Willard Tues. May 28

[Jmorfish]

MwScott and I paid our dues, but finally got a few nicer nuggets out of Willard's waters...but it took some doing...spoke to Tube Dude at the launch pad before heading out of the So. Marina, hollered and waved at DuBob as he went to talk to TD also, and later ran into ObiFishkenobi over by the Lite Pole area..Heading West toward the S/W corner simply produced 1 hit and a miss..slow, slow.. crankbaits on 2 planers, 2 bottom bouncers w/nite crawler harness..we sure thought they looked good, but no players, 'til finally we got closer to Lite Pole area, 1 planer board just sort of moved a little differently..I waited a bit, thought hhmm, maybe we should check it out, asked MW to reel that 1 in...he felt some weight, then finally some tugs, 'Fish on'..and slowly we got the skunk out of the boat and put in a very healthy 21" walleye, #5 Reverse Cougar Flicker shad, treble hooks tipped w/1" pc nite crawler...perch and walleyes like nite crawlers...going thru the area again, nothing doing...in this area, talking to Obi, he had just caught 1 eye also...about 1230 we started heading back, thru "the openness" toward our So. Marina..soon got another lite hit,  also #5 flicker shad...this one just long-lined back 150' w/1oz weight...slowly getting in a chunky jumbo perch..about 5 mins later, same thing, this time on planer on the walleye crainkbait set..great perch...about 15 mins later, port side planer takes off..after an arm wrestle and knock down fist fight MW finally agrees it was my turn, and I had a great tug o war with a fat and sassy cat, larger than the walleye...We should have quit then, but you know how it goes...just 1 more fish...but it didn't happen, at least trying another hour toward the marina...for a "Poor Fishing" solunar chart day, I guess we did ok..4 quality fish from Willard's waters...slow fishing (catching) but good day to be out on the water...Guluk..

[wiperhunter2]

I heard from others, that it was slow for everyone yesterday but glad to hear you got out and and did as good as others. What weight was the bottom bouncers you used?

[obifishkenobi]

MwScott and I paid our dues, but finally got a few nicer nuggets out of Willard's waters...but it took some doing...spoke to Tube Dude at the launch pad before heading out of the So. Marina, hollered and waved at DuBob as he went to talk to TD also, and later ran into ObiFishkenobi over by the Lite Pole area..Heading West toward the S/W corner simply produced 1 hit and a miss..slow, slow.. crankbaits on 2 planers, 2 bottom bouncers w/nite crawler harness..we sure thought they looked good, but no players, 'til finally we got closer to Lite Pole area, 1 planer board just sort of moved a little differently..I waited a bit, thought hhmm, maybe we should check it out, asked MW to reel that 1 in...he felt some weight, then finally some tugs, 'Fish on'..and slowly we got the skunk out of the boat and put in a very healthy 21" walleye, #5 Reverse Cougar Flicker shad, treble hooks tipped w/1" pc nite crawler...perch and walleyes like nite crawlers...going thru the area again, nothing doing...in this area, talking to Obi, he had just caught 1 eye also...about 1230 we started heading back, thru "the openness" toward our So. Marina..soon got another lite hit,  also #5 flicker shad...this one just long-lined back 150' w/1oz weight...slowly getting in a chunky jumbo perch..about 5 mins later, same thing, this time on planer on the walleye crainkbait set..great perch...about 15 mins later, port side planer takes off..after an arm wrestle and knock down fist fight MW finally agrees it was my turn, and I had a great tug o war with a fat and sassy cat, larger than the walleye...We should have quit then, but you know how it goes...just 1 more fish...but it didn't happen, at least trying another hour toward the marina...for a "Poor Fishing" solunar chart day, I guess we did ok..4 quality fish from Willard's waters...slow fishing (catching) but good day to be out on the water...Guluk..

