Posts: 457
Threads: 0
Joined: Apr 2011
Reputation:
0
Got out Saturday night to Willard. Interesting bite. Between 12 and 1 a.m. boater 10 eyes. Smallest were 16 with 2 dandies at 22. All were chucked full of shadlets at varying degrees of digestion. Interesting thing was we anchored up and left the lantern on. Talk about activity! There were 10's of thousands of shad everywhere. We saw several Walleye and several Wipers. There was a continuos boil around the boat where ever the lantern cast it's light. More to the point they were not biting anything we were offering. There were also a bunch of the smaller wipers just hanging around bashing the shad. Not one other fish caught before or after that hour window after midnight. However the bugs.... EEK.
The lack of the power squadron, however, is the bonus. I did see a couple of other anglers, one with a stringer of crappie that was enviable. Another with some nice kitties. Only those 2 boats appeared to be fishing.
[signature]
Posts: 5,745
Threads: 0
Joined: May 2010
Reputation:
0
Now that's an interesting report. Bringing the boils to YOU - along with the bugs. . . .
Maybe you need a light and a zapper - provide some fresh grilled bugs for the finny friends!
So did you have to do anything different for the entrance to fish after dark? I know there was talk before about an alternate to the camping fee, but with these days limited resource allocations - maybe it doesn't matter.
So no after dark pix? Sounds like some good catching! Any word on where the crappie were found? Inside - outside a harbor?
Posts: 457
Threads: 0
Joined: Apr 2011
Reputation:
0
I launched just before dark. Instead of trying to launch after dark. No problems getting out just not able to get in after they close. Tom took all the pics, on his phone. I am waiting for him to send me something. I was to sleepy and wanted to get home. It was a pretty late night. And not all that great. The crappie were caught just north of freeway bay. The guys were using a floating light in the water. There were a couple of asians and I could only see a couple of lighted bobbers. They had to pull there stronger up to add a fish and we glimpsed there haul as they added a fish. The catfishermen were just out of he south marina anchored there all night long they offered us to imbibe with them, but we were to interested in finding the fish. They had 5 or 6 on a stringer all of them over 18 inches or so. The sought dike had a bunch of night fishermen at some point.
[signature]
Posts: 33,313
Threads: 416
Joined: Feb 2002
Reputation:
33
Nice report, 10 eyes in one hour wow, that is awesome. Were you anchored up at a spot you have fished before or did you just see a bunch of fish on the finder and decided to fish there?
[signature]
Posts: 457
Threads: 0
Joined: Apr 2011
Reputation:
0
Interestingly enough they were all caught trolling on bottom bouncers with glow beads and glow blades. After we lost our glow blades we never caught another fish. But we fished for 3 hours with nary a bite before stacking them. They were all caught around the 2 buoy by the feed lot. North and west of it. After and before that we were all over the place. We did manger a few cats as well, but we anchored up by those buoy in about 11 feet of water with the lantern out when we saw all the Wiper, walleyes, and even a cruising kittie. It was kind of surreal seeing so many fish out there with nothing even remotely interested in our baits.
I am sure we could have attached a couple of lively shad to solve the problem, but the loss of he boat and imprisonment were on the forefront of my mind, and ethically speaking it would be more devastating to cheat. Willard is beautiful at night if nothing else. I am going to make a few more of hose blades and do it again Friday night if I can. Might have an open spot, if no one else wants to make it.
[signature]
Posts: 1,081
Threads: 0
Joined: Sep 2008
Reputation:
0
pretty crazy! We've done that at powell and had some 14"+ crappi circling our night light at the bull frog docks but we never had them boil under us! how big were the shad?
[signature]
Posts: 457
Threads: 0
Joined: Apr 2011
Reputation:
0
Some were tiny, some about 2 inches. Hoardes of them, until something big came along and scared hem away. Murky water it's weird. You see the shad move then along comes some cruising fish or school of wiperets. Or some times hey would come up in a rush. It took awhile for them to congregate, but once they were there.... It was real neat to see.
