Willard Whisker Perch 11-12-19

[TubeDude]

[#0000ff]Hoping to find some more perch today at the north marina. Got a lot...but they all had whiskers.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff] [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Launched at 7:30. Air temp 26 and water temp 44, rising a couple of degrees before noon departure. Good water clarity and the lake is still coming up.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff] [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Glassy calm. Saw lots of little rings on the surface inside the harbor...shadlets. And the early birds spotted them too and were soon diving all over the lake. These were live active shad...not dying ones. That is until the terns turned them into breakfast.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff] [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Found nothing on sonar or on the end of my line either coming out the channel or in one of my fave areas outside. A fishy desert. Motored over to Eagle Beach and started seeing a few small balls of shad. Also started getting inquiries. Picked up several whiskery perch in 12 feet of water. Didn't get any love on plastics or jigs below a bobber. I was also hoping maybe for a crappie. Nope.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff] [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]After the sun was well up over the mountain the shad left the shallow areas and I got no more action for over a half hour. So I cranked up the electric motor and motated over to the north dike. Just before I got there...while going over about 17 feet of water...I started seeing large areas of the bottom covered with shad. Put on the brakes and put out a couple of baited fligs.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff] [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Non-stop kitty action for the next hour or so. I could not even fish two rods. As soon as I put out a minnow-baited flig the active cats would haul the rod tip down and hook themselves. I did have a couple of double hookups before I downsized to one rod.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff] [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Those cool cats hit hard but wimped out pretty quick on the battle. I did have a couple that put up a good fight, but most just thrashed and rolled. I mighta thunk I was on Strawberry except these cutts had whiskers.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff] [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The big shad schools moved on and so did the other guys. I had caught about 15 or so and had already kept a limit so I packed up and motored back over to the mouth of the harbor to check the potential perch census there. Did see some shad, but nothing seemed to be hanging around for the feed. No more bites.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff] [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Lovely day. No boats on the water, no skiers and no skeeters. No perch neither but tugs is tugs. I gladly accept love from my kitty friends when nobody else wants to play with me. I got no pride.
[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[SkunkedAgain]

Sounds like a great trip Pat, thanks for the report... Glad you had a plan C to fill up the basket... Later J
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Plan C? Catfish?[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]Didn't plan on them but always glad when they show up and nothing else does.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]

[SkunkedAgain]

I think the cats plan on you dropping by to put on their feedbag... They just don't know that you don't miss them like I do... Nice fishing lately, we were out yesterday and really enjoyed the weather and some tugs too... no whiskers though, just slimers and a lone perch.. (Hyrum)… Later Jeff
[signature]

[wiperhunter2]

After what you told me in a PM the other day I was expecting you to kill the perch and crappie but it does sound like you killed the cats, great report and pics as normal. Were all the cats cookie cutters or did you catch any of those big kitties?
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]I got a couple in the 2 footer range. Several right at 20 inches. One of the larger females from over near the north dike had a big tummy. Since she swallowed one of my fligs I put her in the basket for a fillet knife recovery later. Amazing. About 5 whole crawdads in her gut and she still snarfed the fliglet. Musta been trying to floss after a big meal.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]I actually worked pretty hard to try to find both perch and crappies. Covered a lot of water and used several different rigs and techniques. But I just wasn't seeing any evidence on sonar and no love on the lines either. They come and they go.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]Ira sent me a PM with pics of the results you guys had elsewhere. Nice work. Might try that myself tomorrow.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]

[Saltslam]

TubeDude, I'm curious to know how you keep your feet from freezing during these colder months. Do you have a preferred insulated sock, electric sock, toe warmers or what? I was on a mountain lake last week in my pontoon and while the weather was beautiful my feet were freezing. Had to get out a couple of times and jump around to get the blood flowing to them!
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[#0000FF][url "https://www.heatholders.com/collections/all-mens-socks/products/mens-original-socks"]Heat Holder Socks[/url]. (link) Man, for many years I too had to do the "tuber's stomp" a few times on each trip in cold water. And in the early days of float tubing there were very few choices in waders, booties and fins. My size 13 feet had to be crammed into gear that was too small...with little insulation...and the restriction cut down circulation. First pain...then no feeling at all.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]Today I have large soft pocket fins that will readily accomodate my bootied foot and my fluffy Heat Holder socks...with a bit of space left over for circulation. I used to fish with two or three pair of socks. Now just one pair of the Heat Holders and I stay pretty comfy...down to just above freezing.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]So...it is a combination of proper foot wear, large enough foot pockets on your fins and socks that will provide enough insulation.
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]That being said, the water at Willard has been staying above 40 degrees. Last year as soon as it dropped toward the mid 30's even my Heat Holder socks did not hold up all day. But I never did get numbing cold...just a bit of discomfort.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]I have tried putting the hand warmers down under my toes inside the waders and booties. They work fine but only for a short time. They need a bit of air circulation for the oxidizing/warming reaction to continue. Not much oxygen at the bottom of my waders. There are electric ones but I have heard no good reports on them. The eternal quest.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]I was always self-conscious about getting out on the bank and doing the coldfeet cha cha. Even if there were no humans around to chortle and guffaw at my antics I am sure I could hear the local wildlife snickering.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]

[Jmorfish]

Hey Pat -- tks for link to socks...just ordered a pair for me and the Mrs. .... sound good....Hope to see you next Tues...
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]You will love the socks.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]Looking forward to Tuesday. Should be fun.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]

[doitall5000]

I went to salt creek chasing pheasant, Thursday. When we drove by willard at about 5:30 pm the lake was very inviting. Calm like glass with no jet ski in sight. Air temperature about 60.
Really started wishing I was fishing instead.
Even Saturday looks hopeful for a calm day.
Those cats look like fun to me and my little buddies.

Thanks for a great report pat.
[signature]

[Piscophilic]

Great report and pictures! I'm glad you got out and confirmed that the cats are still feeding (and that you had some fun). It seems that even in cold water, if you find the groceries the cats will be there. Too bad those darn shad move around so much!

Thanks again for the report!
[signature]

[Saltslam]

Got em ordered, thanks!
[signature]