Willard Evening 10/12

[Jig-fisher]

My wife and teenagers had plans this evening so I loaded up the boat and headed to Willard. Arrived around 415 and was fishing by 430. Headed out of the south marina and turned towards the feedlot dragging some cranks. A few boats out, mostly fishermen, with an occasional play boat. 

Got no love on the cranks and by that time I had turned the corner and was 1/2 way to freeway bay. I switched out to a blue/silver flig on one rod, and was prepping the second with another flig, when the birds started dive bombing an area near the dike. I moved over within casting distance and put a silver kastmaster near the commotion.  It got whacked almost immediately and caught a 12ish inch wiper. Released and cast again, bam! whacked another cookie cutter wiper. Now the mini boil was on all sides of me and I caught a 3rd. Then they quit like a switch was turned off and no more love. 

I continued on my way towards freeway when the flig rod went bendo and I caught a 21" cat. Then the wipers started again further out in the lake. Birds were bombing and I caught 2 more wipers, keeping one, same size as before. I had one more good hit, but missed it, and that was it for the wipers. They quit real fast, and never saw any more real surface action.

It was getting late, I never did make it to Freeway Bay, so I put out the second flig rod and started working my way back. I picked up 4 more cats between 23 and 25", all on the blue/silver. The chartreuse one never got touched. I was trolling at 1.1 with the fligs.

[wiperhunter2]

That's a great evening at the Bay and that's a beautiful pic of you trolling into the sunset. Question, how do you have your electric trolling motor mounter to your bow, could you add a close-up pic on how it is mounted,thanks.

[Bubman1]

I was went out as well,and I think I may have seen you. I was in the red skeeter with a boat load of kids. We looked for wipers and couldn't get any takers. Just Willard being Willard I guess. I did pretty good a few days ago in that area. Glad you found some it was a great evening to be on the water even with no fish for us.

[Jig-fisher]

That's a great evening at the Bay and that's a beautiful pic of you trolling into the sunset. Question, how do you have your electric trolling motor mounter to your bow, could you add a close-up pic on how it is mounted,thanks.

I'll post a picture of it later today.

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I was went out as well,and I think I may have seen you. I was in the red skeeter with a boat load of kids. We looked for wipers and couldn't get any takers. Just Willard being Willard I guess. I did pretty good a few days ago in that area. Glad you found some it was a great evening to be on the water even with no fish for us.

We're there 5 of you in the boat?  If so, then yes, I did pass you on my way back towards the marina.

[Bubman1]

Yep that was us we tried trolling for a while then they got bored so we casted for a bit right at dark

[Jig-fisher]

That's a great evening at the Bay and that's a beautiful pic of you trolling into the sunset. Question, how do you have your electric trolling motor mounter to your bow, could you add a close-up pic on how it is mounted,thanks.

Here are some pictures. I can't take credit for the mount because it was already on the boat when I bought it. It is a quick release mount. It had a 12v 55 lb thrust Powerdrive motor on it and I felt it was underpowered. I would have to bring 2 batteries with me and hook it up resting a battery on the seat by the motor.  Then change batteries when the 1st was depleted. So I bought the Terrova 24v 80lb thrust and ran the wiring to the back of the boat with a quick connect plug in the front. This has worked really well. It is still a family boat so all the fishing accessories are removable, including the trolling motor.

[wiperhunter2]

Wow, that's a very interesting design, I would have never thought those spacers could handle the torque that electric motor would produce, but it must work just fine. Thanks for that design with us. How long have you been using it?

[Jig-fisher]

I think we bought it in 2019 or 2020.

[wiperhunter2]

I think we bought it in 2019 or 2020.

It has held up very well then, do you know if there is a steel plate inside the boat? So it does mess up the fiberglass?

[Jig-fisher]

I think we bought it in 2019 or 2020.

It has held up very well then, do you know if there is a steel plate inside the boat? So it does mess up the fiberglass?

No, there isn't.  I would have put one in if it was me. It has held up really well with no issues though.

[wiperhunter2]

I think we bought it in 2019 or 2020.

It has held up very well then, do you know if there is a steel plate inside the boat? So it does mess up the fiberglass?

No, there isn't.  I would have put one in if it was me. It has held up really well with no issues though.

Wow, that's impressive it has held up so well, with no reinforcement. Thanks for the added info and pics.