First Willard Launch 4-30-23

[TubeDude]

With our ding-dong up and down weather patterns ya gotta go fishin' when ya can.  My family schedule and my recent health episode has kept me ashore far longer than usual this year.  Couldn't get out last week and the windy forecast for next week ain't too positive for us float tube types.  So I decided to worship at the church of the seventh day angler.  So did a lot of other folks.  Had a lot of company at the south marina at Willard.  The upside of going fishing on Sunday is that there is a lot less traffic on the freeway.  The downside is that they all head for the lake.
 
 
Knowing that the best bite lately has been after the water warms up a bit, I didn't get there crazy early.  By the time I launched about 7:30 there were already a whole bunch of boats and other floatation craft launched ahead of me. Air temp was a balmy 50 at launch...warming to almost 70 by noon departure.  Water temp was a chilly 46 in the harbor and channel...but a warmer 54 in the main lake and over 56 by noon.  Gonna top 60 pretty soon with the warm days forecast ahead.

Didn't see many signs of life on sonar going out the channel.  Cold muddy water...with a lot of sticks and debris.  Didn't even put in a line until I had motored well out into the main lake.  Still wasn't seeing much on TV.  An occasional blip here and there...with absolutely nothing showing on side imaging.  Dragged a variety of lures and baits at different depths and different speeds...for the nothingness on my sonar screen.  Went out as far as 21 FOW and then worked my way back toward the dikes. 

As I got closer to the feed lot...in about 14 FOW...I began to see signs of life.  A few marks on the bottom and a few more suspended from just above the bottom to about mid-depth.  Began dragging a flig and minnow on one rod and throwing a white Gulp minnow on a "Pistol Pat" wobble jig on the other.  Got a few hits on both.  Lost a couple of small walleyes on the jigs right at the tube.  Missed several pop and drops on the flig rig.  Finally went bendo on a 22 inch catfish to kill the skunk.  Whew.


Lovely day on the water.  No W.  Lots of snow still on the tops of the mountains but it looks like it is quickly losing the race to the green pushing it up the slope.


I saw a lot of boats washing lures on all sides of me...some shallower and some deeper.  Didn't see any of them stop or get the net wet.  And when I chatted up a few fellow tanglers back at the ramp most admitted to blanking.  A much better day for fishing than catching.

[2knots]

Glad you got out and felt some tugs, sure is a beautiful day to be out.

[oldguy]

Thanks for the report pat . I will be there tomorrow and I will see if I can find some active fish seems  that they are hiding better in the deeper water. I am having a real learning  curve.

[wiperhunter2]

Glad you were able to get out, too bad the wallies did not let you scoop them up but good to know they can be found in a little more shallow water, than where we caught them on  Fri.

[hook_sets]

I almost went to Willard today, but decided to go to deercreek. Caught a couple of rainbows on worm under a float.

[TubeDude]

Thanks for the report pat . I will be there tomorrow and I will see if I can find some active fish seems  that they are hiding better in the deeper water. I am having a real learning  curve.

Keep your learning antenna up and keep an open mind.  During this "transition period" of post spawn wallies, pre spawn wipers and cats and changing water temps and other conditions there are no absolutes.  Water levels and water temps are rising...along with fish activity levels.  And that makes for changing conditions almost on a daily basis.  What worked for some anglers one day may be totally ineffective the next day.

In short.  Make good use of your electronics and work hard to first find fish.  Then you gotta reason out what to serve them...how deep...and how fast.  If it all comes together you have a catching day and not just a fishing day.

I spent some time fishing competitions when I lived in California.  I learned a lot about finding fish and working out a "pattern".  But I also learned that on any given water...no matter what the conditions...there would almost always be active fish somewhere.  On days when most competitors came in with few or no fish there were always a few who brought in limits of good fish.

It helps to have a good boat for mobility, good electronics and an accumulated knowledge base of the water you are fishing (Willard).  But getting good reliable current reports from successful anglers can at least provide a place to start...even if you have to make modifications or even completely change it up. 

You probably won't read this until after you get back.  Hope you do well and look forward to a glowing report.

[SkunkedAgain]

Hey Pat, sure agree with that post, it's the ascents of fishing... find them and then try to fool them into taking hold... Great advice, just so hard to do consistently for me... Later Jeff

[TubeDude]

I almost went to Willard today, but decided to go to deercreek.  Caught a couple of rainbows on worm under a float. 

Nice rainbows.  Good to give the crappies a break for a while.  Right?  Have you been finding any more walleyes?

