Cookie's adventure continues at Willard

[CookiePirate]

What a day it was at Willard yesterday. We started out on the dike in our favorite corner. Had cat rigs and wiper rigs out. I witnessed two interesting phenomenon. First, as we sat patiently waiting for the bite, we started noticing a lot of activity very close to shore. Like 4 to 5 feet from shore, sometimes closer. Further investigation showed that cats were charging the shoreline and gorging on the white midges that were hatching. After making some inquiries I learned that, indeed, you can fly fish for catfish. Who knew?! Unfortunately, Cowboy, trying to pack light to get over the top of the dike, only had heavy cat gear. Nothing that I could tempt these crazy cats with. 
I also witnessed what I can only describe as the dance of the Willard navy. Several boats, perfectly synchronized, traveling in a perfect circle, around and around. For hours. I can only guess they were in the spot dubbed "the island"? Those were some dedicated fisherman.   I am just a crazy old lady, but it was very peaceful to sit and watch   For 4 1/2 hours we sat there. Something get bumping my wiper rig, but nothing would commit. I did pull in one nice 24" cat. Also managed to collect and haul out 2 garbage bags full of beer cans. 

Went back in the evening with Buckwheat. Not as many people at the marina as last time and we were able to secure a spot on the fishing dock. We had cat rigs out and one wiper rig, just in case. Also decided since there were several anglers pulling in crappie that I would use some of the trinkets I have acquired from  Pat and do a bit of casting myself. About the 3rd cast I felt a tug and thought I really had something. Turns out, an unlucky angler lost his Ugly Stick rig over the railing and I caught it. Then Cowboy decided to have a go at it and just when he thought he had a strike, a Grebe popped up with his bait! We may not catch the most fish in a day, but we certainly don't get bored   The evening netted me another nice cat at 26" and one small one that we didn't even measure. Also ran into a cute couple form BFT, and we had fun sharing fishing stories. This may be our last trip after the big ones until fall, itching to get to the panfish. The wiper still eludes me. I am starting to think the tales of Willard wipers are just that, tales. Maybe next year. Cowboy did a compilation of our last few Willard trips. So here it is. 

https://youtu.be/rz3YO1s-9KA

[SkunkedAgain]

Sounds like a great trip Cookie, glad you got a few... I'll check for some new entries for the contest, sounds like nice fish.... Congrats... Jeff

[Springbuck1]

Job, Cookie. Wipers, unlike walleye, are real and catchable by average fishermen. Even below average, because I have done it myself. Keep at it, and good luck.

[TubeDude]

"I also witnessed what I can only describe as the dance of the Willard navy. Several boats, perfectly synchronized, traveling in a perfect circle, around and around. For hours."

That is known as the boaters' "daisy chain".  Boaters are generally prone to follow someone else...especially if one of them catches a fish.  Then...one by one...all boaters in the surrounding area get behind the lucky angler and follow them wherever they go...hoping to catch a fish too.  And when the original boater starts going in circles you end up with a "daisy chain".

As a float tuber I have witnessed the "herd instinct" of boaters all too often.  Can't begin to recall how many times I have been all alone in my tube...and when I catch a fish or two my tube becomes a powerful magnet...drawing in all the boats from many yards away.  Then, when I am surrounded by boats, and try to work my way out through them, the guys inside start yelling at me that I am getting too close to them.  Where are my manners?

I guess there is some truth to the old saying that "misery loves company".

Doubt they were circling "the island".  It is about a mile NW of the entrance to the south marina.  If you were fishing where I think you were fishing you probably couldn't see any boats fishing that area.

[meancuznalfy]

Nice, thats not a bad day, a few fish and a new rod.

[Tin-Can]

I have 5 rod and reel rigs just like that. But not one of mine    

[Kent]

Curious how you rig a "wiper rig"?

[catchinon]

Curious how you rig a "wiper rig"?

