07-12-2018, 10:24 AM
"PS: TD needs to re-share some of his stories about Willard. He has some great one's!!"
[#0000FF]Seems that Willard has always been a magnet for selfish &%$@#s. Started tubing it in the late 1970s. In those days...before jet skis, shad and wipers...I was often the only craft on the water. Most Utah anglers then were troutaholics and there were not many that deliberately hit Willard for the walleyes, crappies, bluegill and/or catfish.
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[#0000FF]But there were still a few dorks that seemingly hit the water only to harass others. As my old buddy Therapist suggests, I had more than my share of "confrontations" with them. Some involved showing idiot boaters how accurate I could be with my casts...within the proximity limit. A heavy sinker or a large hook-bristling crankbait across their bow...or worse...usually got an irate response about how careless and dangerous I was. After all, they owned the lake.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]My best encounters...of all times...Involved the use of a slingshot...with marbles or steel balls. Usually just holding it up...ready to fire...got the boats to swerve away from the ramming course they were on. But a couple of broken windshields made me some new friends too.
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[#0000FF]My last slingshot defense actually included shooting a water skier in the behind...from only a few feet away...as he made his third spraying pass while I was fishing along the dikes. And we were the only two craft on the whole lake. Fortunately, a ranger boat was just exiting the boat channel and witnessed the whole thing. Because I knew the rangers and was on good terms with them, the boat got a citation and got booted off the lake. And then I got a stern reprimand...in between the two rangers laughing their PFDs off. And it was strongly suggested I not bring my weapons of splash defense on the lake anymore.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]But some anglers are pretty crass too. I have actually had trollers bounce off the side of my tube while dragging lures. And they usually yell at ME for hogging their trolling lanes. And...while working on crappies out of the north marina in my float tube it has not been uncommon for boats to move up right on top of me when they see me catching fish. I have been literally surrounded by boats and had to almost fight my way out to get away...usually to comments like "Hey, you're getting kinda close ain'tcha?"[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Yeah, Willard attracts the elite.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Seems that Willard has always been a magnet for selfish &%$@#s. Started tubing it in the late 1970s. In those days...before jet skis, shad and wipers...I was often the only craft on the water. Most Utah anglers then were troutaholics and there were not many that deliberately hit Willard for the walleyes, crappies, bluegill and/or catfish.
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[#0000FF]But there were still a few dorks that seemingly hit the water only to harass others. As my old buddy Therapist suggests, I had more than my share of "confrontations" with them. Some involved showing idiot boaters how accurate I could be with my casts...within the proximity limit. A heavy sinker or a large hook-bristling crankbait across their bow...or worse...usually got an irate response about how careless and dangerous I was. After all, they owned the lake.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]My best encounters...of all times...Involved the use of a slingshot...with marbles or steel balls. Usually just holding it up...ready to fire...got the boats to swerve away from the ramming course they were on. But a couple of broken windshields made me some new friends too.
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[#0000FF]My last slingshot defense actually included shooting a water skier in the behind...from only a few feet away...as he made his third spraying pass while I was fishing along the dikes. And we were the only two craft on the whole lake. Fortunately, a ranger boat was just exiting the boat channel and witnessed the whole thing. Because I knew the rangers and was on good terms with them, the boat got a citation and got booted off the lake. And then I got a stern reprimand...in between the two rangers laughing their PFDs off. And it was strongly suggested I not bring my weapons of splash defense on the lake anymore.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]But some anglers are pretty crass too. I have actually had trollers bounce off the side of my tube while dragging lures. And they usually yell at ME for hogging their trolling lanes. And...while working on crappies out of the north marina in my float tube it has not been uncommon for boats to move up right on top of me when they see me catching fish. I have been literally surrounded by boats and had to almost fight my way out to get away...usually to comments like "Hey, you're getting kinda close ain'tcha?"[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Yeah, Willard attracts the elite.[/#0000FF]
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