Date Night Willard 5/13

[Jig-fisher]

I hit up my wife for a date yesterday afternoon to go hit Willard in the evening. She is not a die hard fisher person but if I limit our outings to a couple of hours, she usually likes to tag along.  

We went to the north marina. We did not get out on the water until around 6 pm.  Headed over to the west dike to where we had caught a few the last couple of outings.  Set out 2 spinner rigs on bottom bouncers and 2 cranks.  Within 10 minutes had a little fish hit a crank.  Turned out to be a smallmouth bass.  Didn't go much further and got a nice cat on one of the bouncers. Turned around and went through that area again and my wife got our 1st walleye.  Then a cat on the same crank, followed by 2 other eyes.  By 730, 6 fish boated.  I was feeling pretty good and thought it will probably only get better as the sun sinks lower.  Well, I was wrong.  We never boated another fish.  At 830 we pulled everything up and headed back to the marina.  Water temp on the west side was 69 degrees. We caught fish anywhere from only 15 feet off the dike to out to 16 ft. deep.

[doitall5000]

Your pictures look like you fished the north dike going west.
That's good fishing, better take her along every time.
I find it hard to run cranks and bottom bouncers at the same speed. What was your speed?

[Jig-fisher]

1.1 to 1.3 most of the time.  If I lost contact with the bottom I would slow down.  Yes we were on the northwest side.

[Cowboypirate]

I expected more wind out there but looking at your photos, It looks pretty calm.

[Mooseman75]

Your second picture with her in the sunglasses the water looks photo shopped in that's cool....sounds like my wife she likes those short 1.5-2.5 hour trips but she goes to appease me and spend time with me, she will not touch a fish and she will hunger strike before she eats one... BTW Nirvana rocks love em lol

[Jig-fisher]

Lance, even though you probably know, it was yesterday, weather was nice.

Justin, she wanted the sunglasses on in the second picture so everyone would know it was a different fish.  She does like her rock bands and Nirvava is only one of many that she likes.  Good thing is that my whole family loves to eat fish.  Never any wasted at our house.  Fried walleye and catfish was on the menu tonight with a baked potato and corn on the cob.

[wiperhunter2]

I've said this before but any guy that can get their wife or girl friend to go out fishing with them is a lucky man, even if it is only for a few hours. I was going to ask you about running cranks at the same speed as bottom bouncers but since you have answered that question, my next question is, were you running the cranks off the bottom bouncers or were you using deep diving or shallow cranks? I've run small cranks off bouncers before with some success but bigger cranks seem to need more speed to get the action going.

[Jig-fisher]

I've said this before but any guy that can get their wife or girl friend to go out fishing with them is a lucky man, even if it is only for a few hours. I was going to ask you about running cranks at the same speed as bottom bouncers but since you have answered that question, my next question is, were you running the cranks off the bottom bouncers or were you using deep diving or shallow cranks? I've run small cranks off bouncers before with some success but bigger cranks seem to need more spreed to get the action going.

I run the bouncers straight back behind the boat.  I have 2 flush mounted rod holders back there.  I run the cranks off the side.  I fish shallower running cranks and flicker shads. They still have a nice little wiggle action to them even at slow speeds.

[Jig-fisher]

I've said this before but any guy that can get their wife or girl friend to go out fishing with them is a lucky man, even if it is only for a few hours. I was going to ask you about running cranks at the same speed as bottom bouncers but since you have answered that question, my next question is, were you running the cranks off the bottom bouncers or were you using deep diving or shallow cranks? I've run small cranks off bouncers before with some success but bigger cranks seem to need more speed to get the action going.

I realized I didn't answer your question.  No, I do not run cranks off a bottom bouncer.

[Freakyfisherman]

I've said this before but any guy that can get their wife or girl friend to go out fishing with them is a lucky man, even if it is only for a few hours. I was going to ask you about running cranks at the same speed as bottom bouncers but since you have answered that question, my next question is, were you running the cranks off the bottom bouncers or were you using deep diving or shallow cranks? I've run small cranks off bouncers before with some success but bigger cranks seem to need more speed to get the action going.

I only took my wife fishing once. Once is all she gets. I took her to pineview and we were casting large crankbaits. She was in the process of casting, leaning back when her crankbait caught my crotch. Luckily I was able to stop her attempt to cast her lure. Yeah, so I feel lucky I was still able to have 3 kids with her. 
Gabe

[wiperhunter2]

I realized I didn't answer your question.  No, I do not run cranks off a bottom bouncer.

How deep do the shallow cranks run you were using and did you catch any fish on them? When I'm trolling  bouncers and using a crankbait, I like the untralite type that floats, at .9 to 1.1 mph, depending on  the length of leader, it can work for those eyes suspended just off the bottom.

[wiperhunter2]

I've said this before but any guy that can get their wife or girl friend to go out fishing with them is a lucky man, even if it is only for a few hours. I was going to ask you about running cranks at the same speed as bottom bouncers but since you have answered that question, my next question is, were you running the cranks off the bottom bouncers or were you using deep diving or shallow cranks? I've run small cranks off bouncers before with some success but bigger cranks seem to need more speed to get the action going.

I only took my wife fishing once. Once is all she gets. I took her to pineview and we were casting large crankbaits. She was in the process of casting, leaning back when her crankbait caught my crotch. Luckily I was able to stop her attempt to cast her lure. Yeah, so I feel lucky I was still able to have 3 kids with her. 
Gabe

That was so funny, if that really happened I can understand not wanting to take her fishing again. Maybe that was why she did it, lol.

[Mooseman75]

I've said this before but any guy that can get their wife or girl friend to go out fishing with them is a lucky man, even if it is only for a few hours. I was going to ask you about running cranks at the same speed as bottom bouncers but since you have answered that question, my next question is, were you running the cranks off the bottom bouncers or were you using deep diving or shallow cranks? I've run small cranks off bouncers before with some success but bigger cranks seem to need more speed to get the action going.

I only took my wife fishing once. Once is all she gets. I took her to pineview and we were casting large crankbaits. She was in the process of casting, leaning back when her crankbait caught my crotch. Luckily I was able to stop her attempt to cast her lure. Yeah, so I feel lucky I was still able to have 3 kids with her. 
Gabe

Maybe she felt she needed bait.........I'm sorry I had to say it

[Jig-fisher]

I realized I didn't answer your question.  No, I do not run cranks off a bottom bouncer.

How deep do the shallow cranks run you were using and did you catch any fish on them? When I'm trolling  bouncers and using a crankbait, I like the untralite type that floats, at .9 to 1.1 mph, depending on  the length of leader, it can work for those eyes suspended just off the bottom.

They run around 6-9 ft deep.  They float when at rest. We caught all but one on the cranks.  Had two other hits/bites on the harnesses, but no hookups.

[wiperhunter2]

I realized I didn't answer your question.  No, I do not run cranks off a bottom bouncer.

How deep do the shallow cranks run you were using and did you catch any fish on them? When I'm trolling  bouncers and using a crankbait, I like the untralite type that floats, at .9 to 1.1 mph, depending on  the length of leader, it can work for those eyes suspended just off the bottom.

They run around 6-9 ft deep.  They float when at rest. We caught all but one on the cranks.  Had two other hits/bites on the harnesses, but no hookups.

Well that is good news that you caught them that shallow. From what I've been reading most people are catching them deeper, so the fact that they are chasing lures at that depth, means things are about to really turn on.

[JArner]

Great report Paul, looks like I need to get out on Willard soon.

[Justaguywaworm]

It's always a good date night when the Kitty Cats put out like that.