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[#0000FF]Man, with the weird weather pattern it is tough to plan a fishing trip more than an hour ahead of time. But low and be old (that's me) it looked doable for Willard this morning so I packed up and boogied for the north marina. Forecast was for cloudy, 65 and light breezes. Whaddayaknow? They got it right.
Quiet on the ramp at 6:30 launch. Only a couple of boats going out then, and one later. Had my own private tube launch ramp next to the dock, since they coned off that area with the end of the concrete drop.
Water temp 75 at launch and only warmed up about one degree by noon. Sun never did break through. Never did get any rain but it looked dark to the south all morning. And I got wet driving home.
Started by dragging a weightless tube jig on a "hangershot" rig and throwing a tandem plastic jig setup on the other rod. Not a whisper until right about 7 am. Got a thump on a white plastic jingle jig and reeled in a porky footlong crappie. Did a dumb. Tried to lift it aboard and the hook pulled out. Shoulda used the net.
For the next hour there was only a couple of "rattle rattle" nibbles...likely small perch or bluegills. Then my hangershot rod took a dive and the line started zinging off the drag. Not a bluegill. Turned out to be a 21 inch wiper. In fact, he turned me around in my tube about 3 times before he got an insane desire to crawl into my net. I must be an angler masochist. I love to be abused by fish.
I coulda gone in and gone home after that wiper without missing a thing. Over the next three plus hours I tried a whole range of different plastics, cranks, jingle jigs, tubes, etc. More light bites and some aggressive small bites that were likely bitty kitties.
Couldn't pick up any cookie cutter cats today. On my last trip to the same area...including the "cat house"...I couldn't keep them off the jigs. But not today. Since most of the ones I caught last month were egg-laden ladies I suspect they were gathering for the upcoming "prom". Once the fun is over they scatter more and hang out wherever they want...for their own reasons.
Didn't see any boils or even any splashes that looked more wiperlike than carplike. The surface of the lake was glassy smooth a lot of the time and I could see young shad working the surface for the fallen midges. Also saw a few opportunistic terns dive bombing them...and hordes of grebes working them over under water.
I'm patient but not to the point of self mutilation. About 11...after 3 hours of inactivity...and my wiper starting to turn belly up in my basket...I headed for the ramp. Couldn't believe there was no growing power squadron there to challenge me for ramp space. Hallelujah.
Took my solo fishy to the cleaning station. Nary a scale or any other evidence that anybody else has been cleaning fish there. I cleaned up after myself but left a couple of wiper scales to instill hope in the next arrivals.
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Glad that you found a couple. Sure beats what I did today. Hate to see you lose your private launch, but I sure hope that they use some of the pipeline-settlement-dollars to extend the areas of the ramp where they have placed the cones. It would be nice to shorten the wait to launch or retrieve boats.
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Kent, who will be receiving the money from the settlement?
The State of Utah or Weber Basin?
If It goes to the State it will most likely end up in the General Budget and Willard will not see any of it.
If it goes to Weber Basin. we know that none of it will be used to make improvements.
I hope that I'm wrong but that is usually the protocol.
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Sorry but I either never heard the details or if I did I forgot them.
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[#0000FF]Cool thing about float tubes is that you don't need a ramp. I have become accustomed to finding a suitable spot beside the ramp for launching and beaching festivities.
This is not the first time the water level has fallen below the ends of the concrete ramps. However, there is now a washout at the end. In the past the gravel extended up to the concrete so it was at least useable...with common sense. I have to shake my head when I see that problem being ignored each time the water level might allow a fix.
Oh yeah. Another positive side of tubing. I didn't get a ticket on my trailer today. Just deflated it and put it in the back of my Blazer. A "no-axle" model.
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Yep, but I bet you have a license plate on that [#0000ff][#000000]"...Blazer. A "no-axle" model." So far my "ancient- but-still-hangs-together-one-axle trailer doesn't have a license plate or the associated annual expense. I also have a hunch that that Blazer has one axle.[/#000000] [/#0000ff]
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Got me curious about my Flat Bead trailer I haul my pontoon on?!
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I guess that a slow day is better than a no fish day.
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Even one fish beats a poke in the eye with a stick!
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We fished it from 5 PM til dark tonight and didn't have a touch. Trolled shad raps and bottom bouncers along the North and West banks without a touch, Went to the shallows North of the marina for 30 minutes dragging minnows and worms for the kitties and didn't catch anything there either. Maybe this storm threw them for a loop or something?
