Willard Bay Friday and Sunday 4/30 and 5/2/2021

[Mildog]

Hit Willard a couple days to try for some walleye and wipers.
Fished Friday afternoon by myself with some help from my fishing boat companion “Bella”.
Got on the water about 1pm hoping warming temps would turn the fish on. When I arrived temp was about 60 degrees (which I was hoping for, sort of a magic number) by the time I left at at about 4:45 it was 66 degrees in main lake. Action did not disappoint, I ended up with 4 nice walleye no Wipers. I used   
Lipless and deep diving crank baits trolling at 2 MPH, it took about an hour for first fish then hit another. Both fish on Rat l trap blue chrome. So I changed out the deep runner and put on a Steelshad blade lure in shad color and got 2 more. It was very warm on Friday. The dog was getting hot so I decided to quit with the 4 walleye and drop the dog in for he obligatory swim and retrieve session, then head home.
I’ll take 4 walleye in just over 3 hours for the first trip out anytime. 15 to 16 foot depth was best did not mark a ton of fish, a few marks on the bottom and fewer but I did mark some suspended. Caught ALL of the fish midway in the water column on Steelshad and Rat l Trap, I did see 2 strikes I missed as well.
Decided to run up Sunday since it was pretty good in Friday. Much cooler Sunday when the two of us got on the water, quite different than Friday which made me nervous. Water temp only 54 and only made it up to 59 by the time we left. We managed 1 nice Wiper 4.75 pounds and a chunky walleye. Had a cool breeze and a few rain drops much of the day on Sunday. Crappie action was good on Friday, although I did not fish for them, Sunday with the cooler air and water temps it was slower for the crappie we caught a couple and saw a fair number of other caught but much slower than Friday.







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[Jig-fisher]

Wow, nice report.  I'm planning on an afternoon/evening trip tomorrow.  It's my Dad's 76th birthday today and I invited him to go fish with me as a birthday present. He is sure excited to go.  I hope we can find some willing ones.

[SkunkedAgain]

Sounds like a great couple days... Congrats... Jeff

[wiperhunter2]

Awesome report and pics, I knew it was about to happen and was thinking the other day when we were out there that a afternoon trip might be the best way to catch more eyes. Were all the eyes you caught in one spot or did you catch them in several locations? How long was that hog wiper you caught?

[RockyRaab2]

That's what we've all been waiting to hear. I'm heading up Tuesday.

[Mildog]

Awesome report and pics, I knew it was about to happen and was thinking the other day when we were out there that a afternoon trip might be the best way to catch more eyes. Were all the eyes you caught in one spot or did you catch them in several locations? How long was that hog wiper you caught?

Did not measure the wiper but weighed it on digital scale 4.76 Lbs. It was a tank.  Someone asked in another thread: Caught fish over a wide area where I usually find them basically out in middle in 15 to 16 feet of water, All fish caught in the water column, deeper running lure did not produce. Rat l Trap lipless and Steelshad. Wiper was on shallow shad rap.

and yes right now afternoon is key for sure, warmer water temps !!! Temps have dropped so that will mess them uo for a bit until it warms again, then game on !!

[doitall5000]

Wow, nice report.  I'm planning on an afternoon/evening trip tomorrow.  It's my Dad's 76th birthday today and I invited him to go fish with me as a birthday present. He is sure excited to go.  I hope we can find some willing ones.

Thanks for the details. That shad rap is what I have used. I'm using a chrome and blue.
I left at 1:30, thats my mistake. I did get two.
I ll see you one day, my boat is like yours.I made this to help me when I'm alone. 

[JArner]

Thanks for the report, sounds like it's time to head out and catch some eyes.

[a_bow_nut]

I went Saturday afternoon and drug bottom bouncers in freeway bay. Picked up two cats 16 and 18 inches. Also picked up two walleye with the largest going 23.5 inches.

[Mildog]

Wow, nice report.  I'm planning on an afternoon/evening trip tomorrow.  It's my Dad's 76th birthday today and I invited him to go fish with me as a birthday present. He is sure excited to go.  I hope we can find some willing ones.

Thanks for the details. That shad rap is what I have used. I'm using a chrome and blue.
I left at 1:30, thats my mistake. I did get two.
I ll see you one day, my boat is like yours.I made this to help me when I'm alone. 

Yes if you could you should have stayed !! Right now with the temps afternoon is key. I don't fish alone most of the time, but can load and launch my Tin boat by myself pretty easy. The ramp at willard is a bit of a challenge cause I have to back in so far. I just back in close to the dock and I can step in and out pretty easy ! May see you on the water sometime 17 foot Gregor "fishing machine" LOL and my companion Hybird duck dog !   

Time to switch gears and pack tackle and stuff for Lake Poweel heading down for a few days in the morning

[fishinfool]

Wow, nice report.  I'm planning on an afternoon/evening trip tomorrow.  It's my Dad's 76th birthday today and I invited him to go fish with me as a birthday present. He is sure excited to go.  I hope we can find some willing ones.

Thanks for the details. That shad rap is what I have used. I'm using a chrome and blue.
I left at 1:30, thats my mistake. I did get two.
I ll see you one day, my boat is like yours.I made this to help me when I'm alone. 

Yes if you could you should have stayed !! Right now with the temps afternoon is key. I don't fish alone most of the time, but can load and launch my Tin boat by myself pretty easy. The ramp at willard is a bit of a challenge cause I have to back in so far. I just back in close to the dock and I can step in and out pretty easy ! May see you on the water sometime 17 foot Gregor "fishing machine" LOL and my companion Hybird duck dog !   

Time to switch gears and pack tackle and stuff for Lake Poweel heading down for a few days in the morning

We caught a couple on Saturday. Looks like I should have been out in the middle instead of trolling dike. I got skunked ( Did have a walleye on but got off half way in) but the wife got 4-5 Smallies and two respectable walleye. We also have a dog companion that has to be anywhere the action is. Thanks for your detailed report hope to see you out there. If you see us give us a wave and and will come let you know how we are fairing. 

[wiperhunter2]

Have you had that boat for long Tony? Looks like some nice eyes and a good looking pooch, is it a hunting dog?