Willard Info.

[FishNCoach]

[font "High Tower Text"][#500050][size 4][blush]Just put a New Motor on the boat, I have 22" shaft & Prop.[/size][/#500050][/font]
[font "High Tower Text"][#500050][size 4]Was woundering if any one knows the condition of Willard Bay? [crazy]and if the water level will be up this year from last year, and how the fishing will be do to the low water last year, and is the South end open to put boats in, [/size][/#500050][/font]
[font "High Tower Text"][#500050][size 4]I here rumors, or hear say, but I would like true answers if any one has them, or were I can go to find info on Willard, THANKS [sly][/size][/#500050][/font]
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[TubeDude]

[#0000ff]Right now, the water level is about 2 feet higher than extreme low water last year. The bad news is that it probably will not gain more than another two feet before it will be sucked out through the open drain at the outlet. They are keeping the lake low again this year...and at least one more year into the future...while they work to repair some shakey substrata around the dike on the east side of the lake. It's a gummint operation so who knows?[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=389863;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread"]LINK TO PREVIOUS THREAD[/url][/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You can safely launch almost any size boat at the north marina. The channel is 7 feet deep, but there is a 3-4 foot "hump" at the mouth of the channel. That will improve with runoff into the lake, but will begin dropping as water users suck out what they need beginning in May or June.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The south marina is still closed. Gated and locked. It usually opens after about the first of April. But, water levels inside the harbor are probably still low. You could not even launch a tin boat at the end of the year last year.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Too early to tell how the wiper fishing will be. So far, it looks like there are plenty of wipers, and they are fat and healthy after dining on bottled up gizzard shad in the deep holes all winter. Early in the year they hit plastics fished slow better than fast trolled crankbaits. Once the water warms to about 65 or 70 they are more active. The only potential downside is that the wind stirs up the shoreline mud in low water and if the lake is too murky the wipers cannot see your lures as well. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There will still be some good fishing...just not as much or as accessible as in previous high water years.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Look for a few good wiper reports to start in may and to get better in June...along with some walleyes. Be prepared for a short season with your boat if the water level drops fast during the summer.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Others might have more info. Hope this helps.[/#0000ff]
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[BigBuck3333]

tuberdude is right on how much they are going to put in.i called em today to bitch, 2 feet maybe,they are wating for the govt funds to do the repairs wont be done till late summer at best,giant track hoes fromtexas ig down 30 ft and dump concrete at same time. sounds like a bunch of govt waste to me could have pile drived metal walls by now and been all done.but that is to simple call your congressman and bitch. hell they already sucked all the wallleyes out when the drained it.
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[lunkerhunter2]

Right now you can safely launch probably up to a 20' boat if you have a fider and know when to back off the throttle when it jumps up shallow. There are some areas around the marina in a 150 yard radius that has some prop killers but if you pay attention you can get into the lake with no problems and average 8' deep. I trolled all over today and had no problems except close to shores and the marina. The bad thing is i marked 0 fish today in 3 hours.[]
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[cclaeys]

"[font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1]The bad thing is i marked 0 fish today in 3 hours"

makes you wonder where the heck they go - I have had that happen 4/5 trips this spring, nothing - where the heck do these fish go (not talking willard specifically).
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[lunkerhunter2]

Not sure, but if anybody is interested in carp, pelican beach is infested with them in lass than 3' of water.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]If you didn't see any fish on sonar there could be a couple of possibilities. Either a bad transducer or a loose nut (you) on the controls. Sorry Bro, you know I don't mean that.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Option C is that the fish are ALL shallow...too shallow to show up on sonar at normal trolling depths. The only reports I have had of people catching wipers have been from guys casting shallow with slow plastics. The fish are in a warming mode right now, trying to get all the extra degrees they can from the sun warming the shallows.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Once the water temps jump past 50 - 55 I think there will be more fish away from the shoreline. Plastics will likely still work best until the water temp reaches at least 60.[/#0000ff]
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[FishNCoach]

