Willard, north west style.

[PREDATOR]

I couldnt stand it. I had to get back out to willard today.

Anyways, I drove all the way to the north west corner by the lightpole. [center][/center] [center]The road is pretty good I made it all the way without any problems at all. Its a bumpy ride though. [/center] [center]Anyways, the entire west side has huge ice piles from when the wind last blew before the lake capped. In some places they reach 8 ft tall. Its all solid blocks of ice stacked up on each other.[/center] [center][/center] [center]Guys with wheelers can rule willard bay. Take your wheeler to the south west corner, drive up the boat launch, and down the other side. You can then ride on the bank all along the west side between the ice edge and the dike. [/center] [center][/center] [center]Everything in the center is dry ground, on the left side of the ice pile is the lake, on the right side is dike. [/center] [center]If I had a wheeler I would be all over it![/center] [center]The ice thickness is six inches all over the north west side, good solid clear ice. [/center] [center]Yeah but how was the fishing you ask?[/center] [center][/center] [center]I was out there by myself, and all I had to show the size of the perch was my stylin new predator hat. Right on coot and caster![/center] [center]You can catch one fo these buggers every fifteen minuets if yu are in the right place. [/center] [center]the deepest point I found was only 13 ft deep, and that was a couple hundred yards off the dike. [/center] [center]I did aquaman a favor and built a huge snow pile to mark the spot where the fish are coming through. [/center] [center][/center] [center]Now, consider the fish in willard will roam, so dont bank on it, just use it as a starting point. [/center] [center]I had a wiper break me off again today. Snapped my line like nothing. The edge of the ice just kills your line strength when they run. They cant run down due to shallow water, so they run sideways and your line is on the ice edge all the time. [/center] [center]Pisses me off since I am not interested in catching the wipers or the perch. I want the walleye. [/center] [center]Oh, and if you use minnows, hold onto your rod. I just about lost my rod when the second wiper of the day slammed my minnow, and ran. He took my rod out of my sled and all the way down the hole before I could dive for it. I got my arm wet, but got the rod after he took it past the reel down the hole. Talk about lucky. I lost that fish shortly after grabing the rod. No wipers through the ice today, but that was due to 8 lb test not handling the abrasion, and just not being ready. [/center] [center]One fo these days I will find the eyes, figure out how and what they want, and get it all to come together. [/center]
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[PREDATOR]

I forgot to mention, I was on the ice only for an hour and a half. I feel guilty if i dont spend suday night with the family.

I am hooked and determined. See you all on willard next week.
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[Teroy]

Man, you should have called me. I've been bumming around the house all day waiting to go to the airport. If wheelers would be ok I guess snowmobiles would be ok also?? Looks like the perch are healthy.
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[PREDATOR]

I guess snow mobiles would work if you dont mind riding it up a dry road to the to of the dike. Theres no snow on the road up there, and the snow on the shore is only an inch or two deep. plus you have a ton of rocks from the dike on the beach area so you may run a ski into a few of them.

But hey, its your snow mobile, do with it what you like.

I wouldnt do it.
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[PREDATOR]

I should also mention, no one has been out there. I was on virgin ice.

The south dike has had people on it, but the north west corner is untouched.
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[FishingWaters]

[size 2]What time were you fishing?[/size]
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[wiperhunter2]

I guess you just answered my question I sent you in the PM but is the gate open in the S/W corner? WH2
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[aquaman]

thanks for the marker mike heading up that way tuesday morning hopeing to pull a wiper thur i'll make sure to bring a long pole to stick thur the ice when they run and man that is one fat perch
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[PREDATOR]

today I was out around 2:00 but it was later yesterday.

The gate on the boat ramp is closed, but you could drive a wheeler right around it.
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[Xman]

sweet another perch. this is real cool to see. nice forage still coming through in willard? hey predator i would be careful building things like that on willard. talk of crop circles and such might surface.
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[Old_Coot]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]Another nice report Predator,[/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]The biggest perch I have EVER caught was on Willard trolling a prism shad. Similar to the one you showed in your picture. It was so big, I even had to ask my partner "are you sure this is a perch?"[/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]What is that funky circle picture you show? ... Alians?[/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]I think I would like to get out there sometime and experience WWW (WinterWillardWipers).[/size][/font]
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[DanielJRioux]

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[Theekillerbee]

Thanks for another great report from Willard. That is one fat little perchie. I hope he tastes good![cool]
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[PREDATOR]

Wouldnt know my man. I threw him back with all the others.

I am a big catch and release guy. its only when i get an injured fish that cant be thrown back that I eat fish.

I believe in eating fish, i just believe its for others. I love to put them back. Of all the reports I ever post, you can bet there was no fish kept. Its a safe bet 99.9% of the time.
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[aquaman]

i'm the same way in the three years i lived here i have eating 1 fish that i have caught maybe took home 10 for the in-laws
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[Shrimpboy]

That'd be a great advantage to catching through the ice at Willard....not deep enough to blow up their swim bladders. What a pretty fish!
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[Hellsangler69]

I was headed to Willard today , but remembered that I left the minnows in the freezer and my crawlers were already froze solid from the Berry trip so I opted to go to Pineview . Man I should of went to Willard for some perch action . Hey I use to be a catch and release for about 10 years but always wanting to help fisheries out that need a little perch predatation . I hope to be there next weekend . I would love to hook a wiper for the first time and thru the ice too . What a hoot !!!!
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