Willard So. Marina 5-28-20

[Cowboypirate]

On the subject of taking a mid-week shot at Willard, I can also confirm the banks, as well as the open waters, are right plentifully covered with tug happy wishers-fishers. Hard for a guy to find elbow room at the bay right now. Still we might take a wack at it next week for a few hrs of sunrise before the bouncing tubes show up. Watch close for the guy asleep under his sombrero size hat.

[Mildog]

WONDERING WHY YOU POSTED A REPORT FROM FEB 28th that would be old new water seemed warm for Feb 

LOL Got ya !! You are famouse for busting chops so there you go.
Love Mildog


Aha!  You picked up on that error I purposely put into my post...just to give you something to pounce on.  A mere slip of the digits.  And while we are busting chops...whyn'tcha check your spelling on "famouse".

[jjannie]

On the subject of taking a mid-week shot at Willard, I can also confirm the banks, as well as the open waters, are right plentifully covered with tug happy wishers-fishers. Hard for a guy to find elbow room at the bay right now. Still we might take a wack at it next week for a few hrs of sunrise before the bouncing tubes show up. Watch close for the guy asleep under his sombrero size hat.

 Seems no matter how early we wake up, seems we never get to Willard as early as we had hoped to. Now that we've added Rosie to our morning routine doesn't seem likely that will change anytime soon. Small price to pay for puppy love but next year hopefully we'll have her trained to not cost us any extra time and we too will be fishing those earlier morning hours.

[JArner]

Wife and I went out tonight, mainly to test out my new kayak trolling setup. Lots of bank tanglers and the south marina was busy incoming and outgoing. Water was 67.9, trolling around 1-1.5mph. Nothing on the line.

[SkunkedAgain]

Pat, I think you're right that we are seeing more boat traffic this year than usual. No movies or regular distractions has pushed more on the water... I haven't been fishing, but living close to Cutler, it's easy to see and hear the difference in crowds. Used to be mid-week was pretty tame, but like you said, it's a weekend all the time now days... Ton's of jet-skis and a group of 800 Hp jet-boats with no mufflers has moved in and it's a nightmare up this way lately... Not one for limiting others right to recreate, but I think they are limiting my right to do the same... I can't believe I'm saying this, but I wish Rocky Mountain Power would enforce their HP limitations on this pond... Anyway glad you got a pair of wiper, they are so much fun, I enjoy catching them a bunch... Thanks again for a great report... Jeff

[Tin-Can]

Would love to get on WB early in the morning. But unless they start opening the gates open before 6 a.m. by 6:15 there is a line to get in at the pay shack, then another to go thru  the AIS check. By the time you get to the ramps (at least at the south marina) they are already getting well packed.  The parking are at the ramps used to have signs that limited parking to Disabled or Seniors. I didn't see those signs Saturday. Have they been removed, or has some un-practiced trailer backer run them over ?

[TubeDude]

Pat, I think you're right that we are seeing more boat traffic this year than usual.  No movies or regular distractions has pushed more on the water... I haven't been fishing, but living close to Cutler, it's easy to see and hear the difference in crowds.  Used to be mid-week was pretty tame, but like you said, it's a weekend all the time now days... Ton's of jet-skis and a group of 800 Hp jet-boats with no mufflers has moved in and  it's a nightmare up this way lately...  Not one for limiting others right to recreate, but I think they are limiting my right to do the same... I can't believe I'm saying this, but I wish Rocky Mountain Power would enforce their HP limitations on this pond...  Anyway glad you got a pair of wiper, they are so much fun, I enjoy catching them a bunch... Thanks again for a great report... Jeff

Yeah, verily.  We are living in troubled times.  There is no such thing as "normal" anymore.  Seems like the whole world has gone wacko...and with good reason.  

I suppose you can't blame folks who are tired of being "sheltered in place", who want to get out and make some noise and have some enjoys.  Only problem is that they seem to think only of their own need for recreation and show no respect for the rights and endurance of others.  This is evident not only on the water but on the roads too.  I have really moved into defense mode whenever I am driving anywhere...and it has narrowly saved me from some "unsocial distancing" with other drivers on more than one occasion.