[font "High Tower Text"][#800080][size 4]Thanks for the report guys, To bad the water level will be low this year now that we have alot of runoff, WHAT A WAIST! [unsure][/size][/#800080][/font]
[font "High Tower Text"][#800080][size 4]It makes you wounder how the num-skull [mad] is that planed this repair on the bay. I love to fish Wyper and Waleye, and it is the only place close to the area, THANKS [][/size][/#800080][/font]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Most of us wiper fans can appreciate your frustration. But, the numbskulls who "planned" this repair only did it to keep the entire south dike from collapsing and flooding out thousands of people and making for a much longer and more serious repair...if they ever WOULD repair it.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As much as we hate to admit it, life is not just about fishing.[/#0000ff]
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[djole]

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[#0000ff]As much as we hate to admit it, life is not just about fishing.[/#0000ff] [/reply]
I'm just gonna pretend that you never typed that and I never read it..... []
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Sorry. Momentary loss of reality during a bout of fishing withdrawal symptoms.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Actually, I think we could paraphrase a popular quote from the late Vince Lombardi. He said "Winning isn't everything...it's the only thing." Can we substitute FISHING for winning?[/#0000ff]
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[FishNCoach]

WHA[font "High Tower Text"][#500050][size 4]T-life is nothing but fishing (my wife would debait this [crazy] ) O-Well I will look on the brighter side of things, just to excited to put the boat in.[/size][/#500050][/font]
[font "High Tower Text"][#500050][size 4] TD-Is the south marina going to have deep water to put a boat in this year, or should we go to the north end? I know it is not open yet, and it seemed like last year the water on the south end was very merky and dark (alot of dark green stuff floating around) hope this changes this year, I have waited a while to fish I am puting my gigs in the bath tub for practice.[sly][/size][/#500050][/font]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]You should be able to launch any size boat in the south marina when it opens and for at least until maybe June or July. Once runoff slows down and the water users drop the level again, it gets too low except for small boats and float tubes.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The runoff comes in the south marina inlet channel, so it will be muddier there than anywhere. The good news is that the runoff attracts fish. I caught my first wipers there last year in mid April, on crankbaits fished just outside the marina in only five or six feet of water.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The north marina is deep enough for almost any boat right now and it will only get better in the next month or so. Just be sure to go straight out at least 1/4 mile before turning right or left. There are some serious sandbars and rock piles in closer.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Be careful what you hook when jigging in the bathtub. Ouch.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Now, breathe through your nose and try to keep it together for awhile.[/#0000ff]
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[FishNCoach]

Th[font "High Tower Text"][#800080][size 4]anks TD for the info,[] I am going to try it in April. We'll let you know what happens![/size][/#800080][/font]
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[Strikes_R_Us]

Thanks for all the info. My boat is getting de-winterized today. I'm planning on hitting Willard on sunday, weather depending. If I do, I will post any success. I have a 20' tri-hull I hope that will make it out of the channel.[crazy]
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[FishNCoach]

[font "High Tower Text"][#800080][size 4]Strikes R us , [cool]PM me on your trip to willard, or make sue you post it, fresh news is good stuff> THANKS[sly][/size][/#800080][/font]
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[lunkerhunter2]

I think you are mostly right. All the activity we did see was by el-carpe in the shallow water. I also got very shallow and tried to find fish cruising the warmth. Saw nothing of the kind. I did not see any floating winter kill anywhere though so my fears were not well founded. Thank goodness. P.S., the finder works like it's supposed to so it must be the loose nut.[]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I am sure you know that it is tough to see fish under the boat in shallow water. They boogie away from the sonar cone.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Just checking my records and all of my earliest fish last year were taken in less than 7 feet of water...on chartreuse or fire tiger early and blue/chrome when it got brighter. A couple of last year's early wipers were in only about 4 feet of water...water temps still under 60.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Probably going to tube it again next Tuesday.[/#0000ff]
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[lunkerhunter2]

[cool]Yeah i know, but i usually atleast mark fish in the 12' depths especially when drifting or running the bow mount. Hopefully i can make it up there tuesday morning in the toon. It sits on the wall and looks . I'll keep ya posted.
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[FishNCoach]

[font "High Tower Text"][black][size 4]There have been many that want info on willard, so I brought back this posting, alot of good info.[/size][/black][/font]
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