Willard - Second Shot 11-7-19

[TubeDude]

[#0000ff]I hit the north marina on Tuesday. Figured I might do better at the south marina...while the nice weather holds. Figured wrong.
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[#0000ff]Launched about 7:30 am. Air temp a chilly 24. But it warmed up nicely when the sun topped the mountains. Gloves off by mid-morning. Water 43.5 at launch...warming to just under 45 at noon. Lots of new water coming in over the canal baffles and water levels are coming up.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Saw a few shad but not much else in the channel as I motored out to the main lake. Started dragging a couple of fligs and minnows out the channel from the mouth of the harbor...working back and forth from the deeper center to the shallower edges. Saw quite a few shad but nothing resembling anything predatory.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Missed my first couple of bites. Pretty tentative and/or inexperienced fish that didn't know how to gulp and go. Finally hooked a couple...and arranged an early release for bad behavior for both. Got a few more pop and drops and then brought in a small teen incher catfish. Poor thing. Begged me to take him home to get warm but I sent him back.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Went that way all morning. Worked shallow to deep and back again...looking for shad and anything that might be munching on them. No perch or any species besides cats were harmed on this trip.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff] Finally, just as I was starting back inside the harbor another catfish volunteered for the TD reel ride. But it just came to the surface and rolled feebly...like a silly cutthroat. Catfish still feed in cold water but it sure takes the fight out of them.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I continued to try a succession of flig colors and different rigging as I worked for awhile in the channel and back into the marina area. Had one more "temporary" customer and got a long line release. Been a long time since I lost so many fish after hooking them.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Off the water and headed home about noonish. Water had warmed a degree or so. But my Blazer was still the only vehicle in the whole parking lot.
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[gofish435]

It looked like a nice day to be on the water even if it wasn't that productive.

This time of year you are never quite sure what kind of fishing you might get into, but as fishermen, we are always optimistic.[]

I can't believe that some folks put there gear away. To me this is the best time of year to get after them.

Good on ya to get out there.[]
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Right ye be, Tom. I notice you are still getting in your kicks and your licks...and even catching a few fish. Good on ya. I DO enjoy your reports.
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[#0000FF]I'm witchoo. I gave up ice fishing but some of my fave fishing is from now until iceup. Since I can't find an auger big enough to let me launch my tube through the ice I have to put it up for a while. But usually not too long. Some of our lower elevation lakes freeze late and open early.[/#0000FF]

[font "Arial Black"][size 3]"This time of year you are never quite sure what kind of fishing you might get into, but as fishermen, we are always optimistic"[/size][/font]
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[font "Arial Black"][size 3][font "Arial"][#0000FF]Before I left today I told my wife "I doubt if I will do much." She told me I had to be more positive. So I said "Okay, I'm positive I won't do well." Sometimes I hate it when I'm right.[/#0000FF][/font]
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[Fishhound]

Right guy for the job - just wrong time and place. Or maybe it's the way you held your lip ? Maybe the color of your socks ?
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Now yer gettin' pers'nal. I'll have you know that I have two pairs of Heat Holder socks...one pair of brown and one pair of blue. And I never go out with one of each...or whatever.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Looks like you are still getting out amongst 'em. Good on ya. Liked your Berry report. You need some remedial training on the picture posting. If you post the inline pics you gotta finish up with the little square box button in the toolbar.
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[Fishhound]

[quote TubeDude[#0000ff] You need some remedial training on the picture posting. If you post the inline pics you gotta finish up with the little square box button in the toolbar.
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I just hosed it all. Ended up double posting one of the pics when I tried to fix the original one. Sheeesh. I give - the tech beat me on this one.
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[doitall5000]

Your pictures show water level is still up high.
How big would those shad be? Will they survive the deep freeze this year. I noticed they are right on the bottom.
Will they move to the deepest water in winter?
Sorry for the interview.
It will be interesting to see if the higher water will change things this year.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Yes, the water is high...and rising with all the new water they are dumping in. But still about 4 feet down from the high water mark. With any snow pack this winter there will no doubt be a full lake again most of next year.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]There was a prolonged spawn again this year for the shad...with the extended period of warming and cooling with all the rain. So their are different sized shad. The last to spawn did not develop well enough to survive the cooldown. Others are from about 4-6 inches. Some may get even larger during their first summer.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Since even gizzard shad are adversely affected by cold, many will seek out the deepest and/or warmest spots in the lake to spend the winter. The deepest spots in Willard are on the west side and ice fishermen see them on sonar over there when fishing through the ice. And that is where a lot of the predators hang out during the winter too.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Willard reached its highest level ever last year. It should be about the same this year. That means the fish will be scattered over a wider area. All species should be able to get off a good spawn. Beyond that, who can say what the fishing will be? Still reduced numbers of wipers. More walleyes with all of the DWR supplemental plantings. Fishing should be good in the post spawn period from late May through early July. After that? My crystal ball don't get cable.
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[Bduck]

I had late morning plans to hit Willard yesterday just for a couple of hours. That was after taking wife to do some shopping. Wellll, after we made our run I was chomping at the bit to get out but her plan of attack derailed me into a trip to SLC for more shopping. Then I diverted the thought to go Friday morning, but now a stinking engine light added decor to the dash on our way back from SLC. Now I'm [bobbeaten]
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Wow! Sounds like the whole world is against you going fishing...at Willard. Maybe the fishing right now is not the best, but...to paraphrase an old saying..."It is better to have fished and skunked than never to have fished at all."[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Hope you get rid of all the bad juju and can get back on the water while Mama Nature is behaving. I got an idea it won't last long.[/#0000FF]
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[Bduck]

Oh man I know all about bad juju, there are 2 weather systems off shore but with the dominating western high pressure system these low systems will go over the top only supplying us clearing inversion and cooler temps somewhat. Have to wait to see if wind will be a factor.
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