Wiper Sniper

[tigerpincer]

Took out a couple a trouble making Wiper today. Only fished for a few hours in the mid to late afternoon. Launched out of the North marina trolling along the dike at about 2.5 mph. Hooked up with 3 Wiper but only managed to land 2 of em. All 3 hookups came on the same set up. A small shad rap pulled 24ft back from a planer board.
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[Bassomatic]

Thanks for the report, nice fish! Congrats.
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[wiperhunter2]

Great report, we haven't been able to catch any wipers that shallow all year, that usually means there are minnows close to the surface when you catch them that close to a planner board. Water sure is clear this year. I notice you are close to the dike, were the fish you caught on the side closest to the dike?
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[tigerpincer]

Yes the 2 that were landed hooked up on the dike side of the boat. We then turned around to try and put my buddies planer on the dike side. Rather promptly I hooked up again on the same pole that caught the other 2 fish but now on the lake side of the boat.
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[wiperhunter2]

OK, that makes sense, minnows when they hatch always hang out in the cover of the rocks or flooded brush but the fact that you had one on, on the side away from the shore could mean they are moving away from the shore slightly, just not far. There is a rocky ledge that drops off underwater about 20 or 30 yds from the dike, so there are a lot of fish that hang out in that area during the spawn. You were likely close to that drop off. Could you tell if the fish you had on was a wiper or walleye?
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[doitall5000]

Good successful trip. It would be good to see what was in their gut. Did you see many birds fishing?
My last trip I watched the birds fish I think terns, no big flocks. But saw some diving and would come up with small bait fish.
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[RockyRaab]

A year or so back I was trolling a crankbait along the north dike when the lure suddenly stopped vibrating. Thinking I'd picked up a weed, I reeled in only to find not one but two shad impaled on it. They were about two inches long, and it was about this time of year, so they were probably from the previous year's spawn. Had to be a pretty dense school of them to impale two at once. (Yes, I immediately removed and discarded them. Can't be in "possession" you know.) They didn't float far before terns picked them up, either.
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[tigerpincer]

Oh it was definitely a wiper. It ripped the lure and drug my planer under water. I fought it for a good bit before it pulled free. I've never pulled in a walleye close to as strong as those 3 wiper from yesterday. I was fishing off and on of that ledge. I've had good luck there from time to time.
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[wiperhunter2]

LOL, yea there's a huge difference between a wiper and any other fish in Willard. That ledge does not always hold the fish but if I'm fishing the North dike, I always check it out.
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[utahduckhunter]

Very nice wiper. no crappie?
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[tigerpincer]

No Crappie n no Walleye.😞
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