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Willard Friday the 13th
#1
Well all indications based on forecasts and seasoned Willard Anglers Friday should have been a great day... it wasn't a skunk but it wasn't as good as we expected.

Note - about the photo - I hadn't yet grabbed a photo until AFTER Jeff had already descaled them so they ae bit lighter in color than normal. Also we checked them to see what they have been dining on... no minnows only green slime and Willard bugs...
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#2
Almost all the fish in Willard are eating those green bugs now but I'm puzzled that the catching wasn't better yesterday. Just chock it up to Willard being fickled[crazy].
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#3
yeah, that's what we said to one another... seemed like it worked for others it just wasn't our turn.... but we'll be back...

Looks like we are in for weather/pressure change once again Monday and Tuesday before it begins to warm back up again - you gotta love spring weather!
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#4
[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]You scale fish? Boy, that's REALLY old school. [cool][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]I haven't scaled a fish for at least 40 years. Once I discovered the filet knife I never looked back. But hey, I applaud your labors.[/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]Also, we will be at Buckboard May 22 - 28 for our first trip this year.[/#800000][/font]
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Bob Hicks, from Utah
I'm 81 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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#5
I don't scale many of my fish but every now n again I also will scale pan fish. If one enjoys a good pan fish chowder as I do than scaling them is a must. You want your chunks of fish to remain as chunks not flake apart in your chowder n soups. Only way to ensure that is to leave the skin on. It's really not all that much work with a good fish scaler and the nice cleaning stations available at Willard.
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#6
My mom loved the skin on the bluegills, I use to scale them and then fillet the meat off the carcass for her.
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#7
J&J, I totally agree, fishing has been tough for the last little while! I was out on Thurs and Sat and it was hard finding fish! I found a decent routine that has helped keep us on a few fish. I troll for 30 minutes in one area and if it's not looking good, reel em in and totally relocate. On both days I have been able to find some decent fish, but it's been far form a feeding frenzy when I do find them! Freeway bay has been dead and nothing by the island! I found small random schools out on the middle and a few out by the light pole. I think all this water rushing in has the fish more scattered. It's great watching the water level rize, but hasn't nesicarilly lead to great catching...Willard should be amazing in a few years though with all the new structure/cover all around the bay!
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#8
Really Bob, it was new to us and if you're frying the fillets that crispy skin is really quite tasty. You scale them then use the fillet knife. mmmm-mmm good eatin'

The scaler we found that minimizes the scales from flying all over the kitchen is called a Big Norm's Magic Fish Scaler (we got ours from Amazon - I think there is even video there too). It's pretty simple, quick and easy.

We've just got our 'family' gatherings all set for the summer so we are finally able to make our fishing reservations....
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#9
yep that's a good plan cause they certainly are scattered. When we'd find them we troll back a forth a few times in that area to see if any takers if not press on till you find 'em again...

Spring fishing at Willard... ya gotta love when it all works out and tolerate occasionally leaving with the skunk stank all over you... and yet we still return hoping for the next trip will be a good one...
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#10
A friend and I fished Saturday from 9 to 4 and caught 1 walleye and 1 small wiper lost a couple of others before seeing them. At least we avoided the skunk. Oh and a sun burn, ouch.
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#11
Hopefully once this spring weather pattern settles down we'll all have more consistent catching reports to make.

At least we are getting a good ops check of all our fishing and floating gear, right - LOL
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