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No-No Day at Willard 3-7-21
#1
No ice, no auger, no wind, no skiers, no skeeters and NO SKUNK.  Good first trip to Willard this year.

Leisurely launch at about 8 am.  A cold 25 degree air temp and 44 degree water temp inside the channel...cooling off a couple of degrees as soon as I got outside.  Dropped as low as 40.5 a few hundred yards out in 16 feet of water.

First two hours a lot of looking and prospecting...with cranks, plastics, crawler harnesses, etc.  Nary a tweak. Covered a lot of underwater acreage with sonar and saw very little.  About 10 I moved back into some 8-10 foot water where I had seen some "bottom bumps".  Rigged with a new blue-silver model of my "Whirly Fligs" on one rod and a plain blue-silver flig on the other.  Both were "sweetened" with the top half of a fresh chub minnow.
[Image: LURE-DU-JOUR.jpg][Image: RESULTS.jpg]

Was beginning to get a whiff of skunk when my whirly flig rod went bendo.  First kitty in the basket.  A few minutes later the same rod was violently hauled down and line screeched off the drag.  WIPER?  I hoped.  But after a serious tug of war with the beast I saw gold instead of white.  A buglemouth of ample proportions.  A worthy battler though.  Released him without the usual complimentary gillectomy.
[Image: CAT-TASTIC.jpg][Image: GOLDEN-WIPER.jpg]

Worked my way slowly back toward the marina...cruising back and forth from 8-10 feet.  The whirly flig produced a couple more decent cats...and I caught a fourth on the regular blue-silver flig.  Four was what I wanted for a fish fry so I bagged it by noon and boogied.
[Image: BLUE-SILVER-FLIG.jpg]

Had a pleasant surprise a bit after 11.  Had Rocky idle up to me in his new ride and we exchanged pleasantries.  He was finishing breaking in his new motor and had not brought fishing gear.  At least that was his excuse for not having any fish to hold up for his picture.  What a conservationist.
[Image: ROCKY.jpg]

Probably one of the nicer days I have enjoyed on Wunnerful Willard.  Glad I brought some hand warmers for the early morning chill, but once the sun got a bit higher it was very springlike.  Even saw a few "Willard Easter Bunnies" on top of the rocks (marmots).  There were 3 boat trailers when I went out and maybe 10 or so when I came in at noon.
[Image: SUNDAY-SERVICES.jpg][Image: LOW-TIDE.jpg]

Water levels are lower than last year, but there is still 6 feet of water off the end of the north dock.  Depth in the channel was 10-11 feet.
[Image: 4-FOR-THE-FRYER.jpg]
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#2
Thanks for the report and pictures.  

Glad to see you are back out terrorizing your finned friends. Big Grin

Great way to start the new year, fantastic weather and no skunk!
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#3
(03-08-2021, 12:07 AM)TubeDude Wrote: No ice, no auger, no wind, no skiers, no skeeters and NO SKUNK.  Good first trip to Willard this year.

Leisurely launch at about 8 am.  A cold 25 degree air temp and 44 degree water temp inside the channel...cooling off a couple of degrees as soon as I got outside.  Dropped as low as 40.5 a few hundred yards out in 16 feet of water.

First two hours a lot of looking and prospecting...with cranks, plastics, crawler harnesses, etc.  Nary a tweak. Covered a lot of underwater acreage with sonar and saw very little.  About 10 I moved back into some 8-10 foot water where I had seen some "bottom bumps".  Rigged with a new blue-silver model of my "Whirly Fligs" on one rod and a plain blue-silver flig on the other.  Both were "sweetened" with the top half of a fresh chub minnow.
[Image: LURE-DU-JOUR.jpg][Image: RESULTS.jpg]

Was beginning to get a whiff of skunk when my whirly flig rod went bendo.  First kitty in the basket.  A few minutes later the same rod was violently hauled down and line screeched off the drag.  WIPER?  I hoped.  But after a serious tug of war with the beast I saw gold instead of white.  A buglemouth of ample proportions.  A worthy battler though.  Released him without the usual complimentary gillectomy.
[Image: CAT-TASTIC.jpg][Image: GOLDEN-WIPER.jpg]

Worked my way slowly back toward the marina...cruising back and forth from 8-10 feet.  The whirly flig produced a couple more decent cats...and I caught a fourth on the regular blue-silver flig.  Four was what I wanted for a fish fry so I bagged it by noon and boogied.
[Image: BLUE-SILVER-FLIG.jpg]

