06-12-2021, 12:50 AM
(This post was last modified: 06-12-2021, 12:52 AM by Wasatch801.)
(06-11-2021, 09:28 PM)TubeDude Wrote: I joined a bunch of other overly optimistic folks this morning on Willard. I normally like to wait for about 3 days after a front or wind event before launching. But this year I would never get to go fishing if I stuck with those standards. All the wind and temperature changes the past few days dropped the water temp and put some murk in the water. Walleyes didn't seem happy about it but I found a few playful kitties to provide some tugs.
Met up with Fatbiker in his yak and we launched a bit before 7 am. Air temp a chilly 39 and water down to 64...warming to 68 by noon departure. Lots of boats going out of the south marina but not many putting their nets in the water that I could see. And when I hit the cleaning station I was the only one there...with no evidence of anyone else before me. Talked to several incoming boaters and they all pretty much confirmed it was a slow day for walleye-kind.
I started off with dragging some crawler-adorned whirly fligs in several formerly productive areas. Not much on sonar and even less on my line. Had been working out in 14.5 to 15 feet of water. Decided to try a little shallower in case the fish were responding to the lower visibility in shallower water. Game on...but not with walleyes. Just some more everlovin' Willard kitties. Got somewhere between about 13 - 15 and went through a lot of crawlers meant for walleyes. But, hey, I got the boat juju off my rods and got some tugs. Kept 4 to fry.
Back at the ramp Larry indicated he had found some kitty love too. We usually don't keep accurate counts when the catchin' is good. "Time enough for countin' when the dealin's done" (Sorry, Kenny)
Thanks to Curt for making an on-the-water handoff of my hat I left in his truck last week. Hope you guys did better than most others.
Three of us fished from about 8am to 3pm today. We fished the north and west dikes, focusing on 15-17 feet. Pulled cranks and bottom bounced for 7 cats and one tiny smb. The single eye came in 17 fow on a crawler harness about 2pm. The wind never did arrive with the walleye chop. If it's finally going now, I imagine the late bird might get the walleye worm!