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Willard today at 1.1 mph
#1
My wife and I hit Willard today with the intent of bringing home some fresh walleye. I told her we were going to go slow for the eyes, even if it meant getting skunked. We had no intent on catching wipers.
We fished from 9:45 am till about 2:30 pm and never went more than 1.1 mph. We ended up with 13 wipers, one good crappie, and a 19 and a 21 inch walleye. I lost one more walleye at the prop because I tried to horse him in between the other lines. Stupid,stupid,stupid......
Half today's bag caught on clown rapalas and the other half caught on a KCT gold/black crawler harness, including the 21 incher.

Funny story: As soon as I catch a keeper I immediately chain it, gill it, and hang it off the boat to pump out the blood. I hung the 21 and kind of forgot about him for a while due to catching other fish. About 20 minutes later I go to get him for the cooler and find an open chain. Stupid,stupid,stupid...... I was sick to my stomach as I absolutely prize walleye flesh.
I immediately flip the boat around and using my gps trail and binoculars I searched every seagull near my trail. I found him about 15 minutes later as two seagulls were working him over.
Thankfully the gulls had concentrated their efforts on the portion of gills I tore out and no damage to the fish occured. One scoop of the net and dinner was back on the table.
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#2
Very nice! (The fish isn't bad either)
Nice report and nice to know that the fish will hit without going planing speed! I've had the same thing happen to me several different times. Recovered a few, but lost most. Mine happen by forgetting to lift lift the stringer before racing off to another spot and when I get there I just have an empty stringer or no stringer at all.
You're a lucky guy that your wife will fish with you too. Mine used to, but I think I'm too hardcore for her to deal with on the boat anymore.... Too many "just one last casts" for her to take I suppose. [Wink]
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#3
That is some interesting fishing there. I loved that you regained that walleye ... good effort and good reward.

Man, that is a slow speed for catching so many wipers. They must just be hungry waiting for shad fingerlings to start to appear.
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#4
Great report. Sounds like some great fishing. Thanks for sharing.[fishon]
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#5
Oops, sorry Curt.
My only intent was to share tips with both the premium and casual readers to help them put a fish in their boat.
Lesson learned.
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#6
Shane that is crazy and disproves my reason for why I got skunked on the first Willard trip of the year. I was sure I had trolled too slow. Maybe I was just in the wrong place all day. Congrats on a nice catch. Later J
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#7
sounds like an awesome day. I still havent been able to hook into a walleye. I try going slow but get frustrated and pick up the speed. Just have to stick with it i guess. Thanks for the report
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#8
Not sure speed matters much trolling crankbaits if the water isn't too cold. Plus, you cover more water going faster. Another example is trolling for chinook in the ocean. Most guys try to go slow, as in less than 2MPH. However, I spoke with a commercial troller last year who trolls at 4 knots, ie, 4.6MPH. He talked about them "clattering up", or loading up his gear at that speed. I once caught a coho trolling tuna gear at 7MPH. Maybe next trip I'll try 2.7MPH, then 4.4MPH.
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Single main, no kicker. Wink
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#9
+1
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#10
Agreed Tube , Micro management is not going to encourage posting.
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#11
Looks like it is turning into a Personal Board for posting. [:/]
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#12
I will give a little background info on this. The OP posted this here, then on the premium board all he did was make a post that says come see his post here. So it actually did nothing. If he wanted to post a report here and on the new board the post on the other board should have had more information in it. Not just saying that he posted on the MUB and go take a look. That is all.
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#13
PM's would work great for that. We don't care what's on the entitlement board [Wink]
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#14
I agree a pm should have been used. I wasn't the one who dealt with it or I would have followed that route.
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#15
Regardless of where you posted it, I enjoy reading your reports and posting pictures, thanks.[Smile]
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#16
I have to be careful with 'just one more cast babe' also.
I ruined my son by always having to be first on the lake and the first boat to go bendo.
My advice to you guys with kids:
Stop at McDonalds or Subway in the morning, or wherever the kiddos want to go. Let them catch crawdads or throw rocks as long it does not ruin fishing for others close by. Bring all the soda pop and other snacks they don't get at home. Don't get tunnel vision at this point of their lives. Absorb the whole moment with them.
Don't make my mistake.
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#17
My wife hates the fact that during the summer we are up and on the road before dawn. But hey I like the early bite and I don't like afternoon winds when I have the toon out. With the boat we are on a learning curve and working on the best time to depart. Although longer rides still mean up early.
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#18
No argument.
I always make sure my wife has her favorite blanket and pillow. I also buy her whatever snack she wants in the morning, it has actually become a joke with us now.
I always make sure I bring the propane heater and a spare bottle, even in the summer. That little heater has become priceless in maintaining marital bliss!
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#19
[quote SBennett]I ruined my son by always having to be first on the lake and the first boat to go bendo.
My advice to you guys with kids:
Stop at McDonalds or Subway in the morning, or wherever the kiddos want to go. Let them catch crawdads or throw rocks as long it does not ruin fishing for others close by. Bring all the soda pop and other snacks they don't get at home. Don't get tunnel vision at this point of their lives. Absorb the whole moment with them.
Don't make my mistake.[/quote]

Few better words ever written! +1 +
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#20
Mr. Naylor,

Do you happen to live in W.J. by any chance and have an elk huntin' fool of a relative by the name of Dave?
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