[signature]
Posts: 36,029
Threads: 300
Joined: Sep 2002
Reputation:
57
[cool][#0000ff]Back in the 70's...before shad and wipers...there was a bright overhead light at the entrance of the south marina. It was a great place to fish at night during the summer for grundles of crappies and sometimes walleyes and kitties. No shadlets to draw in the predators but there were still lots of fish attracted to the light.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Down in Arizona we fished under lights at night for big white bass and crappies on Lake Pleasant. The threadfin shad would swarm into the lights and it was game on. Major difference is that in Arizona you can net the shad and use live ones for bait. Hmmmmm?[/#0000ff]
[signature]
Posts: 457
Threads: 0
Joined: Apr 2011
Reputation:
0
I have actually fished Lake Pleasant, as well as Rosey and Bartlet, in the exact manner. However I shy away from everything accept the Whiteys, Crappie, and Flatties. I don't mind trophy fishing for Flatties, but I am an eater of fish, so keeping the spoils of a trip to eat is my primary mission. Funny, side note we would catch 4 or five largemouth over 6 pounds a night at Rosey and chuck them back as if they were carp. Using live bluegill and tilapia has it's di  vantages. We wanted the 10 to 50 pound Flatties, not the stupid bass. Not to mention all the largemouth hitting your worms intended for the baits size panfish.... That is where I learned to hate bass, they were a bi-catch in pursuit of worthy bait for Flat head. Not to mention you are not allowed to use them as bait... Love the Salt/Verde chain of lakes, not to mention the Colorado..
[signature]
Posts: 438
Threads: 0
Joined: Jul 2008
Reputation:
0
Good post. I always wondered how fishing is at night there was. Also, if a light can be beneficial. Its just tough to do it blindly since I have no successful night fishing track record.
[signature]
Posts: 36,029
Threads: 300
Joined: Sep 2002
Reputation:
57
[cool][#0000ff]Careful son. Calling bass "bycatch" is fightin' words around these parts. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Really miss the serious fishing of those Arizona Lakes. Nothing like rasslin' a big ol' flathead cat...caught on a live bluegill most Utahn's would die for.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Got a good laugh every year during the big crappie slaughter at Roosevelt. Some little girl with a Barbie outfit would catch a 12 to 14 pound largie on a crappie jig...and all the bassaholics would have seizures. Some pretty fair bassers have trouble breaking the 5# mark in waters that have fish 3 times that size.[/#0000ff]
[signature]
Posts: 33,313
Threads: 416
Joined: Feb 2002
Reputation:
33
[quote Jmaze] I am going to make a few more of hose blades and do it again Friday night if I can. Might have an open spot, if no one else wants to make it.[/quote]
What size boat do you have? I might be interested in giving that night fishing a try. Where did you buy the glow for your blades?
[signature]
Posts: 3,505
Threads: 26
Joined: Apr 2006
Reputation:
3
+1, it sure was a nice guide into the South Marina after dark, don't know why they ever removed it and replaced it with the piece of crap they have now.[:/]
[signature]
Posts: 457
Threads: 0
Joined: Apr 2011
Reputation:
0
Just a clunker 16 footer. Here is a pic.I bought the paint online, but i am out of it and it cost like 50 bucks an ounce. I used it to paint the sights on my gun as well. I have ordered some replacement blades, just waiting for'em to arrive. I usually fish from my canoe, but night fishing is a different animal.
[signature]
Posts: 527
Threads: 0
Joined: Apr 2006
Reputation:
0
if thats your idea of a clunker the your canoe must be gold plated.
[signature]
Posts: 457
Threads: 0
Joined: Apr 2011
Reputation:
0
Nah... Just camo plated.
[signature]
Posts: 297
Threads: 0
Joined: Apr 2009
Reputation:
0
+1 my thoughts exactly!
I used to fish out of a 16 foot flat bottom aluminum duck boat with a 10 horse honda that couldn't quite get it up on plane... when he said clunker that is what came to mind. Tons of fun though!!!
[signature]
Posts: 33,313
Threads: 416
Joined: Feb 2002
Reputation:
33
I agree with Mike. I'm looking to buy a clunker just like that[  ]. I'll be glad to split your gas cost, if you can't fill that seat.
We were out there last evening and the South marina is closed again. We got 5 wipers and walleye trolling blades with the 50/50 method.
[signature]
Posts: 457
Threads: 0
Joined: Apr 2011
Reputation:
0
I will make you a deal. You show me how to rig a 50/50, and we will call it even on the gas, besides I would be shocked if we use more then a gallon or 2 trolling all night. Pm me with when you want to go and when you need to be back. I am in Ogden so it's real close for me. The seat is still open if you like.
[signature]
Posts: 36,029
Threads: 300
Joined: Sep 2002
Reputation:
57
[cool][#0000ff]Here is a link to the place I buy glow powder. It is the brightest and longest lasting product on the market. I mix it with clear vinyl jig paint and put it over white or chartreuse base. It glows for many hours.[/#0000ff]
[url "http://glowinc.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=3"]http://glowinc.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=3[/url]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I bought a pound of it two years ago for about $90 delivered. I still have a quantity if you are in serious need. Be happy to get together with you and demo some of my paint jobs and glow application techniques.[/#0000ff]
[signature]
|