[oldguy]

Well it was a long day today.  I was lucky enough to get 2 small walleye  on # 5 flicker shad north of  the Island but really struggling  to find active fish. Seems like the fish are really spread out. Not really finding them bunched  up any where. Seen a few boats. But  they seemed to be doing the same just trying to find  fish. Thanks pat for the info it helped today. Biil

[TubeDude]

Well it was a long day today.  I was lucky enough to get 2 small walleye  on # 5 flicker shad north of  the Island but really struggling  to find active fish. Seems like the fish are really spread out. Not really finding them bunched  up any where. Seen a few boats. But  they seemed to be doing the same just trying to find  fish. Thanks pat for the info it helped today. Biil

Glad you at least got a couple.  With the combination of cold rising water and a lack of food to concentrate the fish, it is common for them to be spread out.  They are all searching for food and warmer water zones...independently.  Once there are schools of shad to keep fish in any given area you can usually catch multiple fish in the same area by continuing to work it after you catch the first one.  Right now it is the "biblical system"...Seek and ye shall find (maybe). 

There are good numbers of walleye in Willard these days.  The DWR program for spawning them and planting the hatchlings has resulted in a lot more walleye for anglers.  But the total biomass of fish is spread out over an increasing large area of the lake as it rises much higher this year.  And the fish are just getting accustomed to having some deeper water in more areas.  Once water temps and water levels stabilize...and some newly spawned shad reach edible size...it should be gangbusters for the walleye warriors.  As I have said before, anybody who can't catch a walleye by late May or June probably couldn't catch a cold.

[fsh4fun05]

[quote pid="1144727" dateline="1683031443"]
As I have said before, anybody who can't catch a walleye by late May or June probably couldn't catch a cold.
[/quote]

  I pride myself on not catching a cold and never made the walleye connection but it all makes sense now!  
 Hey Pat! Its been a bit. Years? It makes me happy to see that you are still out there gettin after it and rockin the tube, dude. Hats off to you, much respect.
  I'll be up at Willard and/or Mantua this weekend. Still chasing those silly bass. But the draw of Willard...looks like you have updated your electronics Mr. Side Imaging! 
  Let me take you lunch or dinner one day soon. It would be great to catch up.

[wiperhunter2]

  I pride myself on not catching a cold and never made the walleye connection but it all makes sense now!  
 Hey Pat! Its been a bit. Years? It makes me happy to see that you are still out there gettin after it and rockin the tube, dude. Hats off to you, much respect.
  I'll be up at Willard and/or Mantua this weekend. Still chasing those silly bass. But the draw of Willard...looks like you have updated your electronics Mr. Side Imaging! 
  Let me take you lunch or dinner one day soon. It would be great to catch up.

Wow, your back, I was wondering if you had given up on fishing or just BFT, glad to see you found your way back.

[TubeDude]

[quote pid="1144727" dateline="1683031443"]
As I have said before, anybody who can't catch a walleye by late May or June probably couldn't catch a cold.

  I pride myself on not catching a cold and never made the walleye connection but it all makes sense now!  
 Hey Pat! Its been a bit. Years? It makes me happy to see that you are still out there gettin after it and rockin the tube, dude. Hats off to you, much respect.
  I'll be up at Willard and/or Mantua this weekend. Still chasing those silly bass. But the draw of Willard...looks like you have updated your electronics Mr. Side Imaging! 
  Let me take you lunch or dinner one day soon. It would be great to catch up.
[/quote]
Good to see you back.  Thanks fer the kindly comments.  And, yes, I have upgraded electronics...A Garmin Stryker 7  with lots of functions.  But the operator doesn't always function as well as the sonar.  Also upgraded to a lithium battery for my motor.  The older I get the more I rely on motor power. 

Good luck with the bass.  And, yes, it would be good to get together for some catching up.

[FatBiker]

Pat, good to hear you're on your feet and fishing again. Took a new tube up to the north marina the other day, hoping to find a wiper in the south east corner. Water's still too cold for that fun and games, but I did find two or three dumb kitties along the boat docks. Give me a yell when you're headed this way

[TubeDude]

Pat, good to hear you're on your feet and fishing again. Took a new tube up to the north marina the other day, hoping to find a wiper in the south east corner. Water's still too cold for that fun and games, but I did find two or three dumb kitties along the boat docks. Give me a yell when you're headed this way

Hey Larry, I've been wondering if you were still around.  I know you gave up on ice fishing after your swim last year but was hoping you hadn't quit fishing all together.  If you got a new tube I'm guessing that the knees are okay.  My wife has had both knees done and is still pretty gimpy.  I'll shoot you a PM with plans.  We gotta get together.