06-09-2010, 10:13 PM
[cool][#0000ff]Not a great weather report for today at Willard but better than any of the next few days. Made a desperation decision...goin' for it. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Weather called for light breezes from the SE. Yeah, right. I figured it would be strong winds out of the north. I was right...dang it.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Calm but overcast when I launched about 6:30. Water and air temps were about the same...just under 65...inside the harbor. Dropped a degree in the main lake and dropped another degree later after the wind and rain started.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I was surprised that I did not get a poke on either bait or lures on the way out the channel. Usually get at least a kitty or two...often a wiper. Not this morning. Almost an hour before I brung in the first cookie cutter kitty.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I worked in and out, from 8' to 20' deep. Saw a lot more than I caught. A few suspenders but nothing seemed to be active. I know I was not as active fishing without waders for the first time this year. Cool but doable.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The wind had stayed away and the lake was still pretty flat about the time I reached the "kitty zone". I brought in several and lost a few "pop and drops". I had kept 5 and released a few by 9 AM. That's when Mama Nature began to whisper to me. Actually, she took a deep breath and tried to blow me out like birthday candles. Wham. Sudden wind and it had some water in it. Rained pretty good...good enough to soak the thin SPF shirt I had worn hoping for warm weather. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I could not fish effectively in the "Perfect Storm" so I decided to boogie for the channel. At least the wind was blowing me back the right way. I took advantage of that and I also cranked up my new electric motor for extra speed. Just about threw up a rooster tail on the way in. Not quite.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Figured I might find a few fishies up inside the inlet channel since it was mostly protected from the breezes. Dragged a minnow on one rod and threw a tandem rig with "bou jigs" on another rod. Just about the time I was thinking I should make an early day of it I felt some "rubber band" on my jigs and brung in a nice 13 inch crappie. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Now I had to stick around to see if there were more. There were. I did not get any more action on the feathers but when I switched to my tandem plastics...blue/clear sparkle and white glitter with a red eye...I started to get some doinks. Missed a few because they were hitting so lightly. Finally got the timing down and brought in a few more. And, I actually lost two wipers. That would have completed a "Willard Slam"...4 species. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]It got dead just before noon and I figured I might just head on in about then. Glad I made that "last cast". Right at noon o'clock the rubber band had a lot more snap to it when I set the hook. Actually took a bit of line off the drag. Lovely 21" walleye. Dinner.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Of course that resulted in another hour's worth of last casts...with nothing to show for it than a lost hour. By then the breeze had laid down somewhat and there were more boats (and a couple of jet skis) hitting the water. But, I had had plenty thank you. A wallie for me, a few crappies for my sis in law and some kitties for the family fish fry next week. Water temp inside the marina was edging toward 66 when I got out around 1.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Weather called for light breezes from the SE. Yeah, right. I figured it would be strong winds out of the north. I was right...dang it.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Calm but overcast when I launched about 6:30. Water and air temps were about the same...just under 65...inside the harbor. Dropped a degree in the main lake and dropped another degree later after the wind and rain started.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I was surprised that I did not get a poke on either bait or lures on the way out the channel. Usually get at least a kitty or two...often a wiper. Not this morning. Almost an hour before I brung in the first cookie cutter kitty.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I worked in and out, from 8' to 20' deep. Saw a lot more than I caught. A few suspenders but nothing seemed to be active. I know I was not as active fishing without waders for the first time this year. Cool but doable.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The wind had stayed away and the lake was still pretty flat about the time I reached the "kitty zone". I brought in several and lost a few "pop and drops". I had kept 5 and released a few by 9 AM. That's when Mama Nature began to whisper to me. Actually, she took a deep breath and tried to blow me out like birthday candles. Wham. Sudden wind and it had some water in it. Rained pretty good...good enough to soak the thin SPF shirt I had worn hoping for warm weather. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I could not fish effectively in the "Perfect Storm" so I decided to boogie for the channel. At least the wind was blowing me back the right way. I took advantage of that and I also cranked up my new electric motor for extra speed. Just about threw up a rooster tail on the way in. Not quite.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Figured I might find a few fishies up inside the inlet channel since it was mostly protected from the breezes. Dragged a minnow on one rod and threw a tandem rig with "bou jigs" on another rod. Just about the time I was thinking I should make an early day of it I felt some "rubber band" on my jigs and brung in a nice 13 inch crappie. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Now I had to stick around to see if there were more. There were. I did not get any more action on the feathers but when I switched to my tandem plastics...blue/clear sparkle and white glitter with a red eye...I started to get some doinks. Missed a few because they were hitting so lightly. Finally got the timing down and brought in a few more. And, I actually lost two wipers. That would have completed a "Willard Slam"...4 species. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]It got dead just before noon and I figured I might just head on in about then. Glad I made that "last cast". Right at noon o'clock the rubber band had a lot more snap to it when I set the hook. Actually took a bit of line off the drag. Lovely 21" walleye. Dinner.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Of course that resulted in another hour's worth of last casts...with nothing to show for it than a lost hour. By then the breeze had laid down somewhat and there were more boats (and a couple of jet skis) hitting the water. But, I had had plenty thank you. A wallie for me, a few crappies for my sis in law and some kitties for the family fish fry next week. Water temp inside the marina was edging toward 66 when I got out around 1.[/#0000ff]
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