When is the best wiper fishing?

[Old_Coot]

I have this idea/theory that certain times of the year are best for catching more wipers at Willard than others. I am wondering what all you readers of the board think. Do you agree/disagree? and why? Here's my theory:<br><br>The best times are spring and fall with the mid-summer as a slump. I don't have any theories as to why that is but that is what I think and I suspect that, with fall right around the corner, we are just getting ready to come into the best of the best wiper fishing of the year. Anyone out there willing to share their ideas on the subject?<br><br>(NOTE: True, ANY TIME IS GOOD WIPER FISHING TIME but I'm just wondering when is the BEST time to catch the MOST the fastest.)<br><br><br> --- Old Coot ---<br>Keepin the net wet

[PREDATOR]

You are asking a question that will have answers as different as each anglers fishing technique. Some guys dont have the ability to troll, so they chase boils in the fall. To them this will be thier best. Some dont have boats and fish only from the bank when the fish are in the iinlet, this will be thier best. My best ever has been spring. But this year, spring was not a big producer for me. It stayed about the same as it has all year. I dont fish in the fall. The boat gets winterized in september, and the duck and deer hunting stuff gets dusted off.This means fall is not the best time in my expirience to catch any kind of fish. Two years ago I fished willard a minimum of four times a week, and sometimes six days a week. I virtually lived on willard. That was the best wiper fishing of my life and let me tell you why. I spent so much time on the water that I knew every day where the fish had moved from and to. I knew where the larger schools of fish were so that I wasnt spending most of my time just getting bit a few times a day. And most importantly, I kept an open mind not assuming that just because one thing worked yesterday that it absolutley has to work today. Now that kind of time on the water requires a perfect situation, I dont have that any more and most guys dont. As it stands I am lucky to be able to fish twice a week. It gets hard to keep up on all thats happened from saturday to saturday. Thats why this website works so well is it gives you the oportunity to see what others are doing on the days you cant be there. Thats why posting fishing reports, good or bad, becomes a very critical part of making this site useful.<br>Anyways, what I was trying to say with spending all that time on wilard is, my best days were still in the spring but I caught more fish that year than ever, all year, just because of time spent on the water. So if you are looking for that "miracle bite" you may get lucky and find it once or twice a year, but if you want it to be the best each and every time out, use your resources, talk to the guys at the tackle shops, talk to guys here on the net who were out that week, talk to guys just getting off the water in the marina, talk to anglers on the water, and most important, spend the time on the water with an open mind. Locate the fish and the rest is just picking the right lure and speed.<br><br>UNICORN CATCHER F.L.P.

[SKEETER]

I think if you want to catch big fish spring is the best time to fish. I think the fishing slows in the summer and then picks back up in the fall. Predator is right it all depends on your method of fishing. Casting is my perferred method thats why I would rather fish in the spring. The fish seem to be closer to the shore and easier to locate in the spring time.<br><br>

[Scooter]

Best fishing is as soon as you can get a boat out of the marina, and the ice is about a 100' of the shores ( late Feb or early Mar) and fish spinner baits right off the edge of the ice.<br><br>

[PREDATOR]

I believe that wipers are a crazy fish. Difficult to figure sometimes. There can be so many factors that effect them. If you have found a consistent pattern, congratulations. The only YEAR to YEAR pattern I have found is that wiper fishing is like being married again, Its another woman to try to figure out and just when you think you have her figured, she throws you a curve ball you never saw coming. But like the Mack says, "she'll get over it". You can always count on trolling up a fish or two, but there will be "those days" and then you will be able to troll up a few more the next day. The moon, the water temp, change in pressure, whatever, "they get over it" right Bear Lake Mack?<br><br>UNICORN CATCHER F.L.P.

[Old_Coot]

I too find catching wipers after a full moon difficult. I plan to test it again this weekend.<br><br> --- Old Coot ---<br>Keepin the net wet