Good seeing you on the water, I didn't get launched until 11 am yesterday and it took a while to find them you guys watched me get my first of the day I stayed right where you saw me and did turns until 6 pm. I caught 10 walleye putting back 4 small ones, I did keep one small one to finish out my limit for the day and 1 catfish. I got all of mine on 2 oz. bottom bouncers going 1.7-2.1 mph with long 125+ setbacks perch pattern Lindy rig was my best producer. I'll have Fast Randy and a couple of his buddy's with me Friday and I think Ill pick up some 2.5oz Bottom bouncers as the average depth is now 25'

[TubeDude]

Hey Joe, it was great seeing you again...and getting to meet your date for the day.  Good to see Bob too.  Wonder how he did.  Sorry you guys didn't do better.  I thought you would probably kill 'em.  At least you got something for your troubles.  Me too...but not much.  Can only get better from here.

Methinks it is going to be a matter of finding the warmer and more productive spots for a few days yet.  And then the temps should be high enough all over the lake to get everybody into more fish.  I hope, I hope, I hope.

[wiperhunter2]

 I didn't get launched until 11 am yesterday and it took a while to find them, I stayed until 6 pm. I caught 10 walleye putting back 4 small ones, I did keep one small one to finish out my limit for the day and 1 catfish. I got all of mine on 2 oz. bottom bouncers going 1.7-2.1 mph with long 125+ setbacks perch pattern Lindy rig was my best producer. I'll have Fast Randy and a couple of his buddy's with me Friday and I think Ill pick up some 2.5oz Bottom bouncers as the average depth is now 25'

You guys did better than most members did Shawn. I wonder if the late afternoon time frame is better this week
Lets hope Fri is even better.

[Jmorfish]

I heard from others, that it was slow for everyone yesterday but glad to hear you got out and and did as good as others. What weight was the bottom bouncers you used?

Hey Curtis..probably same wgt as most are using, 2oz..usually trolling 1.2 to 1.7,  that usually kept us on the bottom..a couple of times on the bottom when I wished we weren't, as we got hung up pretty bad twice and lost some gear...dangitall!!

---

Hey Joe, it was great seeing you again...and getting to meet your date for the day.  Good to see Bob too.  Wonder how he did.  Sorry you guys didn't do better.  I thought you would probably kill 'em.  At least you got something for your troubles.  Me too...but not much.  Can only get better from here.

Methinks it is going to be a matter of finding the warmer and more productive spots for a few days yet.  And then the temps should be high enough all over the lake to get everybody into more fish.  I hope, I hope, I hope.

Pretty sure MW will want to come along to check out some of your new candy at your candy store..Others we talked to on or off the water had slow, or no results...so we were ok with our effort...I've had way better, and way worse days out there..hope to see ya soon...

[obifishkenobi]

 I didn't get launched until 11 am yesterday and it took a while to find them, I stayed until 6 pm. I caught 10 walleye putting back 4 small ones, I did keep one small one to finish out my limit for the day and 1 catfish. I got all of mine on 2 oz. bottom bouncers going 1.7-2.1 mph with long 125+ setbacks perch pattern Lindy rig was my best producer. I'll have Fast Randy and a couple of his buddy's with me Friday and I think Ill pick up some 2.5oz Bottom bouncers as the average depth is now 25'

You guys did better than most members did Shawn. I wonder if the late afternoon time frame is better this week
Lets hope Fri is even better.

It was just me yesterday as I got my work done early and headed out on a last minute trip to put some fish in my freezer for summer fish fry's, I usually send most of the catch home with my guest. The surface temp got up to 70.5 degree before a breeze started at 5pm and then it dropped several degrees. I did pick up a couple 2.5oz. bottom bouncers today that Ill run Friday and see if it makes a difference. Yesterday was the first trip this year I wish I had a bag of ice in my fish box the fish looked a little worse for wear when I cleaned them, but the fillets where still firm and good when I vacuum sealed them. One thing I think helped with my success yesterday, is once I got that first fish I just kept grinding in the same 100 yard box, like you guys and I did last friday.

[TubeDude]

Nice work.  Glad you found the honey hole before you left.  Always good to read the stocking reports to know where DWR stocked the fish.  Oh! But those weren't slimers.  Right?

