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Took my boat out to Willard this afternoon to do some prospecting on the east side since the fish seemed to have moved off the west wall. Spent a couple or three hours trolling south of the south marina, the feedlot and freeway bay. No luck, so to keep the skunk off, I headed to the west wall to catch a kitty or two with my fly rod. From three to three thirty I caught a couple of nice kitties and a good SMB. Then it happened, coming from the north their were fish everywhere and they were chasing shad right along the dike. Shad were jumping and swarming and wipers were attacking them. Looked like they used the dike to round them up and push them along. For the next hour or so, I followed them from just south of the light pole to almost the SW corner. Needless to say, catching was good. Approximately 1/4 mile from the corner, the shad broke off the dike and moved out a bit. When I looked up from releasing a fish, I saw the boil had turned and was about to overtake me. Immediately, killed the boat motor and let the boil pass me on both sides. Picked up a fish on the back side and then followed it back towards the light pole. Finally, it broke up and dispersed, but I was able to return to the dike and get another half dozen stragglers still working shad on the rocks. Not sure how many I caught, but it had to have been well over twenty and probably thirty or more, all on my fly rod and the same white crystal bugger. I've attached a picture of the initial boil along the dike. You'll notice water disturbance right at the rocks. Also included a picture of the fly I used. Obviously not much tail left on this one. Hopefully, this is a precursor of what's to come this fall.
Larry
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Wow Larry, you are killing me. We were out there tonight as well but on the East side. I was really expecting to see a boil break out at any second but nothing, I bet your arms are sore from reeling in that many wipers, I haven't into a good boil like that in years. [cool]
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FB, was wondering what you use for tippet? tapper or just a length of fluorocarbon ?
thanks
C
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[#0000FF]WOW! What a difference a couple of days make. Especially warmer days. And I am sure the cleaner water helps the wipers hunt down and ambush the shad. They have a tough time boil-feeding in the dark murky water we have had so often this year.
Good on ya.
[/#0000FF]
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Very cool. I'm moving up that way this weekend and look forward to giving them a shot on my 8wt. Just curious since I'm not a boat owner. How is fishing from the rocks. Accessible to walk out on or is that frowned upon? Just never been to Willard beyond the 75 mph drive by a million times out on the freeway.
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I've been doing very good hauling my tube over the west dike and putting in. There's a road that goes around the south dike then north to the light pole. It was graded two weeks ago, but last week's rain is still an issue and Tuesday when I tried it, looked like some yahoo's had been out in the mud and rutted it up again. You probably can fish from the rocks along the edge, but rock hopping will get old. Hope this helps.
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Just using the old butt of a tapered leader and three or four feet of 8 lb. Floro. Seems to be working good.
Larry
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That was my first boil. I'd about decided they were a urban legend.
Larry
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Thanks! got all that, just need time.. falls coming fast, Oh it here! time to hunt .
thanks
C
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Shucks, we missed it too.... we have yet to ever see one only pictures.... oh well someday....
Nice job!
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Nice going Larry ! You were lucky to be out there mid week when there weren't any big power boaters. I've been in or close enough to just 3 boils in 12 years. 2 of them late summer, about 200 yards off the boat, and before I could stealth move in to the edge, somebody in a ski boat running full bore, tore right thru the middle. Course, that scatters the boil. But slow trolled around the edges of a big boil the day after Thanksgiving several years ago. Son and I caught so many Wiper we couldn't reel another in if our lives depended on it, so we just sat and drifted, and laughed till we could hardly breath. Strange about that boil, we never really saw it till we were almost on top of it. Late November, no birds out to give it away, but we noticed the water spouting all over like reverse rain drops coming from bottom up. We must have trolled around the edge of that boil for 10 to 15 minutes from just outside the north marina, heading kind of south-west for maybe 1/4 mile. That will always be a remembered day by the boy and me.
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[quote FatBiker]I've been doing very good hauling my tube over the west dike and putting in. There's a road that goes around the south dike then north to the light pole. It was graded two weeks ago, but last week's rain is still an issue and Tuesday when I tried it, looked like some yahoo's had been out in the mud and rutted it up again. You probably can fish from the rocks along the edge, but rock hopping will get old. Hope this helps.[/quote]
Thanks for the reply. Ive got a tube but I'm overly cautious in it when it comes to big open water, usually stick to mtn lakes with it but after the first time up there and I see how it is I might give it ago. Seeing the pics of the wipers from up there its on the too do list with my fly rod.
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[quote Bmarsh]Very cool. I'm moving up that way this weekend and look forward to giving them a shot on my 8wt. Just curious since I'm not a boat owner. How is fishing from the rocks. Accessible to walk out on or is that frowned upon? Just never been to Willard beyond the 75 mph drive by a million times out on the freeway.[/quote]
[#0000FF]There are several free access points around the dikes where you can park, hike up over the dike and go rock hopping. There are some fly flingers who take their bicycles and ride along the dike until they find working fish...or productive looking water...and then work down to the water and start casting. You just need to wear good foot gear and watch out for "rockin' rollers". A sprained ankle is the least of what can happen if you step the wrong way on the wrong rock.
I am attaching some maps and info to help guide you.
Might suggest you go have a look at the SW corner. When the water drops down a bit there is a narrow strip of sandy beach that is much easier to launch a float tube than launching from the rocks. Also, there is a short road (no vehicle access) that goes right up over the dike at that point.
If you have an annual pass (well worth the investment) you can launch from either the north or south marina ramps and find good fishing at times both within the channel and within close proximity to the outlet to the lake. Not much of a kick for float tubes.
[/#0000FF]
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TinCan I might never see another like this one. I'm guessing I was on it for 90 minutes and had it to myself.
Larry
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Larry, I can only say that is a perfect storm combination of good timing, right place at right time, and awesome luck.
[fishin]
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[quote TubeDude][quote Bmarsh]Very cool. I'm moving up that way this weekend and look forward to giving them a shot on my 8wt. Just curious since I'm not a boat owner. How is fishing from the rocks. Accessible to walk out on or is that frowned upon? Just never been to Willard beyond the 75 mph drive by a million times out on the freeway.[/quote]
[#0000FF]There are several free access points around the dikes where you can park, hike up over the dike and go rock hopping. There are some fly flingers who take their bicycles and ride along the dike until they find working fish...or productive looking water...and then work down to the water and start casting. You just need to wear good foot gear and watch out for "rockin' rollers". A sprained ankle is the least of what can happen if you step the wrong way on the wrong rock.
I am attaching some maps and info to help guide you.
Might suggest you go have a look at the SW corner. When the water drops down a bit there is a narrow strip of sandy beach that is much easier to launch a float tube than launching from the rocks. Also, there is a short road (no vehicle access) that goes right up over the dike at that point.
If you have an annual pass (well worth the investment) you can launch from either the north or south marina ramps and find good fishing at times both within the channel and within close proximity to the outlet to the lake. Not much of a kick for float tubes.
[/#0000FF][/quote]
Thanks...Printed and saved.
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Isn't that really true, Willard has so many faces. Meaning, there are so many different patterns that will work at Willard. One day you can't find them, But someone did, one day nothing is hitting, or so it seems, and someone gets all four of them. Willard is so fun because it really is a true challenge.
It will be hot, then cold. One day it's hot out on the west dike, the next day two miles away.
Where else can you catch cats with a fly rod? Or a rattle trap?
If you think you have it all figured out, it will surely humble you again.
It brings some of the best Fisher-people together, we all want each other to find fish and have a good day together.
Thanks DNR we have a great resource!
Hope we all can help to keep it this way.
Doitall
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