However, I think that much of the wild and wacky behavior is just an excuse to do what a lot of careless and unrespectful people do the rest of the time anyway...or would like to do if they had an excuse.  Some folks are just social snobs and think that they are the only ones in the world so they can do whatever they want without consequence.  A good example is our current situation with rioting.  Most of those doing most of the damage and looting have no real concern for the racial thing that got it all started.  Watch the news clips and you see a lot of white folks...young and old...leading the attacks on police and local businesses.  

Good luck on getting enforcement on horsepower restrictions.  Seems like there are some other issues in the forefront of the news these days.

Just remember...fish lives matter...or however that goes.

[wiperhunter2]

Would love to get on WB early in the morning. But unless they start opening the gates open before 6 a.m. by 6:15 there is a line to get in at the pay shack, then another to go thru  the AIS check. By the time you get to the ramps (at least at the south marina) they are already getting well packed.  The parking are at the ramps used to have signs that limited parking to Disabled or Seniors. I didn't see those signs Saturday. Have they been removed, or has some un-practiced trailer backer run them over ?

Not completely true Forest, during the week there are no AIS inspectors or a line at the gate, up until 7am or so, just on the weekend, give it a try on your down Fri and see if it isn't true. The Disabled and Senior parking is still there as well but only on the West side, rarely is it enforced through, the signs are down near the water's edge. 

[dubob]

Would love to get on WB early in the morning. But unless they start opening the gates open before 6 a.m. by 6:15 there is a line to get in at the pay shack, then another to go thru  the AIS check. By the time you get to the ramps (at least at the south marina) they are already getting well packed.  The parking are at the ramps used to have signs that limited parking to Disabled or Seniors. I didn't see those signs Saturday. Have they been removed, or has some un-practiced trailer backer run them over ?

The gate is only closed on the IN side of the South Marina; the OUT gate was open at 5:45 AM on Friday morning.  The tire ripper on that side of the gate was removed several years ago.  I drove right through with nary a problem.  I was NOT the first boat there.  He was already launched and flippin' for bass around the harbor.  He must have gotten there at or before 5:30 AM.  I have a permanent for life Fun Tag, so don't have to stop and pay the daily fee.  I also have the annual AIS Certificate to place on the dash so don't have to stop to fill that out.

The signs (2 of them) are still there.  As you look DOWN the ramps, they are on the bottom end of the ramps right next to the water and are on either side of the South parking area.  The North parking area had the signs removed a couple years ago.  The signs indicate the South parking area is for disabled and seniors only.

[Piscophilic]

Met up early with fellow tuber Lee for a morning dunk.  Air temp 50 at launch and water temp 66.  One degree over my minimum temp for going waderless...which I did for the first time this year.

Dragged some crawler harness rigs...using my new "Snarl Fligs" and crawlers.  Nothing voted for them in the channel...or for quite a ways outside.  Didn't see much on sonar to get excited about.  Kept moving and grooving.  Lee stayed in shallower water and scored a couple of catfish before I got any love in deeper water.  After changing rigs, weights, drop back distance and speed a few times...to find a magic formula...I finally went bendo.  An 18" wiper voted for one of my silver and blue Snarl Flig rigs...with a small minnow on the hook.    Then nothing for another hour.

Finally had my other snarl flig rig get smashed...by a 20" wiper.  Fun Fun.  The skunk had definitely been evicted.
Had a couple of other light whacks...by who knows what?  Kept moving around in deeper water...on both sides of 21 feet.  Saw only a few fishy marks and none of them seemed to have their mouths open.  As the sun climbed higher and the boat traffic began to increase the rod with the pale perch snarl flig took a dive again.  This time it turned out to be my solo kitty for the day.  Fought hard though...even taking some line off the drag.  Love those cats when they get warmed up a bit and have some attitude.

Made an early day of it.  Saw quite a few rock hoppers and bank tanglers on the rock point at the mouth of the harbor.  But didn't see anyone catch anything while I was watching.  Nice day for social distancing on the rocks though.

When Lee and I met up back at the ramp he said he had caught 4 cats...4 more than on our last trip.  More better.  Also chatted with one of the Willard pros just coming in at the same time.  He and his boatmate had scored 15 walleyes in one of his honey holes...some rare Willard Bay fish-holding structure.  Water temps just gotta go over 70 real soon.  Then look out for all the guys trolling cranks at mach 5...and catching more wipers.



Thanks for the great report and pictures! I'm glad you had some fun with those wipers. Your style of writing and the blue text have a familiar ring, but.... Who are you and  what did you do with that guy who had to work so hard to find ABC at Willard?