Had a pleasant surprise a bit after 11.  Had Rocky idle up to me in his new ride and we exchanged pleasantries.  He was finishing breaking in his new motor and had not brought fishing gear.  At least that was his excuse for not having any fish to hold up for his picture.  What a conservationist.
[Image: ROCKY.jpg]

Probably one of the nicer days I have enjoyed on Wunnerful Willard.  Glad I brought some hand warmers for the early morning chill, but once the sun got a bit higher it was very springlike.  Even saw a few "Willard Easter Bunnies" on top of the rocks (marmots).  There were 3 boat trailers when I went out and maybe 10 or so when I came in at noon.
[Image: SUNDAY-SERVICES.jpg][Image: LOW-TIDE.jpg]

Water levels are lower than last year, but there is still 6 feet of water off the end of the north dock.  Depth in the channel was 10-11 feet.
[Image: 4-FOR-THE-FRYER.jpg]
44 water temp has me tempted to launch my tube out there. I just got my son most of what he needs to join me in my float tube. He is so excited to be a float tube fisherman. I got him itching to chase walleyes with me. Nice work and thanks for the info. 
Gabe
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#4
Pat, 
You did not modify that carp?
You getting soft on us?
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#5
(03-08-2021, 05:40 AM)MrShane Wrote: Pat, 
You did not modify that carp?
You getting soft on us?
Sorry to disappoint you, but I truly did release that big slimy brute unharmed.  The carp in Willard occupy a lower rung on the biomass ladder than they do in Utah Lake.  Now, if I had caught the same fish in UL, it would have looked more like this at the release.
[Image: OLYMPUS-DIGITAL-CAMERA.jpg]


(03-08-2021, 05:15 AM)Freakyfisherman Wrote: 44 water temp has me tempted to launch my tube out there. I just got my son most of what he needs to join me in my float tube. He is so excited to be a float tube fisherman. I got him itching to chase walleyes with me. Nice work and thanks for the info. 
Gabe
Good on ya.  Hope you guys have a lot of good trips together.  

The water is not yet a uniform 44 degrees...but soon.  The walleye action (spawn) along the rocks should be going strong by the end of the month.  But the REAL fishing for them in Willard is during the post-spawn period from about May through June.  I scored well on them last year.
[Image: 19-IN-WALLEYE.jpg][Image: WALLEYE-ON-GULP.jpg][Image: CHARTREUSE-PERCH-SNARL-EYE.jpg]
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#6
It was good to see you out there, Pat. It was indeed a rare day of glass calm much of the time, building to ripples. I noted 40 to 42 degrees surface temps all over - and I can add a bald eagle to your marmots. Spied one perched on the west levee, looking for his lunch.
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#7
(03-08-2021, 12:43 PM)RockyRaab2 Wrote: It was good to see you out there, Pat. It was indeed a rare day of glass calm much of the time, building to ripples. I noted 40 to 42 degrees surface temps all over - and I can add a bald eagle to your marmots. Spied one perched on the west levee, looking for his lunch.
Always a pleasure to share water with ya...even if you're now a member of the power squadron.  I'll try not to hold that against you.  At least you throttled down and approached in idle mode.

Here's another pic I took of you rocketing off across the lovely lake.  Nice boat.
[Image: ROCKY-ROCKETIING.jpg]
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#8
(03-08-2021, 12:43 PM)RockyRaab2 Wrote: It was good to see you out there, Pat. It was indeed a rare day of glass calm much of the time, building to ripples. I noted 40 to 42 degrees surface temps all over - and I can add a bald eagle to your marmots. Spied one perched on the west levee, looking for his lunch.

Rocky thats a sharp looking boat. I'll be watching for you each time I hit Willard this year.
Do you plan to launch out of the north or south marinas most the time ?  I prefer the south marina, better docks, can park my rig closer to the docks in the Disabled / Senior lot, rest rooms and cleaning station closer to ramps. 
"OCD = Obsessive Catfish Disorder "
    Or so it says on my license plate holder
                                 
Cool
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#9
I have always preferred the north marina due to the rocks and shallowness of the south at times. I also know the fishing areas better at the north end. But I'm open to exploration. Now that break-in is done, my next trip will be with tackle.
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#10
Great job my friend. Glad you got out with some success. Really like your new whirly fligs.
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#11
(03-08-2021, 08:58 PM)lee! Wrote: Great job my friend. Glad you got out with some success. Really like your new whirly fligs.
Yeah, I know the guy who makes them if you need some.

