(10-15-2024, 11:44 PM)wiperhunter2 Wrote: You did good out there today Pat, much better than Ira and myself, good seeing you out there again. Hopefully the cool down this week will change things up, for the coming weeks.Don't know whether to blame it on the moon, changing weather patterns, too much food (shad) in the water or what. But I talked with a few other folks coming into the marina about the same time I did and the overall reports were not good. Had two different fairly knowledgeable fishermen remark that it was the first time they had blanked on Willard in a long time.
On the other hand, our friend who launched his new boat about the same time we did actually scored a couple of nice walleyes. But then, he knows all the fish in Willard on a first name basis.
A few comments on the board...and some PMs from a couple of other members...asking or commenting on the (hopefully) forthcoming perchathon. Thought I would share some personal observations and some opinions voiced by others:
1. The extended warm weather this year has delayed the perch. Water temps are still a few degrees over 60. Willard is usually about 5 - 10 degrees cooler by now...which starts the annual dieoff of the smallest shad.
2. With the extended warm water situation, it is possible that the youngest shad may have lived long enough to develop mouth parts to allow them to live on algae, detritus and other stuff...rather than relying solely on zooplankton. It is the cold water depletion of zooplankton that kills off the youngest shad...through starvation...rather than the cold temps. There is some winter kill of shad of all ages but gizzard shad can tolerate colder temps better than threadfin shad. That is why they are in Willard. Bottom line is that it is possible there will not be as much of a dieoff this year. Wait and see.
3. Regardless of the shad situation, the perch are still likely to show up and school up. That is part of their established fall pattern on Willard. Females are becoming full of ripening eggs and they start congregating to be around their own kind before "the dating game"...which is still several winter months away.
4. There are massive numbers of perch in Willard. While angler pressure may reduce the numbers in the most heavily targeted areas...at least temporarily...it does not even put a dent in the overall population. So if you aren't finding them in your fave spot...find a new spot. Like all species in Willard, perch move around to find either food or more comfy living conditions. And, even though there are a few places we have come to find them most years there are a lot of other spots where they gather without ever being molested by perch jerkers. Good electronics, good techniques, the right lures, the right bait and a lot of patience are your best tools for finding and harvesting perch.