Fishing

   
Dont know what I did but post didnt show up so here I go again. Usually can figure out a pattern to fish but Wipers are killing me. Went to Willard on Sunday with Insane for the game. On the water at 06:30. Thought maybe we would try walleye. Bottom bouncers at 1.5 MPH (GPS) trolled almost to North marina. No dice. We headed across the lake to North of the light pole. Fished a multitude of colors and sizes of crank baits. Tried shad raps, lipless cranks, deep divers, shallow runners at speed ranges from 2.0 MPH to 3.3 MPH No takers. Trolled to SW corner where we had on channel cat get interested as I made my turn. Then trolled back along the entire side...I know planer boards would help but surely a wiper hits long lines once in awhile. They can't be sitting down there with a stop watch saying nope wrong speed he is off by .2 MPH" or "Nope only takin melon colored baits with a chatruese stripe today". I would like to blame it on the full moon just to feel better but its the same every trip. We boat about 1 wiper for 40 man hours of fishing...Help Please!!!!

You are right about the moon phase. At least I think it has a major factor on fishing for wipers. best time when there is a full moon. late afternoon and into the night

Wipers have been tough for the last 3 years, very spotty to say the least. I and others have noted the balance in the lake is way off, way to many shad not enough fish to thin them out.

but the next few years it should get better, they have stocked close to 500 hundred thousand a year the last few years. and there are a bunch of 6 -8 inch wipers in the lake also 14-16 inch wipers, so they had a good survival rate.

just my 2cents

fnf

Wiper Fishing Time!!!!

We went out Sunday too - got TOO late a start (hit the water about 8am). S. Marina - again spotted up lots of fish outside the inlet area. Jigged for a while - no takers. Few others trying to - one boat had a single Wiper. THEY had made it out at the 6am start I'd intended....

We trolled past the feedlot, and along freeway bay. No hits - lost one of my NEW clackin rap lures (Kmart discount rack 60% off! No more there! Grr.) Those have some serious reverberations! I should stop telling my boy to "quick banging" in the boat - if THAT calls them in!
http://www.rapala.com/...s/lures/clackin_rap/

Anchored up and pitched and jigged where we spotted up schools. Seemed like lots of fish on the finder. No players.

Moved up to the trees/weeds at the N. End of Freeway bay. My son spotted some carp fallowing in the scum along shore - blown in from the lake. So we beached, and pitched some bread and dough at em. Had one suck in my bread, but I think he felt the treble hook, and spit it out. SO close. Almost wonder if I'd just given him time to suck it in, rather than trying to set the hook.
They must have heard us clunking around the rocks, and moved away.

Back to the boat - more trolling, still no takers.

Looking for birds. Saw lots of seagulls, not much for terns.

So these DIVING birds that signal a wiper boil - are they diving from the AIR or from the water surface? Guess I'm picturing dive-bombing from the air, but maybe that's just my imagination overtime.

Told ourselves last time - we'd come at night next time. Sunday was a full moon - didn't work it's magic for us in the daytime. Who knows - had we been able to stay into the evening... had to get back for scouts - off the water about 4pm.

In-Fisherman had a couple walleye rigs that seemed interesting - so I tried one - crappy illustration attached. I was surprised I didn't get more twisted and tangled.

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Remember: if you're not the lead dog, the view never changes!
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Your little walleye rig will work, just make it a little more simple. I use a 1/2ounce jig head on the bottom and a floating jig head on the top tipped with a crawler on both. Its basicaly a lindy with out the lindy weight. The advantage that system has is the bottom weight will pick up your lazy fish not taking anything higher up. The thing is you have to go slow with it, if your going anywhere above 1 mph or so it will start wrapping around it self.

You'll see birds diving from the air.
SELECTIVE HARVEST