Kent, you take a baby wipe, tie it in three places, wrap section one around section three and pull tight. Put a # 4 hook through the end....
Kinda like the Huggies rig that the guy found in a rainbow's mouth at Grantsville.

[Kent]

Curious how you rig a "wiper rig"?

Kent, you take a baby wipe, tie it in three places, wrap section one around section three and pull tight. Put a # 4 hook through the end....
Kinda like the Huggies rig that the guy found in a rainbow's mouth at Grantsville.

Well, that makes sense.

[CookiePirate]

Curious how you rig a "wiper rig"?

My wiper rig is mythological, just like the Willard wiper. If someone will show me how to catch one, then I can tell you what the rig looks like. 

[Kent]

Curious how you rig a "wiper rig"?

My wiper rig is mythological, just like the Willard wiper. If someone will show me how to catch one, then I can tell you what the rig looks like. 

I would be interested in hearing how you have your "mythological" wiper rig set up, in comparison to your catfish rig.

[Cowboypirate]

Curious how you rig a "wiper rig"?

Kent, I dont know why wipers, of all the fish, is the one I cant get Carey on. In the last two years, we have targeted them - I don't remember past that - (Bank tangling which does limited us) at least 8 times with the standard mussel on a Carolina rig. Set up in all the traditional spaces. She hooked into a nice one last spring that tore off line and ran her right into the frag and busted her off, a second one later that jumped and threw the hook, and has had a dozen light takes that did not hook up, but none to the net yet. But we have a new plan after we get back from Idaho, to try.

[Kent]

Curious how you rig a "wiper rig"?

My wiper rig is mythological, just like the Willard wiper. If someone will show me how to catch one, then I can tell you what the rig looks like. 

I would be interested in hearing how you have your "mythological" wiper rig set up, in comparison to your catfish rig.

[Cowboypirate]

Curious how you rig a "wiper rig"?

My wiper rig is mythological, just like the Willard wiper. If someone will show me how to catch one, then I can tell you what the rig looks like. 

I would be interested in hearing how you have your "mythological" wiper rig set up, in comparison to your catfish rig.

Kent, Carey is sitting beside me, eating lunch, and told me to respond since I had BFT open....so...feel free to critique or advise

For Cats

We run heavy action poles (Santee Blue cat size rods) Way over kill for the cats around here, but what we have. I only run 15 lb mono, high vis line for Utah cats. I may be the last of the mono users out here , but I like the stretch for cat as I take Carey's little nieces and nephews out and I think it has some forgiveness to it. They will have a slip sinker and a sinker stop to protect the knot. And,  good Whisker Seeker swivels. Knots are palmer or improved double chinch. I jump up to 20 or 25 mono leader and finish off with a circle hook size 5,6, or 7 depending on where I am fishing. The two variation to this are rigging with a Santee float. Right now my Santee floats are pre rigged and sold by whisker seekers. I run the single and double hook ones they sell. Or, a flig starting at Pats traditional size and up to a much larger version that I play with at the BRBR - they are set up in the traditional method discussed on the forum.

For wipers (bait fishing), I drop down to my med-heavy rods that have 12 or 10 lbs test. Same Carolina slip sinker, sinker stop and swivel set up as the cat rods. 15 or 12# leader, around a 12 to 16 " long with a #4 or 5 circle hook and a couple mussels. I have switched between a regular hood and a circle hook but if we are running cat and wiper rods at the same time, I keep circle hooks on them all so we dont  set a hook when we should not. We run a tight spool/bail. Which may be very different from others - I know there is a raging debate on open spool, loose drag, bait clickers, or tight when using a circle hook.

I also toss hardware for wiper, but that is not really what you were asking about

[Mooseman75]

Cookie those look like healthy cats. Keep up the good work. And I just love seeing buckwheat out there. My 17 year old has mental handicap ands it takes a lot to get him out there but when he reels in a fish I think the whole lake can hear him scream from excitement. I would love to get them together one day