Willard 9/21

[thatchergreg]

I took a vacation day Monday and went to Willard, launching out of the north marina I was on the water and fishing by 7 a.m.. The breakfast menu was two rods, one with a wonderbread flig tipped with shrimp the other with a silver/pink perch flig tipped with fillet-o-chub. I left the marina and headed for Eagle Beach at 1.2 mph.
At 7:15 the wonderbread/shrimp combo produced a solid hit and head shake, then nothing. I was standing there thinking about checking the bait when the other rod started dancing. After a good effort a 22" cat reluctantly gave up and slid into the net, not a bad way to start the day. There was enough bait left on the hook so it went back in the drink for round #2. Around 7:30 it produced another cookie cutter cat. The next hour was uneventful, then at 8:30 the wonderbread/shrimp team hooked up with another cookie cutter. As I was watching the kitty swim away the other rod bent over with my fourth cat of the morning, all between 19 and 22 inches. A fifth, smaller cat, was added to the talley at 9:30.
Sunday afternoon I installed a remote throttle on the kicker and was anxious to try it so I left the cats to try for wipers. Starting in the Northwest corner with two Scatter Raps I trolled for an hour toward the light pole,I had one hit on a Rainbow pattern Scatter Rap minnow.
Deciding a change of location was needed I headed for freeway Bay for more trolling, another hour with no action and I'd had a day. While reeling in the second rod a 17" wiper nailed it next to the boat and headed for parts unknown. After a valiant struggle it went into the net for a photo, then went back into the reservoir to eat more shad.
It was a very enjoyable day with a light breeze, warm Temps and few bugs, and cooperative fish.
A tech savvy kid showed me how to move photos from my flip phone to the tablet, so now I have pictures as well.