2021 Willard Bay trip # 7

[Tin-Can]

Well, I hit WB today for about the same reason that TD hit UL / Lindon. If we waited for 3 calm days to pass after a wind storm, we might not get out for next few weeks    .  

But I didn't get on the water til almost 11 a.m.  Water was very calm, just enough breeze to let me drift at about 0.2 mph, clear blue skies, air temp 48 on arrival, 63 on departure at  3 p.m.  Water temp in south marina 51.4 at launch, and 53 on pull out. 
Only 3 other trailers in the lot when I got there. But about a dozen when I left. 



Haven't had any luck recently out to the east along the feedlot wall so turned left and angled north west to about half way between island and south wall. Set out both lines and slow drifted south easterly.  Had a couple very tentative pecks, but no hook ups. About 1 p.m. wind strengthened and shifted to coming out of south west in light gusts. So pulled in closer to south wall, put lines out and drifted kinda north east at about .35 to .46 mph.  
Hadn't been repositioned even 5 minutes, and one rod slammed in the holder and the drag smoked out......yeee haaaw  hadn't heard that in a few weeks.
 Brought a fatbelly momma Cat to the net, did the CPR and measure and released so she could go find a spot to dump all her eggs. 
And that was it for the day. (photo posted on Contest thread)
Kinda copying Fatbiker and getting just the one needed to kick the skunk out of the boat.  But I'll take it.   .

Marsh area over west wall burning today. 

[FatBiker]

One beats none every day of the week!

[fishinfool]

With the spawn getting real close change your tactics and float something right next to the rocks on the dike. I bet you would get a bunch more hits.

Seems I never have problems catching catfish out there when I am trying to catch walleye and wipers. And I am always trolling the dike with lipless crankbaits. Rattlin Rapalas in hologreen, holoblue and bleeding black and silver. #5. My inside rod lure is actually bumping the rocks and I like to do S turns. The cats take the lure as it comes off the dike almost every time.

I have my best luck trolling the north dike from half way to the light pole then turn around and head back.

 

[TubeDude]

Well, I hit WB today for about the same reason that TD hit UL / Lindon. If we waited for 3 calm days to pass after a wind storm, we might not get out for next few weeks    .  

But I didn't get on the water til almost 11 a.m.  Water was very calm, just enough breeze to let me drift at about 0.2 mph, clear blue skies, air temp 48 on arrival, 63 on departure at  3 p.m.  Water temp in south marina 51.4 at launch, and 53 on pull out. 
Only 3 other trailers in the lot when I got there. But about a dozen when I left. 



Haven't had any luck recently out to the east along the feedlot wall so turned left and angled north west to about half way between island and south wall. Set out both lines and slow drifted south easterly.  Had a couple very tentative pecks, but no hook ups. About 1 p.m. wind strengthened and shifted to coming out of south west in light gusts. So pulled in closer to south wall, put lines out and drifted kinda north east at about .35 to .46 mph.  
Hadn't been repositioned even 5 minutes, and one rod slammed in the holder and the drag smoked out......yeee haaaw  hadn't heard that in a few weeks.
 Brought a fatbelly momma Cat to the net, did the CPR and measure and released so she could go find a spot to dump all her eggs. 
And that was it for the day. (photo posted on Contest thread)
Kinda copying Fatbiker and getting just the one needed to kick the skunk out of the boat.  But I'll take it.   .

Marsh area over west wall burning today. 

With the spawn getting real close change your tactics and float something right next to the rocks on the dike. I bet you would get a bunch more hits. Seems I never have problems catching catfish out there when I am trying to catch walleye and wipers. And I am always trolling the dike with lipless crankbaits. rattlin rapalas in hologreen, holoblue and bleeding black and silver. #5. My inside rod lure is actually bumping the rocks and I like to do S turns. The cats take the lure as it comes off the dike almost every time.

That will be great advice in May.  But current water temps are about 15 degrees too cold to find the kitties playing in the rocks.  My trips to Willard have included checking out the shallows and so far I have found no fish within a hundred yards of the dikes.  But soon.

[fishinfool]

Well, I hit WB today for about the same reason that TD hit UL / Lindon. If we waited for 3 calm days to pass after a wind storm, we might not get out for next few weeks    .  

But I didn't get on the water til almost 11 a.m.  Water was very calm, just enough breeze to let me drift at about 0.2 mph, clear blue skies, air temp 48 on arrival, 63 on departure at  3 p.m.  Water temp in south marina 51.4 at launch, and 53 on pull out. 
Only 3 other trailers in the lot when I got there. But about a dozen when I left. 



