WB Fish Cleaning Stations??

[Paddler]

We were up last Friday and the fish cleaning station at the North Marina was closed.  The office up there doesn't answer the phone.  Is the South Marina station open?  Anybody know when the North will open?  Thanks in advance.

[wiperhunter2]

We were up last Friday and the fish cleaning station at the North Marina was closed.  The office up there doesn't answer the phone.  Is the South Marina station open?  Anybody know when the North will open?  Thanks in advance.

South marina cleaning station is closed as well. It depends on the year but they normally don't get them up a running until May, some years as late as Memorial day weekend. How was the catching the day you were there?

[Paddler]

We were up last Friday and the fish cleaning station at the North Marina was closed.  The office up there doesn't answer the phone.  Is the South Marina station open?  Anybody know when the North will open?  Thanks in advance.

South marina cleaning station is closed as well. It depends on the year but they normally don't get them up a running until May, some years as late as Memorial day weekend. How was the catching the day you were there?

Kinda slow.  I got nothing but two small wipers on SR7s.  Nothing on anything else though I tried SR5s, Hot N Tots, Wally Divers, Thunderstick Jrs, etc.  My buddy got three walleye, all on Flicker Minnow 7s in black/silver 100' off the boards, one good, one decent and one small, so three different age classes.  He was using 8# XT instead of 10#, so running a bit deeper than 13'. He also caught a few small wipers.

I didn't deploy my drift socks, so we trolled at ~2.7MPH at 660RPM.  I can get down to 1.4MPH with the socks but I was feeling lazy.  Water temp was ~57F to start, hit 63F by the time we left at 3:00.  Water clarity was very good to excellent.

Shad Raps have always produced well for me, so well I hadn't bought any Flicker Minnows.  But I went to Scheel's the next day and stocked up. .

[wiperhunter2]

We were up last Friday and the fish cleaning station at the North Marina was closed.  The office up there doesn't answer the phone.  Is the South Marina station open?  Anybody know when the North will open?  Thanks in advance.

South marina cleaning station is closed as well. It depends on the year but they normally don't get them up a running until May, some years as late as Memorial day weekend. How was the catching the day you were there?

Kinda slow.  I got nothing but two small wipers on SR7s.  Nothing on anything else though I tried SR5s, Hot N Tots, Wally Divers, Thunderstick Jrs, etc.  My buddy got three walleye, all on Flicker Minnow 7s in black/silver 100' off the boards, one good, one decent and one small, so three different age classes.  He was using 8# XT instead of 10#, so running a bit deeper than 13'.  He also caught a few small wipers.

I didn't deploy my drift socks, so we trolled at ~2.7MPH at 660RPM.  I can get down to 1.4MPH with the socks but I was feeling lazy.  Water temp was ~57F to start, hit 63F by the time we left at 3:00.  Water clarity was very good to excellent.

Shad Raps have always produced well for me, so well I hadn't bought any Flicker Minnows.  But I went to Scheel's the next day and stocked up. .

You did good especially for this early in the season but it's amazing you did that well, while trolling that fast. Thanks for the report.

[oldguy]

Curt and I were talking about that last week. Seems that they just have no since of urgency only to collect the fee thanks for sharing. We will be back at it this week. Thanks Bill

[Paddler]

We were up last Friday and the fish cleaning station at the North Marina was closed.  The office up there doesn't answer the phone.  Is the South Marina station open?  Anybody know when the North will open?  Thanks in advance.

South marina cleaning station is closed as well. It depends on the year but they normally don't get them up a running until May, some years as late as Memorial day weekend. How was the catching the day you were there?

Kinda slow.  I got nothing but two small wipers on SR7s.  Nothing on anything else though I tried SR5s, Hot N Tots, Wally Divers, Thunderstick Jrs, etc.  My buddy got three walleye, all on Flicker Minnow 7s in black/silver 100' off the boards, one good, one decent and one small, so three different age classes.  He was using 8# XT instead of 10#, so running a bit deeper than 13'.  He also caught a few small wipers.

I didn't deploy my drift socks, so we trolled at ~2.7MPH at 660RPM.  I can get down to 1.4MPH with the socks but I was feeling lazy.  Water temp was ~57F to start, hit 63F by the time we left at 3:00.  Water clarity was very good to excellent.

