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Willard - today after work
#1
Went to WB today after work. On the water about 5 PM, only one other rig in the south parking lot when I got there.
South entrance has that big yellow sign on it again already.
"Launch Ramps closed due to low water" Not really closed, but for sure launch at your own risk.
OK here are the water levels I noted:
At the dock (west dock) about 2 ft. Out in the middle of marina, about 3-4 ft. Just after turning left out of marina into channel about 5 ft. Stay in the middle and it runs from 5 to 10 ft. Just past the buoys, comes up to about 4.5 ft. for just a few yards, then starts a gradual down grade to about 11 ft. South of the island going east to west varies from 11 ft. to 8 ft. with a few small depressions along the way at 8.5 - 9 ft.
Air temp at 5 PM launch was 98*, water temp from 84 to 87* depending how shallow.
Saw maybe 2 other fishin boats within my range of vision. About 3 or 4 ski boats, but all being nice today. Saw what may have been 2 or 3 bank tanglers along the south wall west of the marina inlet.
I kind of hop-scotched around to several "holes" (barely depressions in the bottom, but some deeper than area around them) Didn't have time to go all the way to the west wall - south corner area. Dropped anchor about 100 yards north of the south marina buoys, slightly off to the west of the 9 to 11 ft. cut that runs out from the marina where it was dredged late last year. It was my last worm soaking spot before I left at 7:30, and boated 1 nice healthy cookie cutter Cat. Would have made a couple nice fillets, but I wasn't in the mood to clean fish today, so he got a reprieve and was released. Besides, forgot my phone when I left the house, no phone - no camera.............[frown]

I kind of doubt the south marina will useable much past Labor Day, maybe even earlier, except for small light boats (like mine) and the members of the plastic and inflated Navy..........[sly]
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"OCD = Obsessive Catfish Disorder "
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#2
Thanks for the report.
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#3
We were looking for you out there yesterday but I guess we were fishing different areas, it was a hot one out there, thats for sure.
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#4
Thanks for the report. We're hoping to take Mom out again next week after she returns from her trip to Idaho.

Has anyone launched out of the N Marina? What's the water depth? We can launch in 2ft, but would prefer 3 or more.
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#5
With the way Willard kind of "tilts" downward as you go north, I would guess that the north marina is still not too bad. If you launch there be aware that not too far off the ramp kind of behind and to your right as you back off the trailer is "hump" that at low water, it may not be sticking up out of the water yet, but it's possibly only a foot or so under water. When you get off the trailer, keep your motor trimmed up, only back up as much as you need to clear your rig, then turn left (west) and use the very end of the long dock to tie up if needed to move your tow vehicle. Stay in the CENTER of the launch ramp. The left and right 1/3rd ramp sections have shorter concrete out in the water. They have been marked with orange cones most all season.
The channel going out is OK, probably in the 7 to 10 foot range still. But stay in the middle, and get WELL out past the marker buoys before you turn left or right. Once you get far enough out past the buoys, it should be 10 feet or deeper from there all the way to the west wall.
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"OCD = Obsessive Catfish Disorder "
    Or so it says on my license plate holder
                                 
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#6
Appreaciate the info. We're aware of the known hazards the ramp has (thanks to a great mentor we have who taught us about them when we first got our boat). When the dock is really busy when we are leaving we head over to the dock over by the F&G boat - luckily we were watching the depth because there is that really shallow area you have to cross over. Too bad they cannot get more/better dock space. Would have been nice if, when the water was kept low due the oil spill, they would have improved the ramp conditions to make the space more usable for sure.
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#7
Curt, I left there about 20 minutes in front of that thunderstorm. Didin't start raining on me till I got to Cal Ranch store.
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"OCD = Obsessive Catfish Disorder "
    Or so it says on my license plate holder
                                 
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#8
I've pulled 3 boats off of that hump and 2 off the rocks to the right of the channel outlet.
I agree, wish they would have done some improvement to the north ramp and launch area last year. I don't use the north marina much until the south is just too shallow or they close it for the season. But with my little boat, if the dock is busy, I just find an opening on the shore area west of the dock and beach it.
I have more trouble getting in the waiting line to get the trailer on the ramp. Too many people get all the way down the ramp before they do their launch prep.

Anyway, you know the hazards and how to avoid them. Good luck and hope your mom has a good time.
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#9
It never rained on us on the Bay, it just got windy. My wife said it poured at our house.
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#10
The rain never made it our way here at the house, although we could use it for the fire!

I am sure Mom will be happy to know she will get go to Willard once again. Hopefully we can hit Willard one day and Strawberry on another before she heads back to the real heat!
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