Haven't had any luck recently out to the east along the feedlot wall so turned left and angled north west to about half way between island and south wall. Set out both lines and slow drifted south easterly.  Had a couple very tentative pecks, but no hook ups. About 1 p.m. wind strengthened and shifted to coming out of south west in light gusts. So pulled in closer to south wall, put lines out and drifted kinda north east at about .35 to .46 mph.  
Hadn't been repositioned even 5 minutes, and one rod slammed in the holder and the drag smoked out......yeee haaaw  hadn't heard that in a few weeks.
 Brought a fatbelly momma Cat to the net, did the CPR and measure and released so she could go find a spot to dump all her eggs. 
And that was it for the day. (photo posted on Contest thread)
Kinda copying Fatbiker and getting just the one needed to kick the skunk out of the boat.  But I'll take it.   .

Marsh area over west wall burning today. 

With the spawn getting real close change your tactics and float something right next to the rocks on the dike. I bet you would get a bunch more hits. Seems I never have problems catching catfish out there when I am trying to catch walleye and wipers. And I am always trolling the dike with lipless crankbaits. rattlin rapalas in hologreen, holoblue and bleeding black and silver. #5. My inside rod lure is actually bumping the rocks and I like to do S turns. The cats take the lure as it comes off the dike almost every time.

That will be great advice in May.  But current water temps are about 15 degrees too cold to find the kitties playing in the rocks.  My trips to Willard have included checking out the shallows and so far I have found no fish within a hundred yards of the dikes.  But soon.

Your defiantly the cat master and I wont go against what you are telling him. You would know better than anyone. I forget it is so early in April still.

[Tin-Can]

Well, I hit WB today for about the same reason that TD hit UL / Lindon. If we waited for 3 calm days to pass after a wind storm, we might not get out for next few weeks    .  

But I didn't get on the water til almost 11 a.m.  Water was very calm, just enough breeze to let me drift at about 0.2 mph, clear blue skies, air temp 48 on arrival, 63 on departure at  3 p.m.  Water temp in south marina 51.4 at launch, and 53 on pull out. 
Only 3 other trailers in the lot when I got there. But about a dozen when I left. 



Haven't had any luck recently out to the east along the feedlot wall so turned left and angled north west to about half way between island and south wall. Set out both lines and slow drifted south easterly.  Had a couple very tentative pecks, but no hook ups. About 1 p.m. wind strengthened and shifted to coming out of south west in light gusts. So pulled in closer to south wall, put lines out and drifted kinda north east at about .35 to .46 mph.  
Hadn't been repositioned even 5 minutes, and one rod slammed in the holder and the drag smoked out......yeee haaaw  hadn't heard that in a few weeks.
 Brought a fatbelly momma Cat to the net, did the CPR and measure and released so she could go find a spot to dump all her eggs. 
And that was it for the day. (photo posted on Contest thread)
Kinda copying Fatbiker and getting just the one needed to kick the skunk out of the boat.  But I'll take it.   .

Marsh area over west wall burning today. 

With the spawn getting real close change your tactics and float something right next to the rocks on the dike. I bet you would get a bunch more hits. Seems I never have problems catching catfish out there when I am trying to catch walleye and wipers. And I am always trolling the dike with lipless crankbaits. rattlin rapalas in hologreen, holoblue and bleeding black and silver. #5. My inside rod lure is actually bumping the rocks and I like to do S turns. The cats take the lure as it comes off the dike almost every time.

That will be great advice in May.  But current water temps are about 15 degrees too cold to find the kitties playing in the rocks.  My trips to Willard have included checking out the shallows and so far I have found no fish within a hundred yards of the dikes.  But soon.

Your defiantly the cat master and I wont go against what you are telling him. You would know better than anyone. I forget it is so early in April still.

   Fishinfool:  That tactic works but a bit later or warmer water. Tried that on trip #5, snagged up several times. Fortunately didn't loose the lures. Found that drifting with light breeze at less than .5 mph and lines pulling with small hooks with shrimp, worms, chicken, and about a 1/8 oz. weight just to keep it all on or near the bottom seems to do well when I'm moving from about 15 fow in toward the wall and 6 to 7 fow.  Just been a crazy 6 weeks since ice off, some warm days, some cold days, and wind isn't always blowing in the direction I'd like it.  But yesterday was a nice day and I beat away the skunk.....