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I need some help figuring what is going on at Willard.
For the past few weeks there has been a early morning and late evening period where boils would happen on the south banks and freeway bay. The boils were very brief. maybe 1 or 2 minutes max. The wiper were feeding on the small 1 inch shad that were in the rocks.
Now for the last three days there have been zero boils.
Where did the fish go? Are they on the North dike now?
The shad are still there in the rocks, all be it there are fewer now.
Has anyone been seeing boils anywhere else? The Wiper must be chasing bigger food somewhere else, but where?
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Is anyone fishing Willard lately. How have ya done?
Still trying to figure this place out.
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+1 I will likely be out there during labor day weekend if I get no reply's I will post up what I am seeing threw my android phone. so it will be live and you guys can come out and find me and run all my boils over. [  ] Them shad have to be close to 2" now right?
I have been watching the Willard cam early morning and late evening when I get a chance to but have not been seeing any birds or boils the past three weeks.
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Some of the shad are 2 inches now. Ive been going 3 time per week, and seems like the boils have gone else where. Drove by Willard last night around 8:30 and looked over Freeway Bay and the South Dike. The only thing I could see were boats trolling very far apart. i.e no boils.
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You are right they have to be close and I have seen more fish out by the light pole this year than in years past. So they may be out that way this year. anyone fishing Willard going to chime in ? LOL! I know there are a few people that live close like you that have to be fishing it? Come on guys throw use a bone. PM if you don't want to share with the masses.
Thanks for any info.
fnf[cool]
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It's my guess that with the over abundance of Shad, the Wiper have not had to create boils.
I have seen Shad every where I look on the reservoir.
The Wiper are spread out all across the reservoir and they are not in competition for feed.
The number of Wiper is also low this year. Look at the stocking report for the past 3 or 4 years and you will see that Wiper numbers are not what they were 5 or 6 years ago.
With a lower Wiper population and an over abundance of Shad, I don't know if or when we may see any normal boils this year.
The good news is that there were 267,817 Wiper fry stocked this year. The size ranges from 0.37" to 1.8" in length.
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Hopefully they are not getting slurped up by the predators... I imagine if there wasn't a big shad spawn then the wiper fingerlings would really be in trouble.
Why were stocking #'s so low over the past 3-4 years? I think I remember hearing the Utah fishery guys are trying to throw together a hatchery or a program? It is almost up and running?
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cause the stupid fish and game would rather trade moose for turkeys with colarado.they make me sick take a drive up lost creek and look at all the dam turkeys and u and i cant hunt em.the ogden drainage moose pop has been decimated by these so called bioligist,i know this has nothing to do with wipers but it them weiners trading for crap that has me pissed. they should be putting one million a year in ther like they used to.and dont tell me they dont have the money they raise the fees on everyhting evry year.except for me im locked in thank god.lots of u will be paying a fortune to fish and hunt. i think it is ridicoulous what they charge for what they have. have a nice day i feel alot beter now thanks.[sly][sly][sly]
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K, I was waiting for one of the full-time anglers to chime in. Here's the scoop as I see it.(see disclaimer below).
The last couple of days, they have been boiling (the good news). My experience, and several other anglers talked to, they are harder to catch (the bad news).
I went out Monday. The kids were wakeboarding until the sunset. After that, found a boil, and managed one fish out of it. Nothing to write home to mom about.
Tuesday, went out alone. Boils were much smaller and didn't stay up as long. Knew I should have been fishing instead of pulling the kids wakeboarding on Monday. Anyway, managed getting one again. Both fish were caught on a 1/4 oz castmaster.
As to other questions. The shad are plentiful, and most are about 1-1.25". That's based on looking in the water, and checking the stomach of a wiper I kept.
As to how plentiful the shad are. You go to Willard, stop anywhere. Look in the water. You see shad. I'm not saying a few. There are shad everywhere. Definitely NO shortage. Again, most are around or just over an inch.
As to the lower stocking numbers. I heard they had issues with filtration at the fish hatchery. I think they are supposed to have that worked out and should be stocking more wipers now. Also, we're doing our own wipers in Utah now. White bass from Utah lake and Stripers from Lake Powell. No more buying from Nebraska or wherever.
Take all this with a grain of salt. I'm more of a power squadron member. I fish in between wakeboarding, tubing, waterskiing... Not my main thing.
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I fished the south dike tuesday. I would call them bubbles this year not boils. Caught one nice small mouth was it. Saw a couple very small bubbles that I couldn't get to or no takers. Not much of a report. I'am hoping now that school has started fewer boat will be out and the bubbles will turn to boils.
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Planning to head down there tonight, campover at the north end. If anyone's gonna be out there - shoot me a note, we can swap numbers in case we spot anything.
I'll be with my little tug-boat so not likely to rip across the lake chasing anything, but hope to work the North Dike a bit.
Maybe some shore fishing after dark for those phat cats!
Fishinfool - I'd tell you the Boils are On - for Bluegill at Mantua, but it might piss you off!!! [mad]
Plus I haven't been by there for a while - but getting to be about that time I'd think. Might have to hit a sunset outing there.
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Your right about Mantua. The Bluegills are endless. The boils are on there. It truly is amazing! I go there Bass fishing and always end up catching the Bluegills to keep me from being skunked.
Think I may wait a bit more before I go back to Willard though. My freezer is full of Catfish and have no need for more. I'm just waiting for the Wiper boils..might be a long wait. I think the others on this tread that said the bait is to plentiful may have a good point. Wait and see.
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Ok - so here's a question - if the shad are so danged plentiful, why is it illegal to possess them?
I can fully understand they want to control them, and not have some bucket-biologist move them elsewhere, BUT - if you net 'em, kill 'em, and slap them on a hook - what's the problem with that (other than the regs).
I just got a cast net, but don't know that I dare try it out there - even though I'm sure there's plenty of carp minnows. Don't know that I could id one minnow from another.
I do have a number of shad-patterns been itching to try dragging around, but by the sounds of it "there's nothing like the real thing baby" - and they've got plenty of those to slurp up with an easy yawn.
Also - planting all those fingerling Wipers before the shad pops are up - doesn't that leave them as forage until the real forage is in bloom?
Welp - sounds like it's doing good things for the Walleye anyway. Maybe I'll find one of those!
Toadly - if you need any help smoking up those kitties - be glad to brine 'em and fine 'em for ya. Have you been fishing anywhere but the S. end at Willard?
And thanks for the Mantua info. Might just HAVE to try some fly-rod action there soon.
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[quote CoyoteSpinner]Planning to head down there tonight, campover at the north end. If anyone's gonna be out there - [/quote]
What time do you plan on being there? Are you staying one night or two?
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According to "the boy" we're still on. Only one night - the other fellows should roll in here shortly. Probably won't get on the road until 4:30/5 - about an hour travel- setup camp.
But - we should be around Saturday morn. THEY'll probably sleep in, I hope to hit some late shore, early float action.
You thinking about coming out?! You still have my number?
I never have high hopes for Willard, but some of these shad patterns, and other minnow type lures - who knows. Plus some of TD's killers - hopefully at least find some kitties that wanna play! Bucket wish-list would be a Walleye.
Guess I'd better get off the PC and get packin'/loading!
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Went this evening, and saw a bunch of small boils. They do not last more then a minute but did end up with two around twenty, one smally, and one walleye. It's tough from shore running from rock to rock to get to them. They are in tight to shore the last few hours of light.
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