[TubeDude]

[quote pid='1100335' dateline='1590696095']
Thanks for the great report and pictures! I'm glad you had some fun with those wipers. Your style of writing and the blue text have a familiar ring, but.... Who are you and  what did you do with that guy who had to work so hard to find ABC at Willard?

[/quote]
That guy got the "cat-rona virus".  Now he antisocially distances from them and wears a mask so they don't recognize him.

Seriously, I still love my kitties and always give them some good exercise when they show up to play.  But I have been using some different gear and tactics early this year on Willard.  Got a new electric motor that allows more time moving around on each trip (slow trolling).  So have been adding bling and blades and developing some new crawler harnesses using laminated "snarl" blades and hookless flig bodies.  I fish them with the standard crawlers but have also developed some new ones specifically for Gulp Minnows.  Will be giving them a workout tomorrow.  In short, I have learned that if you want something besides cats you might gotta change things up a bit.

Glad to see you are back on the water.  Great report with you and the younguns.

[Piscophilic]

[quote pid='1100335' dateline='1590696095']
Thanks for the great report and pictures! I'm glad you had some fun with those wipers. Your style of writing and the blue text have a familiar ring, but.... Who are you and  what did you do with that guy who had to work so hard to find ABC at Willard?

That guy got the "cat-rona virus".  Now he antisocially distances from them and wears a mask so they don't recognize him.

Seriously, I still love my kitties and always give them some good exercise when they show up to play.  But I have been using some different gear and tactics early this year on Willard.  Got a new electric motor that allows more time moving around on each trip (slow trolling).  So have been adding bling and blades and developing some new crawler harnesses using laminated "snarl" blades and hookless flig bodies.  I fish them with the standard crawlers but have also developed some new ones specifically for Gulp Minnows.  Will be giving them a workout tomorrow.  In short, I have learned that if you want something besides cats you might gotta change things up a bit.

Glad to see you are back on the water.  Great report with you and the younguns.


LOL Great picture! Thanks for brightening my day at work and keep up the great work!
[/quote]

[Tin-Can]

Would love to get on WB early in the morning. But unless they start opening the gates open before 6 a.m. by 6:15 there is a line to get in at the pay shack, then another to go thru  the AIS check. By the time you get to the ramps (at least at the south marina) they are already getting well packed.  The parking are at the ramps used to have signs that limited parking to Disabled or Seniors. I didn't see those signs Saturday. Have they been removed, or has some un-practiced trailer backer run them over ?

The gate is only closed on the IN side of the South Marina; the OUT gate was open at 5:45 AM on Friday morning.  The tire ripper on that side of the gate was removed several years ago.  I drove right through with nary a problem.  I was NOT the first boat there.  He was already launched and flippin' for bass around the harbor.  He must have gotten there at or before 5:30 AM.  I have a permanent for life Fun Tag, so don't have to stop and pay the daily fee.  I also have the annual AIS Certificate to place on the dash so don't have to stop to fill that out.

The signs (2 of them) are still there.  As you look DOWN the ramps, they are on the bottom end of the ramps right next to the water and are on either side of the South parking area.  The North parking area had the signs removed a couple years ago.  The signs indicate the South parking area is for disabled and seniors only.

---

Curt, Bob, thanks for  the replies.  I have not been able to get up to WB on a week day in quite awhile. And lately, even down Fridays seem to have become the new Saturdays.  But by the end of this month I can be back sitting at the gate almost any day I want.
Yes, Bob, I don't need to stop at the pay shack either. I have an annual Senior State Park Pass and I do the AIS Certificate in about February every year. When there is someone at the shack, they have lately been asking all the AIS questions when it's between about 6 a.m. and 7 ish, cuz the other person that is now working the new patio area at the bottom of the drive that goes up to the ramp area wasn't at work yet.  It hasn't been this year, so it may be different, but in past years I have gotten to the south pay shack before 6 a.m. and had to wait because the "out" gate was closed and didn't open until 6, at the same time the "in" gate opened.
But I think I may try it again tomorrow. Taking  the day off to burn up some use or loose .

[wiperhunter2]

Forest, here is a pic of that sign Bob and I are talking about:



Since you are retiring at the end of the month, I'm surprised you aren't selling back your use or lose, instead of burning it. Good to hear your time out there is growing short.