Not a Bad Day at the Bay

[Paddler]

Fished WB today, launched at 2:00pm.  Tried Freeway Bay, no luck.  Went right over my waypoints from my last trip, my sonar looked different and I wasn't surprised at no hits.  Cruised along the south dike running an SR5 in 14 FOW and caught two, one 17" and the other 15".  Spent the next several hours going over the Feedlot Flat, then past the Island to the North dike.  Well after passing the Island I notice the rod with my SR7 had a fish on it, but it didn't pull drag.  12" eye, figures.  

Tried a bunch of stuff, including a Reef Runner, which I ran at 20' according to the dive chart.  Actually caught a small walleye on it, despite the fact that the lure was almost half as long as the fish. By 7:00 I only had the one 17" walleye on ice, but things picked up a bit after that.  Caught several more fish on a chartreuse Hot N Tot and a purple Flicker Minnow7 on my way back to the North Marina.  Finished up catching 8 walleye total, everything under 16" was released.  So I ended up keeping a 19", an 18.5" and the 17".  

Water temp was ~63F-64F, clarity seemed a bit reduced from my last trip.

[wiperhunter2]

Sounds like a good day, water temps have dropped since last week for sure. Do you like launching from the North marina more than the South?

[obifishkenobi]

Great report the fish are certainly where you find them this year we are picking up a few at my traditional spots but have caught better numbers in the nothingness this year.

[Paddler]

Sounds like a good day, water temps have dropped since last week for sure. Do you like launching from the North marina more than the South?

Yes, I do.  Don't know why exactly, but the South Marina is just so barren.  Maybe because that's where Tom Pettengill used to launch when he was the sport fisheries guy at the Division.  Also, I prefer the trees, etc, and I used to fish the North marina for crappie.  I even caught a nice 'eye in there on a crappie jig once.  In fact, when I pulled out last evening there was a guy casting small jigs next to the dock.  He'd already caught a couple of walleye, including a 17"er.