Your experience empasizes several things.  First, keep moving and changing it up until you find fish...and what they want.  Ya cain't ketch 'em where they ain't.  Second, once you find fish...and the right pattern...keep on keepin' on.  Don't leave fish to find fish.  Can't believe how many guys catch a fish or two and then keep on moving to other areas.  We don't always know what it is that brings or keeps fish in one area over another...food, temperatures or whatever.  But once you find them take advantage of it and don't question your luck.

[wiperhunter2]

 I didn't get launched until 11 am yesterday and it took a while to find them, I stayed until 6 pm. I caught 10 walleye putting back 4 small ones, I did keep one small one to finish out my limit for the day and 1 catfish. I got all of mine on 2 oz. bottom bouncers going 1.7-2.1 mph with long 125+ setbacks perch pattern Lindy rig was my best producer. I'll have Fast Randy and a couple of his buddy's with me Friday and I think Ill pick up some 2.5oz Bottom bouncers as the average depth is now 25'

You guys did better than most members did Shawn. I wonder if the late afternoon time frame is better this week
Lets hope Fri is even better.

It was just me yesterday as I got my work done early and headed out on a last minute trip to put some fish in my freezer for summer fish fry's, I usually send most of the catch home with my guest. The surface temp got up to 70.5 degree before a breeze started at 5pm and then it dropped several degrees. I did pick up a couple 2.5oz. bottom bouncers today that Ill run Friday and see if it makes a difference. Yesterday was the first trip this year I wish I had a bag of ice in my fish box the fish looked a little worse for wear when I cleaned them, but the fillets where still firm and good when I vacuum sealed them. One thing I think helped with my success yesterday, is once I got that first fish I just kept grinding in the same 100 yard box, like you guys and I did last friday.

Good to hear the temps are getting that warm, later in the day. The ones we caught last week were put on ice as soon as we got off the water. It always makes a difference to stay in one spot when catching fish, sometimes it's a while between fish being caught but in other areas, you can cover a lot of ground to catch few if any fish. When the catching gets better that will change but I guess we aren't there yet.

[Paddler]

I was out there yesterday, too, with a buddy. Very slow for us, trolling crankbaits behind boards. Tried SR 7s, a deep Reef Runner, Thunderstick Jr's, etc. The Island, SW corner, then headed to Freeway Bay. I felt a little off, as the deeper water (99.63% of full pool) and marking fish just off the bottom and not being able to get down to them. Maybe I should have taken my downriggers.

I used to bottom bounce in my old tiller steer Alumacraft Magnum 165, but haven't done so since 2005 when I bought my Hewescraft. No bow mount electric. Also, my Lowrance LCX 111c HD, now 18 years old, was reading the water temp at 18F, and got up to 29F later. I ordered a new transducer. I think I can bottom bounch using the drift socks I use for kokanee, but wasn't set up to do it yesterday.

We called it about 2:30, having trolled north from Freeway Bay to Eagle Beach. When I reeled in my inside rod, it had a nice walleye on it. Have no idea where it hit as I had forgotten to put the clicker on and back off the drag. As I said, kind of an off day for us. Better next time.

[obifishkenobi]

I was out there yesterday, too, with a buddy.  Very slow for us, trolling crankbaits behind boards.  Tried SR 7s, a deep Reef Runner, Thunderstick Jr's, etc.  The Island, SW corner, then headed to Freeway Bay.  I felt a little off, as the deeper water (99.63% of full pool) and marking fish just off the bottom and not being able to get down to them.  Maybe I should have taken my downriggers.

I used to bottom bounce in my old tiller steer Alumacraft Magnum 165, but haven't done so since 2005 when I bought my Hewescraft.  No bow mount electric.  Also, my Lowrance LCX 111c HD, now 18 years old, was reading the water temp at 18F, and got up to 29F later.  I ordered a new transducer.  I think I can bottom bounch using the drift socks I use for kokanee, but wasn't set up to do it yesterday.

We called it about 2:30, having trolled north from Freeway Bay to Eagle Beach.  When I reeled in my inside rod, it had a nice walleye on it.  Have no idea where it hit as I had forgotten to put the clicker on and back off the drag.  As I said, kind of an off day for us.  Better next time.

