am glad I brought my yellow/black rain gear because the winds were violent and we were really whacking and smacking the waves going 35 mph and Jason got sopping wet while I stayed dry, ha ha, sorry Jason, I had to poke this one at you bwhahaha!

I was rather surprised not to see the regular BFT folks out on the lake with the exception of seeing an unidentified man wearing that good ole BFT shirt as he was going out to the lake leaving the south marina around 3:30 in a white boat.

It sure was a great day on the Bay!
[signature]

[Paddler]

Sounds likw a good day. Any size to the walleye? Were they skinny? What were they eating?
[signature]

[iconoclasticPaul]

Walleyes varied in size with the smallest at 11 inch and the largest topping 20 inches and they looked healthy, in fact, they were fighting just like the wipers. When we had a fish on, we would think yeah thats a wiper cuz our poles were bending on the double and they tried to go under the boat or the prop, then we finally have them surfaced, we were surprised to see those strong and healthy walleyes. As for their diet, I'll say it consists of crawler harnesses, storm jr thundersticks and willard specials. As for their actual eating, oh I would think they are pigging out on the shads.
[signature]

[fishwriter]

So what is a willard special? and how fast do u troll one?
[signature]

[iconoclasticPaul]

Willard specials are the modified producers that you can hook up with James of Hooked Fishing Tackle in Kaysville. They are trolled at 3.5 to 4 mph, and you better hold on to your rod, for the wipers will justly jerk it right out of your hands.
[signature]

[fishinfool]

Yea they shined today for us also.
I think you proably seen me paul,I got on the water around 3:00PM today and we launched from the south marina and I had my BFT shirt on.,tried the feed lot,Light pole and the north east corner,around 4:30 we got are first hook up,triple hooked up we got the fish to the boat and I asked my sister to reel in the forth pole and wam a nice 21" fish slamed the lure about 15 ft behind the boat.we trolled the area and kept getting hooked up the rest of the day,we stopped and casted to the biols(YES BIOLS) for a few hours and caught some more,We ended up with some nice walleye and wiper for dinner and let alot go.
I am saying 14 wipers,Probably more cause I wasn't counting,and 8 walleyes.
What a day I am glad I went and my sister and her husband caught there first wipers.They are excited to do it again.grins from ear to ear.
BEST DAY THIS YEAR.
Later,FNF[cool]
[signature]

[wiperhunter2]

Great post Tony, it sure is nice to see all those fish on the top again. And here I was thinking the shad were in trouble, I guess they were just late this year. What were the hot lures?
[signature]

[fishinfool]

I think the shad are down,but they should do pretty good with all the new cover the high water has given them.
The hot lure was the modified white producer,and the prism shad,I also have some new lures that worked pretty good to.
it was fun to cast for them again,I haven't caught any that way for years.what a blast to fill that hit with the pole in your hand.[sly]The biols where not like years ago with alot of fish more like a dozen or so and it didn't last long.maybe a minute.but there was enough singles and doubles to through at when they hit the surface.to keep it intresting.
[signature]

[Out4Trout]

[cool]Nice report, fellas! Man, I've gotta get out there again! Sounds like it's official. Willard is producing for almost everyone now.
[signature]