Shad Raps have always produced well for me, so well I hadn't bought any Flicker Minnows.  But I went to Scheel's the next day and stocked up. .

You did good especially for this early in the season but it's amazing you did that well, while trolling that fast. Thanks for the report.

I figured with the water clarity it would be okay to go a bit faster, as the fish have more time to react.  The clearer the water the less important speed is, at least the way I see it.

[Mildog]

Just FYI A week or so ago I got walleye and wipers at 2.6 mph, my buddy in his boat also got walleye and wipers at 2.5 plus. Trolling crank baits of course , much slower if using BB and spinner rigs and worms.

[UTFISHING]

Just FYI A week or so ago I got walleye and wipers at 2.6 mph, my buddy in his boat also got walleye and wipers at 2.5 plus.  Trolling crank baits of course , much slower if using BB and spinner rigs and worms.

Well ly I just hope that a few more people this year realize that when the fish cleaning stations are up and going try and do one fish at a time especially those dang cats..

The last few years the DNR had fits fixing the fish cleaning stations and at a point I feel they almost just gave up...

[Mildog]

One note most cleaning stations say head first for fish cleaning station grinder. Pat tube dude and j had several cats a trip a few years back . He mentioned that cats went thru better tail first we did them that way and I think Pat was right?? The times Ive seen it clogged up its usually a few catfish jammed in there! I think one at a time with a little time between putting them in the “grinder” will work best.
Food for thought . I don’t think people on this site are the problem.
I watched people at Powell putting fish in without turning it on first! When I mentioned it they said how do you turn it on, I said the button 3 inches under your hand!! One on each side! ?

[BearLakeFishGuy]

I've been to Willard several times the last few weeks and was there yesterday. I just can't figure why those fish cleaning stations aren't operational. I get the frost, but chance of them freezing solid to do any damage at this time of year are EXTREMELY small. The park rangers are just plain lazy!! I know they "lurk" here on BFT, so if you're reading this get them opened up. We spent $125 on a pass, give us something for it!

[oldguy]

I've been to Willard several times the last few weeks and was there yesterday.  I just can't figure why those fish cleaning stations aren't operational.  I get the frost, but chance of them freezing solid to do any damage at this time of year are EXTREMELY small.  The park rangers are just plain lazy!!  I know they "lurk" here on BFT, so if you're reading this get them opened up.  We spent $125 on a pass, give us something for it!

AMEN to that!!!!

[RockyRaab2]

If we've paid full price, we deserve full service. Plain and simple.

[Mildog]

AGREE, with all of the above!! They built a sauna and new beach at north Marina. How much did that cost?? Get cleaning stations open!! PLEASE!

[RockyRaab2]

Got my boat out today for its first spring shakedown. Everything worked great, except for the fish. Still hiding after Wednesday's storm, maybe. No happy harvesters in the north marina. Wanted to try new line on my ultralight rig: Spro 8X Finesse braid in 6#. It's great.

No need for the cleaning station this trip. Didn't see anybody else needing it, either. There were 28 trucks and trailers parked there this morning. Most of them were spotted off Pelican Beach at the rock pile there. Quite the crowd. Water quite clear and 60 degrees.

[BURLEY]

We were up last Friday and the fish cleaning station at the North Marina was closed.  The office up there doesn't answer the phone.  Is the South Marina station open?  Anybody know when the North will open?  Thanks in advance.

The cleaning station at the North marina was open today. I donated the remains of the one 18" walleye that bit on a BB and worm. I saw two guys in a small Lund that I saw landed over a half dozen using BB & worm at 1.2 mph. I also tried pulling cranks, but no hits.

[Paddler]

We were up last Friday and the fish cleaning station at the North Marina was closed.  The office up there doesn't answer the phone.  Is the South Marina station open?  Anybody know when the North will open?  Thanks in advance.

The cleaning station at the North marina was open today. I donated the remains of the one 18" walleye that bit on a BB and worm. I saw two guys in a small Lund that I saw landed over a half dozen using BB & worm at 1.2 mph. I also tried pulling cranks, but no hits.

Thank you very much for the info.  Very timely as I'll be heading up in the morning.  Should be the best day for a while given the forecast. 

Went back to Scheel's today for a few more crankbaits.  I'll make them an offer they can't refuse.