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Fished some of the outflows today. Threw everything in my box. Ended up catching a few cc cats and a few smallish carp. Stopped at the inlet. Lots of water coming in. Already a half dozen fishermen sinking 1/8 oz green curlies. Nobody there caught a fish. Really looking forward to some trolling for the wipers and walleyes. Set the boat up with a big tower and great lakes planer boards. We cut a wide swath but our increase in catch rate for American falls trophy trout leaves me hoping it will be an equally effective approach for Willard.
Oh, when I walked up the dike I could see two groups of guys ice fishing the west side. Ice looked butt pucker sketchy though. I could see what looked like several open spots, but they coulda just been puddles.
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Thanks for the report. Seems like the turning of the tides
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That is interesting, we were both out there yesterday checking the conditions. I was thinking about hitting the South side as well but never made it there after checking the North end, I just stayed there because of all the open water. Where did you park to fish the outlet? I know the gate is still closed, did you park there and walk over? That is crazy, folks are ice fishing on the West side of the lake and boating on the East side[crazy]. Another crazy thing, I was ice fishing at the inlet a little over a week ago, I was amazed how clear the water was there compared to the Bay. I figured it was open by now because we were there two days later and half the ice was gone. With this warm weather, it won't be long now, maybe by the end of the month and it will all be gone.
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I was fishing the outlet at the sw corner. I sure hope the wiper fishing is better this year. Last year seemed like an improvement, but it has a long way to go. I remember in like 2006 or 2007 we had a warm February. I think I ate wiper 15 times that month. Last year I didn't catch one until may.
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[quote fishjon]I was fishing the outlet at the sw corner.[/quote][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]???[/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]Willard has more than one outlet?[/#800000][/font]
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Bob Hicks, from Utah
I'm 82 years young and going as hard as I can for as long as I can.
"Free men do not ask permission to bear arms."
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yes. They let water out of the southwest corner just like they do over on the North end. The pipe is where the bouy is that I'm sure you've seen. Lots less water than the north side though.
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[quote dubob][quote fishjon]I was fishing the outlet at the sw corner.[/quote][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]???[/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]Willard has more than one outlet?[/#800000][/font][/quote]
Yes
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By law they have to have the one there in the SW corner to keep the water level up in the wildlife area. 10 years ago the water level got so low in Willard that that pipe was out of the water. They had to bring in a huge gas powered water pump just to maintain the water flow..
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