another willard saga....

[Tin-Can]

Seems every boat I saw yesterday was hauling in fish. Well my saga has to start back about few years ago. My little 14' Lund has most of it's weight in the stern (motor, & me, being the heaviest) and when I'm in the boat alone which is 95% of the time, the bow won't sit down on the water and at higher speeds or windy conditions, well that just ain't good. So about 5 years ago, maybe more, I found a boulder close to the shore line in the WB north marina that was just big enough for me to pick up and hoist over the bow gunnel. I took it home, built a frame for it to prevent it from rocking around and banging up the insides of the boat and front bench. Since then it has worked quite well as a "ballast" to keep the front end down. Last weekend when I planned to give Benson Marina a try, and being concerned with probable shallow water, and not needing to run above a wakeless speed, I took that boulder out. I'm a bit older and more worn out since I originally put that rock in my boat. After getting it out, I just knew I was not going to be able to lift it back in.

[inline "(0229) willard boulder.jpg"]

Thursday after work I had made a quick run up to WB, caught a few, and headed home. But knew that planning to return Friday (yesterday) morning, I really needed to get some form of ballast back in the bow. Just so happens I had some of those Tubes of sand that I purchased for a project for the wife. Being handy, and only weighing about 40 lbs. each, I stacked 3 of them in my boat Thursday evening. (reason for all this history will be obvious later) OK, Friday morning breaks in a little overcast, light breeze, but forecast to be nice day. Got on the water before full sun up.
[inline "(0221) 0620 23 May 2014 WB South Launch.jpg"]
Launch ready 0620 AM

[inline "(0222) 0630 On the water.jpg"]

On the water, running north-west past the buoys. (I think the depth reading "blinked" just as I took the shot)
Now maybe 9.6 mph isn't fast to the bigger boats on the water, but that's about my top speed in light chop with a 15 hp motor. Important thing, the bow is down just about where it should be to keep the front from "wallowing" . May need one more sand bag.

Now the fun starts. In the 9 minutes it took me to get out of the south marina, run out to the 10-11 foot depth I wanted, and get my 2 lines out, my first "fish on" was almost immediate.
[inline "(0223) 0639 Wiper #_1.jpg"]

[inline "(0223a) Wiper # 1.jpg"]

Wiper #1

As quick as the first one hit, the next one took about 4 hours....

[inline "(0223b) 0811 Lite chop no Bugs.JPG"]

Sun up nice, getting warm, light chop just enough to keep the bugs away... then it got really calm.......

[inline "(0223c) 1000 calm as glass.....jpg"]

and BUGGY....!

[inline "(0223d) BUGS !.jpg"] I keep some head nets on the boat, just for use at Willard.....
About the time it went dead calm, I was running north thru Freeway Bay, hit next 2 fish back to back in short interval. 2 nice Eyes. One on a chrome and black Rat-L-Trap, one on a chrome, blue, orange Rat-L-Trap.

[inline "(0224) 1132 Walleye #1.JPG"]

Walleye # 1 1132 AM


[inline "(0225) 1140 Walleye # 2.jpg"]

Walleye # 2 1140 AM

At this point I would have been quite happy to call it a day. In fact I decided to troll up toward the north marina outlet, make a left and head south straight down the middle. Run at a fast troll with lines in the water, but not expecting to hook up anything. Before I can finish my left turn and speed up just south of the north marina, BAM ! One rod did a HARD bendo, almost looked like a fiberglass horseshoe, and the 100 yards of brand new 12 lb. Clear Blue Stren line got about 80 yards stripped off before I could get the drag set down.
OK, not the state record, but the second largest Wiper ever hauled in on my boat. A swimming pig with lots of attitude.
[inline "(0226) 1248 3lb. 10 oz. Wiper #2.jpg"]

3 pounds 10 ounce 20 inches

[inline "(0226b) Wiper # 2 scale close up.JPG"]

[inline "(0226e) Wiper # 2.JPG"]

Wiper # 2

Now this brute was so big and pulled so hard, before I could get it in the net, it pulled my boat around in about a 270 degree circle, wrapped my second line around the boat, and twisted it up so bad with the line it was on, had to cut the line, toss the twisted up 15 or 20 feet, and reset the rod and snap swivel.

Got my lines all sorted out, my pictures taken, the fish in the live well. Then just sat a few minutes to catch my breath. Best natural adrenalin rush I can think of.
Got started up again, pointed south, 2 lines out, running about 3.5 to 4.0 mph. Noticing the wind beginning to pick up from the south west. About decided to slow down, pull in my lines, and that's when Willard Bay decided, as only Willard Bay can, that I had not had quite enough excitement yet.
A DOUBLE ! Now that's not a "never happen before thing" but it's always been when there was someone else on the boat. This time, just me. Both rods singing the drag stripping opera. Best I could do, set one drag down tight at risk the fish breaking off, reel in the other one. OK reeled in first one, Wiper #3. Reeled in second one, Catfish #1. So I covered several of the WB species.
[inline "(0227) 1345 Double hit Wiper #3 Cat #1.JPG"]

Got these 2 into the live well, increased wind was moving on me quick. Dropped my sun top, secured everything, hunkered forward and went to full throttle direct into the wind. Fortunate in 2 ways, I had put those sand bags in the bow, and the wind was blowing directly from the way I needed to go, so I could head into it bow first. Not have to fight a broadside wind. Throttled up, front end climbed up on the headwind a bit, and I scooted for the south marina.

