Yep, Willard again Wed11th

[Mildog]

Buddy wanted to get a few more eyes before we switch to chasing Kokes. Only had  few hits to fish so headed out early got in the water a bit later than planned 7:00 ish. Headed to recent productive spots and couldn’t find many fish unlike most recent trips . Decided I wasn’t even dropping lines until I found some numbers. Looked south west east openess. The usual spots were not showeing fish like I’m used to seeing? We spent an hour looking Nada! Very few suspended or bottom hugging fish . Decided to head north east and chase wipers. Started finding fish mid l level and bottom. Started trolling 2.4-2.6 with cranks tried a variety of colors , blue tiger shad seemed to be the ticket. Got 8 walleye , lost 3, but no wipers in spot we always catch wipers. Go figure !
Ended up with the 8 walleye 1 big Perch and a catfish. I chunky walleye, the others small but nice fillets in good shape. Actually fishing time about 3 hours, wind picked up a bit and that seemed to help the catching a little harder to control speed and direction. All in all fun morning we quit at about 11:30 to get home early and beat traffic. I think with full moon afternoons might be better right now?
Good luck if you go!

[wiperhunter2]

Sounds like you did pretty good, considering the fish were not where they normally are but I've heard this from a few people now, so you aren't the only one having this problem. My guess is you are right about the full moon and the catching being better later in the day. Hope it's better by Friday. How long was your largest eye, over 20"?

[Mildog]

Not sure, about the length of the width of the fillet station table. Nice one very healthy!
**One note the Gnats / bugs were horrible the boat was carpeted with them!! We made a couple high speed runs to try to flush them out, didn’t get them all but it would help. When the end picked up it was much better!

[Paddler]

Not sure, about the length of the width of the fillet station table. Nice one very healthy!
**One note the Gnats / bugs were horrible the boat was carpeted with them!! We made a couple high speed runs to try to flush them out, didn’t get them all but it would help. When the end picked up it was much better!

The fillet tables are 20" wide.  

Some states have minimum length requirements for retention, those 15" and under fish I'm seeing in reports would likely have been 18" next year. 

[Dirt Bag]

Thank you for sharing.

[Mildog]

Paddler,  yes they would be bigger next year, as will most fish released if they survive. They fillet and eat  quite good! I let the very small ones go . But on some trips need a fish dinner so the 15 inchers head to the table!! there seems to be a healthy supply of those. Is it really better to fillet an 18 incher? Limit is 6 walleye only one over 24” no minimum rule . My buddy was having his family over for dinner that evening and needed a few for the group. Mission accomplished!
But then again a 18” walleye fights so much better than a 15 incher! Would have that to look forward to! 

[Paddler]

Paddler,  yes they would be bigger next year, as will most fish released if they survive. They fillet and eat  quite good! I let the very small ones go . But on some trips need a fish dinner so the 15 inchers head to the table!! there seems to be a healthy supply of those. Is it really better to fillet an 18 incher? Limit is 6 walleye only one over 24” no minimum rule . My buddy was having his family over for dinner that evening and needed a few for the group. Mission accomplished!
But then again a 18” walleye fights so much better than a 15 incher! Would have that to look forward to! 

It's just my personal choice to release walleye under 16".  Letting a 15" walleye grow another year seems like a good thing.  Plus, doing so means you get to keep fishing.  Not a big deal, just my opinion.

[wiperhunter2]

Paddler,  yes they would be bigger next year, as will most fish released if they survive. They fillet and eat  quite good! I let the very small ones go . But on some trips need a fish dinner so the 15 inchers head to the table!! there seems to be a healthy supply of those. Is it really better to fillet an 18 incher? Limit is 6 walleye only one over 24” no minimum rule . My buddy was having his family over for dinner that evening and needed a few for the group. Mission accomplished!
But then again a 18” walleye fights so much better than a 15 incher! Would have that to look forward to! 

It's just my personal choice to release walleye under 16".  Letting a 15" walleye grow another year seems like a good thing.  Plus, doing so means you get to keep fishing.  Not a big deal, just my opinion.

Since they have stocked over 2 million fry, each year, for the last three years, there are an unbelievable number of them in Willard now and if they aren't thinned out, the next group that they planted this year will have less room to grow because there are some many feeding off the resource. Last year was a very good year for the shad because the baby shad did not have the big die off they usually have in the Winter. That is why the eyes still have so much fat in them. In normal years they have very little fat on them this late in the season. Now with this big draw down of the water, that will put even more stress on the fish and it could spell trouble, depending on how much they actually take out. I know folks that feel the same as you and there is nothing wrong with that but why take the chance, when we know how many survived this last year. There could be problems for them, if we don't thin them out, but that's just my opinion.

[Mildog]

Wiper Hunter I think you are making a great point. I think there a plenty and thinning the population a bit shouldn’t hurt a thing, and may be better for the future . I think there will be plenty of water , but it could put additional stress on things?