03-21-2019, 08:52 PM
[quote fly_fishing_nut]TubeDude is the king of Willard. I didn’t even get a bite. I can only get better, right? I have a love-hate relationship with Willard but it usually gets the best of me. I’ll be back![/quote]
[#0000FF]Despair ye not. For verily skunk happeneth to all who go forth upon the waters of Willard. I got the smelly kitty on my first trip to that pond this year.
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[#0000FF]I do manage to at least bring something to the net on most trips. And for that I am properly grateful. But I have been fishing Willard almost 40 years and it is to be expected that I might have learned a few things. One is not to brag...or suffer the consequences on my next trip.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Willard is a big small lake. And it is subject to a lot of changes throughout any given year. Water levels are a major factor. Changing fish populations are another. And because Willard is just a big featureless shallow (relatively) mud bowl it has few areas of defined structure to attract and hold fish. Because the primary forage species is gizzard shad, and because they roam throughout the lake, the predators follow their food supply and can be anywhere on the lake on any given day. It never matters where and how you caught fish the day before. You still have to hunt for active fish the next day...and they may be a long ways from where the were yesterday...or feeding on an entirely different schedule.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]There are some generalities that often hold true, but whenever I go afloat I always have plans A through at least D or E. Some days I gotta go through the whole alphabet and still struggle to find fish. I know what humility is. Marriage and Willard have been good teachers.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Water temps are slowly rising. Walleyes should be moving up into the inlet and showing up at night at various spots around the rock dikes...like the NW corner, at the light pole. As water temps pass 50 and slide to 55 the crappies will be schooling off the humps at the north marina...and back inside the marina. Watch for the lines of happy harvesters ringing the far east side of the marina. And Mothers' Day is usually right in the middle of the spawn.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]May is a magic month for wipers too. Even though they are infertile, they still develop eggs and milt and go through a futile spawn. That means they will also be up in the inlet and cruising in groups around the dikes. Find them and throw cranks or plastics for some fast action.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]If you like soaking bait, fish the SW corner or other areas around the lake with mussels...plain or garlic flavored. And don't forget the buttered toast.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]The good news is that we have a lot of Willardites on this forum and most are good about posting reports and providing info. These reports can alert us to current conditions and save us from going the wrong places or using the wrong tactics...usually. Not saying any of our members are deliberately misleading, but some only provide "half truths". If you read about somebody catching large numbers of walleyes on dry flies...well...[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Bottom line? Willard is still in a prolonged transition period. With a little patience you will soon be able to hit the water with the reasonable expectation of being rewarded.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]God give me patience...and I want it RIGHT NOW!!![/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Despair ye not. For verily skunk happeneth to all who go forth upon the waters of Willard. I got the smelly kitty on my first trip to that pond this year.
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]I do manage to at least bring something to the net on most trips. And for that I am properly grateful. But I have been fishing Willard almost 40 years and it is to be expected that I might have learned a few things. One is not to brag...or suffer the consequences on my next trip.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]Willard is a big small lake. And it is subject to a lot of changes throughout any given year. Water levels are a major factor. Changing fish populations are another. And because Willard is just a big featureless shallow (relatively) mud bowl it has few areas of defined structure to attract and hold fish. Because the primary forage species is gizzard shad, and because they roam throughout the lake, the predators follow their food supply and can be anywhere on the lake on any given day. It never matters where and how you caught fish the day before. You still have to hunt for active fish the next day...and they may be a long ways from where the were yesterday...or feeding on an entirely different schedule.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]There are some generalities that often hold true, but whenever I go afloat I always have plans A through at least D or E. Some days I gotta go through the whole alphabet and still struggle to find fish. I know what humility is. Marriage and Willard have been good teachers.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]Water temps are slowly rising. Walleyes should be moving up into the inlet and showing up at night at various spots around the rock dikes...like the NW corner, at the light pole. As water temps pass 50 and slide to 55 the crappies will be schooling off the humps at the north marina...and back inside the marina. Watch for the lines of happy harvesters ringing the far east side of the marina. And Mothers' Day is usually right in the middle of the spawn.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]May is a magic month for wipers too. Even though they are infertile, they still develop eggs and milt and go through a futile spawn. That means they will also be up in the inlet and cruising in groups around the dikes. Find them and throw cranks or plastics for some fast action.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]If you like soaking bait, fish the SW corner or other areas around the lake with mussels...plain or garlic flavored. And don't forget the buttered toast.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]The good news is that we have a lot of Willardites on this forum and most are good about posting reports and providing info. These reports can alert us to current conditions and save us from going the wrong places or using the wrong tactics...usually. Not saying any of our members are deliberately misleading, but some only provide "half truths". If you read about somebody catching large numbers of walleyes on dry flies...well...[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]Bottom line? Willard is still in a prolonged transition period. With a little patience you will soon be able to hit the water with the reasonable expectation of being rewarded.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]God give me patience...and I want it RIGHT NOW!!![/#0000FF]
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