There is no need to go slow bottom bouncing this time of year you can troll them with your cranks I’m currently going 1.7-2.1 mph and will speed up to over 2.5 as the water warms. Just set them back 125+ feet and they will be near the bottom making contact on the turns. I catch as many if not more than the guys creeping along at .5-1mph. Give it a try you may be surprised.

[Paddler]

I was trolling ~2.4MPH yesterday, 640RPM with my Troll Control on my Mercury 115EFI.  Lower RPMs discharge my battery.  Not sure I can get deep enough.  I put a couple of 1oz egg sinkers above a 4' leader to an SR7 without results.  With my drift socks I can get down to 1.4MPH.  Nothing up high in the water column until the shad fry come on.  I may try BB with Shad Raps next.  

All the fish I marked were down 22'.

Funny, yesterday I hooked something big.  Thought maybe a log, which didn't make sense as my lure was running 9' down in 23' of water.  Turned out to be big carp, maybe 10#, hooked through the dorsal fin.

[MWScott72]

It was nice the finally meet Tube Dude. He must have pulled out a box with 30-40 of his creations to show us when we walked up on him prepping his tube. I thought he wanted to sell a couple then and there, but when I mentioned having some cash, his words were "well, I don't really have enough to sell today (paraphrased)". I thought, "wow, that guy is going to run through alot of combos today if 30-40 different baits aren't enough". That's dedication though...sometimes, I get lazy and keep hammering away with the same lures that aren't working. Only sometimes though - I think I'm getting better.

I thought Obifishkenobi was onto something. As well pulled away into the "openness" I noticed that he was staying in the same area doing S-turns...for a long time. Maybe that was Joe and I's issue - we hooked a few, but never made more than a couple passes back through to see if there were any more willing takers. Glad you brough back a nice haul Shawn. Those walleye fillets are like "fish gold" for summer fish fries. No one ever says "no" to a walleye.

My favorite part of the day was watching Joe get all worked up about the bugs from time to time. No issues on my end, but he got animated a couple times. It helped break the monotony of slow catching, but a poor day on the water is better than a good day at the office. And yes, we need to give that pond another go or two. If it only gets better from here, I'm game!!

[TubeDude]

It was nice the finally meet Tube Dude.  He must have pulled out a box with 30-40 of his creations to show us when we walked up on him prepping his tube.  I thought he wanted to sell a couple then and there, but when I mentioned having some cash, his words were "well, I don't really have enough to sell today (paraphrased)".  I thought, "wow, that guy is going to run through alot of combos today if 30-40 different baits aren't enough".  That's dedication though...sometimes, I get lazy and keep hammering away with the same lures that aren't working.  Only sometimes though - I think I'm getting better.

I thought Obifishkenobi was onto something.  As well pulled away into the "openness"  I noticed that he was staying in the same area doing S-turns...for a long time.  Maybe that was Joe and I's issue - we hooked a few, but never made more than a couple passes back through to see if there were any more willing takers.  Glad you brough back a nice haul Shawn.  Those walleye fillets are like "fish gold" for summer fish fries.  No one ever says "no" to a walleye.

My favorite part of the day was watching Joe get all worked up about the bugs from time to time.  No issues on my end, but he got animated a couple times.  It helped break the monotony of slow catching, but a poor day on the water is better than a good day at the office.  And yes, we need to give that pond another go or two.  If it only gets better from here, I'm game!!

I always enjoy your posts.  And it was great to finally meet ya.  Sorry you endured the same kind of success most of us did on Tuesday.  Gonna get better.

Sorry if I seemed reluctant to part with any trinkets.  But many of my trips include some new stuff that I merely wanna try for a while to see what the fish think.  I may only have one or two of many of the lures I bring out.  Once recognizable patterns develop I take out fewer and smaller boxes...each with several of the hot lures.  Then I focus on fishing only the best producers...at the right depth and right speed.  At least that's what I tell myself.  Been knowed to stray a bit.  I am a fisherman, ya know.  

You and Joe are welcome to visit my tackletorium whenever you can make it down.  Will be glad to help contribute to your affliction.  And I work cheap...but I'm worth it.

[Sbg89]

Thanks for the report. Willard has been good to us this last week.