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[#0000FF]Unsettled weather generally puts a damper on the fishing...for most species. But not always. I subscribe to the theory that even if I am not catching fish there is somebody, somewhere on the lake, that is catching them.
Besides the wind, rain, lightning and thunder there has been a constant change in barometric pressure as those little fronts move through. It seems strange that underwater creatures...in higher water pressure...are so sensitive to relatively slight changes in atmospheric pressure. But they do seem to be.
I generally prefer to wait for at least a couple of days of stable weather conditions before a trip. But when the "stable" conditions are constant change you just gotta go when you can go.
The other fish factor at work right now is the newly abundant shad fry in sizes large enough to provide worthwhile fodder for the masses. All species besides shad are feeding on shadlets right now and don't need to chase those silly lures we troll by them at warp speed. Yesterday, as in past years at this time, I saw lots of edible sized shadlets both on the surface and in clouds from top to bottom on my sonar.
Maybe we can blame residual effects of the super moon earlier this month. Heck, any excuse is better than none when the fish don't cooperate.
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I think you were just taking it easy on those of us that had to work. Trying to make it easier for us to go back today. Besides a 21" wiper makes a trip worthwhile to me. Thanks for the report. J
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[#0000FF]Yeah, right. After catching that wiper I cut all the hooks off my jigs and quit tipping them with bait...just so I wouldn't have to report catching more fish and hurting your little feelings.
Kinda sounds like the guy who whacks his finger with a hammer and then groans "I meant to do that".
But you are right about one good fish being able to "make" a trip. I was properly grateful for that fish and just enjoyed the heck out of the battle. To show my gratitude for his participation I invited him home to dinner. I think TubeBabe and I enjoyed that part more then he did...but he gave it all he had. Sauteed in butter, garlic and dried shrimp flavoring...with some cajun seasoning...it was quite enough. Burp.
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[#484848]Dried shrimp flavoring ???[/#484848]
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[#0000FF]I used to be able to buy powdered shrimp flavoring but then they quit making it. For the past few years I have been buying the Knorr shrimp bouillon cubes (Caldo de camaron) as in the pic below. I grate it into a powder and then add the powder to melted butter or make a shrimp broth with it in boiling water. It adds a nice shrimpy kick to perch, white bass and other white fleshed fishies.
One caution...it is salty so don't salt your fish too much if you are using the bouillon flavors.
[inline "SHRIMP GRATED.jpg"]
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I went out for a few hours on the 28th. The fee to get in jumped to $15. Got to the ramp at the south marina to see that one little piece of a corner of the dock touching the water. We managed to catch a couple of nice wiper however. But for $15 a pop atleast they could lower the docks to the water or at the very least remove some of the rocks in the 1 ft of water near the docks.
Glad you were able to get out there and have some fun. Every morning I see people heading past my house with boats, headed to Willard. That is the worst feeling when I am on my way to work. HAHA
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One thing I tell folks all the time is stay away from the shore line this time of the year. Not saying you can't catch fish there but the numbers are not there, IMO. Fished the Openness yesterday with Gene from 5pm till sunset, it was slow but we did catch 4 wipers and on cat. The terns were diving but no boils. Were you is a red 14 ft boat?
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[#0000FF]That's the great American way...or at least the Utah way...to pay more for less. Seems like fees are always going up while available services are declining or getting worse. However, we can't blame the low water conditions on the State Parks, although some extra effort to provide access would be appreciated.
I buy an annual geezer pass...good for all state parks. I get my money's worth many times over. And if I find conditions not suitable I can move on without any additional expense.
Always tough to watch others heading for some fun times while you are chained to a desk.
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No, I was in a 17 foot bass tracker. We trolled from the North Marina across to the west side with 2 planer boards and 2 out the back with about 125' of line out with no touches still. Willard is kicking my butt lately.
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We saw the same thing Monday Curt. We watched a tern dive to the same area about 5 times but no boil. I did however cast to the spot and that's where I caught my one big one. I thought I added a pic earlier. I finally got my side imaging figured out this year and I have had more success out there. Not lots by any means. HAHA just better than before. Plus the tips you gave me a while back have continued to help.
Does anyone know why they didn't put more water in Willard?
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