06-01-2003, 04:31 AM
I see theres a few questions about where and how to get the eyes at willard right now. Well, I will try to include that in my report for tonight.
Hit the water again tonight. Began letting out lures. Before I got the second line out, we had a walleye on the first rod. (wally diver on a planer board).
Then as I was just getting settled in and sat down, Skeeter and his dad pulled up on us. We decided to stick around in the same area and see what we could come up with.
Then we got another eye longlined out the back of the boat. Again on a wally diver. I cant remember the color pattern. I saw a show on the outdoor channel where the cotton cordell big wig was the fishing guest and he was saying they did a bunch of angler research and found that nationwide more eyes were caught on this one lure than ony other they offered. So, I figured "cant hurt, I'll get one and give it a try" They work like nothing else, Its one of the psycho colors, not a typical name like clown, firetiger, shad, or the others. Wish I could remember the name.
Anyways, trolled around some more, got bit by a wiper, Hit a chartruse grub. Got another walleye, 22 inches. Then two more eyes, one on a wally diver, and one on a bill lewis walleye series rattle trap. Got another wiper and that was it for the catching. We had another eye and wiper on but they got off as we were reeling them in.
As for location, I dont fish areas most guys fish. Most guys stick close to the bank, I fish out off the bank quite a ways unless its early spring. Once the wipers and eyes move out into the lake and start chasing shad I leave the dike fishing. So its kind of hard to tell a guy where, its just out there in the wide open water.
Things are always changing out at willard though. Seems like every year the fish size and numbers change and so does the locations and habits of the fish. The boils of the past two seasons have been small and very short lived. Old reliable spring time locations dont pan out like they used to. You used to be able to set your clock by the wiper fishing in the channel, this year makes three years in a row where that old stand by has not produced.
As things change, 8-10 fish a day 2-3 lbers may become a good day. The dikes may hold fish more than the schools of shad out in the open water.
Lures and presentaions have definitley been changing in the last six years.
I have for sure had a hard time adapting with the wipers. Its been two years since I had a fifty + fish day out there. But the last three years I have really enjoyed the walleye fishing.
I think the big reason we have been doing so well on the eyes latley is just because I have been paying attention and letting the eyes tell me what they want. Thursday the fish were all suspended, and that isnt much in willard, but its important not to be under the fish. Friday they were deeper, today was a mix.
Two pole permits and a couple guys will let you run an arsenal of lures at a variety of depths. Makes for easy work that way. Scents and lures with rattles help too. Find the speed and direction they want the lures travleing and dont mess with it.
I am no expert, I like to think I just toss them lures out there behind the boat and just relax after that. The rest is up too the fish. But thats not true. See, theres a real secret involved here and I will let you in on it. I am 100% catch and release. The boat knows this, and so do the fish. Theres a serious respect between a man and his fish when you live the higher law. Most days the fish chew on your lure just out of respect for your ethic. [laugh][angelic]
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Hit the water again tonight. Began letting out lures. Before I got the second line out, we had a walleye on the first rod. (wally diver on a planer board).
Then as I was just getting settled in and sat down, Skeeter and his dad pulled up on us. We decided to stick around in the same area and see what we could come up with.
Then we got another eye longlined out the back of the boat. Again on a wally diver. I cant remember the color pattern. I saw a show on the outdoor channel where the cotton cordell big wig was the fishing guest and he was saying they did a bunch of angler research and found that nationwide more eyes were caught on this one lure than ony other they offered. So, I figured "cant hurt, I'll get one and give it a try" They work like nothing else, Its one of the psycho colors, not a typical name like clown, firetiger, shad, or the others. Wish I could remember the name.
Anyways, trolled around some more, got bit by a wiper, Hit a chartruse grub. Got another walleye, 22 inches. Then two more eyes, one on a wally diver, and one on a bill lewis walleye series rattle trap. Got another wiper and that was it for the catching. We had another eye and wiper on but they got off as we were reeling them in.
As for location, I dont fish areas most guys fish. Most guys stick close to the bank, I fish out off the bank quite a ways unless its early spring. Once the wipers and eyes move out into the lake and start chasing shad I leave the dike fishing. So its kind of hard to tell a guy where, its just out there in the wide open water.
Things are always changing out at willard though. Seems like every year the fish size and numbers change and so does the locations and habits of the fish. The boils of the past two seasons have been small and very short lived. Old reliable spring time locations dont pan out like they used to. You used to be able to set your clock by the wiper fishing in the channel, this year makes three years in a row where that old stand by has not produced.
As things change, 8-10 fish a day 2-3 lbers may become a good day. The dikes may hold fish more than the schools of shad out in the open water.
Lures and presentaions have definitley been changing in the last six years.
I have for sure had a hard time adapting with the wipers. Its been two years since I had a fifty + fish day out there. But the last three years I have really enjoyed the walleye fishing.
I think the big reason we have been doing so well on the eyes latley is just because I have been paying attention and letting the eyes tell me what they want. Thursday the fish were all suspended, and that isnt much in willard, but its important not to be under the fish. Friday they were deeper, today was a mix.
Two pole permits and a couple guys will let you run an arsenal of lures at a variety of depths. Makes for easy work that way. Scents and lures with rattles help too. Find the speed and direction they want the lures travleing and dont mess with it.
I am no expert, I like to think I just toss them lures out there behind the boat and just relax after that. The rest is up too the fish. But thats not true. See, theres a real secret involved here and I will let you in on it. I am 100% catch and release. The boat knows this, and so do the fish. Theres a serious respect between a man and his fish when you live the higher law. Most days the fish chew on your lure just out of respect for your ethic. [laugh][angelic]
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