Willard 6/19

[Jig-fisher]

My wife and I met up with some friends at Willard yesterday afternoon for some socializing and of course fishing.  The wives mostly socializing, the men trying to fish.  We started off trolling the west side, but with not even a strike we motored over to freeway bay and decided to fish for cats near the dike.  They were willing to play and we put 3 in the boat in short order.  Then my friend, (who shall not be named to protect the innocent), as I was saying, Jim   had 2 consecutive cats break him off.  The second one still had the bobber attached and it was interesting to see where it went.  It started down the dike, only 3 to 5 ft away from the edge of the water.  It just cruised that edge.  We tried to get close and net it, but it took off anytime we got close.

We took a break back in the North Marina to visit the restroom and to have dinner out on the boat, just drifting out in the marina.

We returned to the main lake and decided to break out the trolling gear and see if we could get some walleyes or wipers.  It was slow again for a while.  I finally picked up a smaller eye on the planer board.  I decided to bump up the speed to see if that would help to 3.5 to 4.0.  It did. Jim had 2 good fish on for a bit, but came unbuttoned.  By that time it was getting late and the sun started to go down then we had a flurry.  I put a 22 inch eye in the boat, then another small one.  Jim finally caught his first ever walleye, Yes!  I put another nice eye in the boat, then Jim got his second eye.  It was fast and furious that last 1/2 hour.  By that time it was getting dark and we pulled everything up and headed in.

I the end we put 6 eyes and 3 cats in the cooler.  A fast finish to an overall slow evening.

[doitall5000]

Day on the water with friends, good times, and catching walleyes. thanks for including us.
What seemed to work for the walleyes?

[Jig-fisher]

Jointed ShadRaps caught 5 of 6.

[jjannie]

Sounds like nice day for you and the gang. Think you showed them a real nice time.

[wiperhunter2]

Nice report, what time did you catch that last eye? 
We were out there yesterday morning and experienced the same thing you did, I told Ira that the catching will likely turn on that evening and be good the rest of the weekend, from the sound of your report, I was correct.

[Jig-fisher]

It was probably around 915.  We pulled out of the parking lot around10.

[JArner]

Paul, thanks for protecting my identity . Lesson learned, don’t bring a panfish rig to a catfish fight. We had a great time. The catfish is about to go on the smoker now.

[Tin-Can]

Great nite, great report, great batch of fish. I love sunsets from WB.

[wiperhunter2]

It was probably around 915.  We pulled out of the parking lot around 10.

Wow, I haven't fished out there that late in years, how were the bugs and did you have any lights at the ramp, when loading your boat?

[Jig-fisher]

Bugs were nearly non-existent until we got to the ramp.  The mosquitos were out in force while prepping the boat to go home.  No lights on the ramp but there were several boats pulling out at the same time so lots of headlights.  I turned on the truck bed light and that helped with loading.

There were still several boats out fishing when we left.  If we wouldn't have had our wives, we would have fished longer.  The bite was that good that I didn't want to leave.

[muirco]

Awesome report!!! Glad it picked up at the end!

[BSF]

Bugs were nearly non-existent until we got to the ramp.  The mosquitos were out in force while prepping the boat to go home.  No lights on the ramp but there were several boats pulling out at the same time so lots of headlights.  I turned on the truck bed light and that helped with loading.

There were still several boats out fishing when we left.  If we wouldn't have had our wives, we would have fished longer.  The bite was that good that I didn't want to leave.

Is there a gate by the pay shack that they close at night?
i would not want to get locked in for the night.

[Tin-Can]

Bugs were nearly non-existent until we got to the ramp.  The mosquitos were out in force while prepping the boat to go home.  No lights on the ramp but there were several boats pulling out at the same time so lots of headlights.  I turned on the truck bed light and that helped with loading.

There were still several boats out fishing when we left.  If we wouldn't have had our wives, we would have fished longer.  The bite was that good that I didn't want to leave.

Is there a gate by the pay shack that they close at night?
i would not want to get locked in for the night.

  [color=#005dc2][b]South marina gate going in closes at 10 p.m.   Gate going out closes, but will open  when approached slowly from the inside.  I imagine the North Marina gate does the same.

[Jig-fisher]

North Marina is the same as the south.  There is a sign that says to approach slowly and the gate will open.  It was closed when we left, but opened for the vehicles exiting.