How's Willard?

[Access-Denied]

Any word on how Willard is doing? Debating between Willard or Strawberry for this weekend. Sounds like Strawberry is slowing down. Debating on Willard...hmmmmm Anyone have any thoughts?
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[doitall5000]

I guess the only way for info. Is to go. I'm think about next week, doing some drop shot on the new rock piles.or slow bottom bouncers in deep water.
What's the evening crowd like?
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[obifishkenobi]

I'm thinking of going after work this evening, I'll post a report when I get home.
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[doitall5000]

Great , so how big is the crowd, ?
Tell me if you see birds diving, feeding.
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[muirco]

I am going to strawberry so that tells you my confidence at Willard this time of year. Good luck whichever you choose!
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[wiperhunter2]

If you don't mind catching cats or smallmouth, the fishing is ok but the wiper and eye bite has been off for over a month. From what we are seeing, that could continue until the weather cools down. A few birds diving here and there but not many from what we are seeing, of course that could change depending on where on the lake you are fishing.
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[obifishkenobi]

I got on the water about 5:45 pm Thursday evening and my fish finder will not come on so I was fishing blind. I ran over to the outlet, because I saw a Facebook post of two guys who caught Wiper in that area this morning, soaking mussels. I decided to try something different; I pulled mussels behind bottom bouncers going .5 mph, hoping to find some active Wipers. The plan was to put the boat on spot lock if I hooked up, land the fish, bring the other bottom bouncer in and cast out a couple spinning rods with just a hook and a mussel. That approach did not pan out. I ran over to the north end of freeway bay and pulled cranks from one end to the other, I had a single bite that did not stick, at 8:30 I headed home with my second skunk in 2019 out of 20+ days fishing this year, my other skunk also came at Willard 5 weeks ago. Boat traffic was lite, the few members of the power squadron where well behaved. I saw no bird activity and no signs of boils. I’m going to figure out what’s going with my fish finder tomorrow. So, I can try for a few Kokanee Saturday morning at Strawberry and jig for cutts later in the morning.
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[Access-Denied]

Well shoot.......hmmmmmm, maybe I'll try Strawberry this weekend. Thanks for the report.
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[doitall5000]

Thanks for the follow up. Sorry no fish, but still learning each time. Try just out from Renegade boat launch. Jigging with white tube and some meat.
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[Access-Denied]

So we tried Strawberry, on the Solider Creek side. Did good, and glad we went. Only two nice kokes starting to change. Both kokes were about 17" 2lbs. Lots of small cutts, and one cutt in the slot. Caught about 10 fish in 3-4 hours.
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[TopH2O]

Bob,
When I was there in late June they were charging $9.00 for day use/launching. That was in addition to my camp fees for a standard RV spot w/o hookups.

Mike
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[dubob]

[size 4][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]Last year (2018), launching a boat was INCLUDED (free) if you were camping there. I guess the new concessionaire isn't being as generous. [crazy]

Just one more example of how government is sticking it to the general public by contracting out their facility's to concessionaires. Your annual pass, supposedly good for day use in any Federal facility, is no longer valid when the facility is run by a concessionaire. What the one hand giveth, the other hand taketh away.

AAAAARRRRGGGHH!

I'd still like to know what the fee is for just a launch without being camped there.[/#][/font][/size]
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[TopH2O]

The lady that I spoke with told me the fee to launch was $9.00 whether you were camping at Strawberry or just there for the day. I stayed three nights and I was able to beach my boat just down the hill from my camp site. The woman told me I only had to pay the $9.00 for one launch and one retrieval even though I was there for 3 days.

Mike
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[dubob]

[size 4][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]Thanks Mike.[/#][/font][/size]
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[Quicky]

I used to think the Utah launch fees are bad. Not anymore since moving to Alaska. Last weekend I fished out of Whittier. It cost $22 to go through the tunnel with the boat, $10 to launch, $10 to retrieve, and $15 to park. Most of the time you have to go 15+ miles out to get to decent fishing grounds and the fuel adds up. If you get a good haul of fish then it’s worth the expense. Only got one silver for the effort but it was a nice 10lb 9oz fish so that was fun.
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[PACKFAN]

Go to Anderson Ranch out of MT. Home ID. no launch fees and limit on Kokanee is 25 a day, I think possession is 50, pretty lake
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[doitall5000]

I don't see Anderson ranch res. Has a campground and launch.
Have you fished there before?
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[UsualSuspect]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anderson_Ranch_Dam
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[PACKFAN]

Many times I use to live in MT. Home, I was just there last month.
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[fish_fanatic]

I may have to think twice before adding Willard to my frequent fishing waters. It is a four hour drive for me and it sounds like that water will be another humbling experience.

I may have to hit up one you Willard Veterans to show me the straight and narrow, and yes you guys know who you are.
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