07-15-2011, 04:16 PM
Hit Willard last night from my float tube, fished from about 6:30PM until 1:00 AM. Fished from the North Marina.
I dragged chubs on one rod and threw cranks on another. At the mouth of the marina in some bushes I hooked into 2-3 smallmouth bass but they all came unbuttoned before I could get my hands on em. That was the only action I'd get during daylight.
Once night fell I made my way back into the Marina and started catting with two rods. Needless to say, the Willard kitties were not as picky as everything else. Caught my limit by 1:00 AM. Had many pop and drops and misses. Didn't have my favorite hooks on hand.
Spoke to some guys who had been trolling for wipers... they said they caught a few (after dark). That got me to go back to pitching cranks but didn't get a bump. Will definitely put more effort into wipers next time at night. Wasn't very optimistic about my prospects with them and spent way too much time with 2 cat rods. (which is almost a waste).
On the way out - the gates do open up and I was free to come home. I spoke to a DNR? or DWR? officer in a tan truck at the gate and he told me that sometimes night is the best time to catch wipers and over the years he's seen people do very well at night. (He also said some nights you can't buy a fish... but overall night wipers are pretty cooperative.)
Interesting.... that is enough to keep me coming back for more and more. If I don't do well during the day I'll stick around at night for kitties - and if I'm lucky a wiper or two.
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I dragged chubs on one rod and threw cranks on another. At the mouth of the marina in some bushes I hooked into 2-3 smallmouth bass but they all came unbuttoned before I could get my hands on em. That was the only action I'd get during daylight.
Once night fell I made my way back into the Marina and started catting with two rods. Needless to say, the Willard kitties were not as picky as everything else. Caught my limit by 1:00 AM. Had many pop and drops and misses. Didn't have my favorite hooks on hand.
Spoke to some guys who had been trolling for wipers... they said they caught a few (after dark). That got me to go back to pitching cranks but didn't get a bump. Will definitely put more effort into wipers next time at night. Wasn't very optimistic about my prospects with them and spent way too much time with 2 cat rods. (which is almost a waste).
On the way out - the gates do open up and I was free to come home. I spoke to a DNR? or DWR? officer in a tan truck at the gate and he told me that sometimes night is the best time to catch wipers and over the years he's seen people do very well at night. (He also said some nights you can't buy a fish... but overall night wipers are pretty cooperative.)
Interesting.... that is enough to keep me coming back for more and more. If I don't do well during the day I'll stick around at night for kitties - and if I'm lucky a wiper or two.
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