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Wife and I were out on Willard at about 3:30. Trolled South from North Marina towards feed lot. I caught the 17 inch eye within 15 minutes. Did not even get mine back out and wife had the 22 inch eye on. Thought she had snagged up. A few hits after that for the next 45 minutes but nothing to hook up on. Shot over to mid way down the North Dike and started the troll again. More hits no hooks ups. Turned South on the West dike and the wife finally hooked up one of the hits we were getting with an 18 inch Wiper. We buzzed back over to just North of the South Marina and trolled up into Freeway bay. Got a few more hits but no hookups. Anchored up in the shallows by the freeway and switched to shrimp and a worm and immediately hooked on to a nice cat which got off right at the boat. We each hooked two more which immediately shook it off. I think I need to change hooks as these circle shaped ones are not digging in to them. Oh well, someones got to feed the kitties.
Once again, the wife bruised my ego and out fished me.
Packed up and headed home just before dark. We put the wiper back and kept the Walleyes as these are the first we ever have caught. We filleted them out and are going to have walleye for our 33rd anniversary tomorrow.
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Great Report. Nice Pictures and Happy Anniversary!!! Those Walleye are tastey critters that is for sure, enjoy!!! You picked those Walleye up trolling huh? Thats awesome, hopefully I can coax some into the boat tomorrow when I try Willard out for the first time!!!
TS
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Congrats on your first walleye. Way back when I caught my first walleye at Willard (caught about 8 of them fast trolling for wipers). It looks like you lucked out (except for what it does to the bugs) with calm weather.
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O k I am finally convinced to take my boat out there. You guys are having way too much fun out there. Was it nerve racking at all getting your boat in? I am still somewhat new boating so I am very nervous about willard. Did you put in in the North Marina or South.
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Good post. A bigger size hook on the back of cranks has really increased hook ups. A #4 size in any brand should work. Some cranks have smaller hooks for the size of bait and increasing that size should help with hookups. I fish with a buddy who fishes willard 3-4 times a week and that is probably his first change to new lures. We miss very few fish.
cb
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When you upsize the hooks do you switch both or just the tail one?
Also does it affect the action at all? It still amazes me how a fish will strike a a crankbait and avoid hooking up.
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FS:
North Marina.
Stay on west side of ramp with the concrete into the water and when going out stay on North side of channel. It is 7-8' and then rises to about 4 just beyond as you pass by the barrel on the Southside. Wait until you get about 50 yards past the barrel before you try to plane or you run the risk of hitting the bottom on the hump there when the boat squats down. You should see 8' to 9' of water all the way out to the North West area where it gets 11' plus very consistantly. Do not turn South or North too quickly as that flat stays 4' or less for quite a ways out. What I have been experiencing is that if the carp are in the edges on that flat and very active the catfish are just out from them cruising. Nothing big so far but way fun to catch.
I just keep my eye on the depth and stay in my known paths if I travel above 3.5 mph (gps). I will fast troll in other areas but have missed many hits because I stay glued to the depth until I become familiar with them. There are some pretty interesting long ridge humps and depressions out there that have loads of fish on either side of them or in them. One of my wishlist items is a plotter. I am making my gps do for now.
Good luck and let me know. I bought an old aluminum 14' three years ago and bought a 19' bayliner discovery last year and am really having fun learning all of this new stuff.
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cbfish:
Thanks! I will give that a try. We had loads of hits. Have been putting the wipers and cats all back and probably will continue to do so.
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Thanks alot for the detailed advice. I have tubed out there alot and we rented a little flat bottom from base last year but I was really worried about the prop that I may not be able to afford to replace. So I am wanting to get my kicker running before I take it out there. Last year late summerish I was in my float tube and I was kicking bottom in the south marina when you go from the channel into the boat ramp area.
Thanks again Hope to see ya out there.
Ryan
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As far as I have seen it doesn't affect action at all. Some cranks come with size 6 or 8 trebles both front and back. If you think that a size 6 in front is large enough then leave it alone but anything smaller I would change both. They are Gamagatsu hooks used in #4. Dang sharp and last a long time. Also keep them sharp.
cb
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Thanks for the info. Hopefully I can make it out this week and give it a try.
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