A good day. The final count 3 Wiper, 2 Walleye, 1 Cat, and safe arrival back at the dock.

[inline "(0228) 1500 23 May 2014 Final.jpg"]

Was planning to go to Cutler again today, but weather was rather iffy when I got up. Decided to stay home get some chores caught up. Hope to get out again on Monday.

And speaking of Monday, it's Memorial Day ! So to all of you that are past and present Military members, THANK YOU for your unselfish service to this great nation. THANK YOU for the sacrifices you and those before you have made.

"Tin-Can"
USAF Retired
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[wiperhunter2]

Wow Forest, that has got to be your longest post with pictures to date, thanks for posting it. Sounds like you had a fun day on the Bay. Where did you buy your head net? Was there anyone fishing in the marina for crappie?
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[WaveWolf]

[#484848]Nice Catch.[/#484848]
[#484848][/#484848]
[#484848]You need to go to the feed and seed store and get one of those pillow cattle water bladders. Put it in the front of your boat and fill it as much as you need to for ballast and cover it with a blanket. It also makes a dandy water bed when you want to pull over and snooze.[/#484848]
[#484848]If you don't need it, pull your drain plug, then pull the plug on the bladder.[/#484848]
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[RockyRaab]

If you think that wiper was a handful in your TinCan, try latching onto one with a crappie rod with 4# test - in a kayak! My 23" 5+ pounder last week was the biggest critter yet to come aboard the Prangler. And he certainly did spin me about and tow me around at his pleasure for several minutes.

Great report and great photos, my friend. Hope to see you out there again some day soon.
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[Tin-Can]

WaveWolf, I thought of something like that couple years ago. Saw a ballast bladder in a West Marine catalog. But all too big for my boat. I have a small triangle shape between bow and first bench. I use it as a rope locker and anchor storage. Have another idea for making a ballast area. build and install a false deck with a piano hinge about 10 inches above existing inside bottom plate of bow area, lay in the sand bags, 3 to 4 60 pounders would do, and could be adjusted by removing bags if carrying another person in front seat. Then with the deck closed on top of it could still carry anchor and tie out rope, etc without risking punching a hole in the sand bags.
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[Tin-Can]

Curt, was the report too long ? When I left yesterday, most of the people that may have been fishing in the south marina had quit because of the wind I think. Never went into the north marina.
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[Tin-Can]

Thanks Rocky. I bet that was a "E ticket" thrill ride in a yak. Good job actually boating something that big on light line.
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[SkunkedAgain]

Nice job Forest great catch and sounds like a great day. Congrats. J
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[CoyoteSpinner]

[quote Tin-Can]Curt, was the report too long ? When I left yesterday, most of the people that may have been fishing in the south marina had quit because of the wind I think. Never went into the north marina.[/quote]

Never. Say what you wanna say, how you wanna say. Folks can read or not.
You had picture breaks, paragraphs, punctuation. It's all good. Great report. I don't have your bow problem, but I don't have a V-hull either. BUT - have thought about the piano hinge cover across my bow-storage area. Think it'd double as a good pup-and-bow platform. Might even adopt the bow-mount troller over if I do. Add a seat-pedestal mount. Or save that for the other boat.

Nice mess of fish there. Rattle on!

[wiperhunter2]

LOL, no it wasn't too long but what I forgot to add was your post reminds me of the ones TDT or LOAH post with all the pics. Keep them coming Forest, good detailed post, they don't get any better than that.
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[WaveWolf]

[#484848]Good idea ....... That should work great, and everything would be out of the way and easy to get.[/#484848]
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[FishSlayerJT]

Did you catch that cat trolling? Nice catch! I think a person on the front of your boat is what you need. I use my dog to keep my little boat down when no one can go with me.
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[albinotrout]

Love the report and the pics. Keep it coming![cool]
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[Tin-Can]

Yep. First time in my life (several years ago) I ever caught a Cat on a lure by trolling. Now I try the favorite Cat areas each time. Don't always catch any, but sometimes.......
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[altizerbd]

I dig the little boat. How does it handle rough water?
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[Tin-Can]

Had a Golden Retriever that used to go with me. But she got so old she could hardly get in and out of the truck. Except for a few folks, I almost prefer to fish alone now days.
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[Tin-Can]

I had a 2004 Lund 17" Pro Sport, and there have been days the past couple years I sure kick myself for selling it. It handled rough water quite well. This smaller 14" Lund is pretty stable most of the time. But if the water starts white capping, it's time to head to somewhere protected from the wind. As long as I can head into the wind and waves, it works quite well. But it isn't very often the wind is blowing from the direction I need to travel, so I do some zig-zag and try to keep from getting hit broadside.
Biggest plus for this Tin Can is I can get into fairly shallow water when others can't. That's a real consideration most years here. I can't go fast, but I can go all weekend on a 3 gal. tank of gas.[sly]
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