04-10-2012, 10:25 AM
[cool][#0000ff]I don't do much night fishing these days. Used to do all nighters. Now, an all nighter for me is being able to sleep all night without having to "download".[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In the days when crappies were the major forage item for Willard predators...catfish and walleyes...it was very productive to work plastics or shallow running crankbaits along the rocks at night. But since they rely heavily on shad now, the whole fishing pattern is different. I have tried a couple of night trips...fishing like in days of old...and did get some decent cats...but the walleyes just don't hang around the rocks like they used to.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Back in the Anglers Inn days we used to have "Gorilla Floatillas" at night...with guys (and gals) from the store and regular customers all duning their donuts (round tubes) after dark. Got some memorable catches and had great times. But in those days it was not uncommon to catch cats over 10 pounds from Willard. Here's a picture of a combined catch for several of us on one night trip. (The 15 pounder in the pic was MINE). Also a pic taken after an all night bank tanglin' trip in the channel of the south marina. PS...three of the biggest fish twisted off the stringer earlier in the night so we roped 'em after that.[/#0000ff]
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[inline "CHANNEL CATS 3.jpg"]
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[inline "CAT STRINGER.JPG"]
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[#0000ff]In the days when crappies were the major forage item for Willard predators...catfish and walleyes...it was very productive to work plastics or shallow running crankbaits along the rocks at night. But since they rely heavily on shad now, the whole fishing pattern is different. I have tried a couple of night trips...fishing like in days of old...and did get some decent cats...but the walleyes just don't hang around the rocks like they used to.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Back in the Anglers Inn days we used to have "Gorilla Floatillas" at night...with guys (and gals) from the store and regular customers all duning their donuts (round tubes) after dark. Got some memorable catches and had great times. But in those days it was not uncommon to catch cats over 10 pounds from Willard. Here's a picture of a combined catch for several of us on one night trip. (The 15 pounder in the pic was MINE). Also a pic taken after an all night bank tanglin' trip in the channel of the south marina. PS...three of the biggest fish twisted off the stringer earlier in the night so we roped 'em after that.[/#0000ff]
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[inline "CHANNEL CATS 3.jpg"]
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[inline "CAT STRINGER.JPG"]
[signature]