Did you get your family visiting done yet?  
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#12
Nice report and pics Pat, after a slow start, it sounds like you got them figured out pretty good.
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#13
(03-08-2021, 09:56 PM)wiperhunter2 Wrote: Nice report and pics Pat, after a slow start, it sounds like you got them figured out pretty good.
As we have both discovered, you can't ketch 'em where they ain't.  This time of year, with water temps, water chemistry and food supplies still changing after ice-off the fish can be just about anywhere...or completely absent in many areas.  Without electronics to at least let you know there are "marks" in the area you can fish a lot of fishless water.  And, unfortunately, merely finding the fish is no guarantee they will cooperate.   Even after I worked out the very narrow "zone of opportunity", it still took a lot of looking and a lot of time between bites.  But at least I finished with some tugs.  There have been a few years when my first trip to Willard was my annual one and only skunk trip.   I should be properly grateful.

Definitely a challenge.  But with warming temps I anticipate it will get better.
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#14
(03-08-2021, 09:10 PM)TubeDude Wrote:
(03-08-2021, 08:58 PM)lee! Wrote: Great job my friend. Glad you got out with some success. Really like your new whirly fligs.
Yeah, I know the guy who makes them if you need some.

Did you get your family visiting done yet?  
we sure did and it was great. didnt realized how much i missed them. Bobby picked up one of the grand babies and tore the rotator cuff in her arm and the doc says it will require surgery to repair. not sure when i will be able to get out but i would like to pick up some of the new fligs when it works for you.
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#15
(03-08-2021, 10:09 PM)lee! Wrote:
(03-08-2021, 09:10 PM)TubeDude Wrote:
(03-08-2021, 08:58 PM)lee! Wrote: Great job my friend. Glad you got out with some success. Really like your new whirly fligs.
Yeah, I know the guy who makes them if you need some.

Did you get your family visiting done yet?  
we sure did and it was great. didnt realized how much i missed them. Bobby picked up one of the grand babies and tore the rotator cuff in her arm and the doc says it will require surgery to repair. not sure when i will be able to get out but i would like to pick up some of the new fligs when it works for you.
You know where I live...and you got my number (so does my wife).  Have your peeps contact my peeps.
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#16
(03-08-2021, 02:53 PM)RockyRaab2 Wrote: I have always preferred the north marina due to the rocks and shallowness of the south at times. I also know the fishing areas better at the north end. But I'm open to exploration. Now that break-in is done, my next trip will be with tackle.

   The south channel out of the marina was dredged several years ago. I think Pat said the south channel was 10-11 feet deep. And it will get a bit deeper initially with the spring run off.  Stay near the middle of the channel and there is plenty of depth.  Once you get out past the buoys at the south channel you can go in any direction with safe depth water.  If you want to do some Walleye searching around the island, it's alot closer to the south marina.
"OCD = Obsessive Catfish Disorder "
    Or so it says on my license plate holder
                                 
Cool
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#17
I meant the rocks right off the launch ramp. But now I seem to recall that some volunteers removed some of those prop busters. Am I right?
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#18
(03-08-2021, 11:17 PM)RockyRaab2 Wrote: I meant the rocks right off the launch ramp. But now I seem to recall that some volunteers removed some of those prop busters. Am I right?


    Yep, Curt and a few others I don't remember their names. That was 2 or 3 years ago.  I usually launch off the center ramp. Just keep your motor trimmed down enough to put the water intake in. Then once you get to the outside of the dock you trim down a bit more.
"OCD = Obsessive Catfish Disorder "
    Or so it says on my license plate holder
                                 
Cool
Reply
#19
Thanks for another fun and inspiring report. I'm glad you didn't take the no-go option. I thought I was going to be harrassing the kitties at Utah Lake by now, but my basment finish is not quite done. Finished the flooring yesterday and now it is just a few final touches and then i'll get after them.

Looking like it might be an early spring! Keep up the great work!
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#20
(03-09-2021, 06:51 PM)Piscophilic Wrote: Thanks for another fun and inspiring report. I'm glad you didn't take the no-go option. I thought I was going to be harrassing the kitties at Utah Lake by now, but my basment finish is not quite done. Finished the flooring yesterday and now it is just a few final touches and then i'll get after them.

Looking like it might be an early spring! Keep up the great work!
Tanks yer own self.  Appreciate the feedback.  Hoping you and Julie can resume speed soon and provide us with some more outstanding reports.

Between upcoming weather forecasts and some personal commitments I'm not sure when I can head south to harass the UL denizens.  But I'm definitely gonna get after 'em ASAP.  We got a long season ahead.  Hoping we can bring in some yardlongs.
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