Chillin' on Willard 10-25-2018

[TubeDude]

[#0000ff]A return trip for me and Pa to the north marina. Met up with Ahi...who had forgotten his waders and had to return home to get them. He came out later.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Light drizzle on the way up but calm and cloudy only when we launched about 8. Air temp mid 40s and water temp 54...from where it hardly moved all morning.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As on our last trip, it was at least an hour before we got any love. But once again, since the more glamorous species slept in, the kitties came out to play. We tried a variety of lures and baits but the preference today seemed to be fligs...either purple or pale perch...decorated with PPP (processed perch pieces). That's a whole bowl of Ps.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]With water temps still above 50 degrees, the cats sometimes were tentative in their strikes. But not all. Some did the gulp and go...and fought very well for the existing conditions.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]No big ones today. We both caught a few of the standard "Willard Bay cookie cutters"...cats around the 18 inch mark. But a few went over 20 inches. No two footers today.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]It stayed cloudy and calm all morning. Saw a few waterfowl flying low across the lake and heard both airboat motors and shotgun blasts from the marsh.
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[#0000ff]Pa's sonar died and his feet were getting cold so we bailed about noon. Ahi came back in with us and admitted he smelled skunk...although he did catch a nice cat yesterday. My opinion is that he has caught plenty of big cats this year and probably just wasn't focusing on the puny Willard kitties.
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[pa]

Thanks for another fun day. May not have been fast and furious but the skunk left us alone. I will get heat keepers for my feet for sure and soon. Pat thank you so much for the fish finder. It will go to good use for sure. I managed a couple these.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Always good to "ride the ripples" with ya. Glad you were able to get some tugs too. Makes life better.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]The socks you want are [url "https://www.heatholders.com/"]HEAT HOLDER SOCKS. [/url]
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[#0000FF]You can find them many places online...or in most stores with outdoor gear. They are spendy but well worth the investment.
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[RockyRaab]

So are their gloves and stocking caps. THE warmest examples of both that I've found.
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[Ahi1953]

Was great to see you guys.
ended up still smelly after I tried the marina,Pat .
Went back today . nothing out at eagle beach again. notice that motor was slowing down. dang forgot to put it on charger after yesterdays outing. So headed in. Figured that I could always row to the ramp if it died in the marina. Finally I hooked a catfish got it in my lap while trying to to get my phone for a photo. then he did a flip flop and poked a hole in my air bladder with its pectoral spike. I was over at the boat docks and losing air fast. Cranked the motor full speed rowed like a mad man. By the time I made the ramp I was leaning so bad I thought it would tip. Now I have to find my tube of aqua seal and some patches. need less to say no pictures of the fish. didn't think of taking one of my deflated tubetoon on the ramp. Anyway I did add the picture of the one from Wednesday.
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[Optimizer]

That picture of the "cool cat" had verticle cuts on body and tail. Looks like he might have been introducedt to a trolling motor.[shocked]
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]I'd laugh, but I have also had to make a "speed run" to shore after my air-filled craft suffered a poke from fish spines. A couple of times it was from cats but I have also had "close encounters of the worst kind" from spiny perch and bluegills. When one comes off the hook on the way in it is almost like the law that a piece of buttered bread always falls buttered side down. Only fish fall spines down...right onto a vulnerable spot on your air chamber.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Glad you made it to the ramp without having to add swimming to your methods of propulsion. The goal is to catch fish...not hypothermia.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]We can forgive the lack of pictures of the disabled toon...but not taking a picture of the fish is less forgivable. We all survive on fish porn.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Good looking jig in that fish's mouth, by the way.
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[TubeDude]

[quote Optimizer]That picture of the "cool cat" had verticle cuts on body and tail. Looks like he might have been introducedt to a trolling motor.[shocked][/quote]
[#0000ff]Good eye...but perhaps a bit heavy on the interpretation of the marks. It was likely the result of the cat rolling up in the line...at least temporarily. They have been knowed to do that.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Also, the marks on the main body are simply ribs or muscle striations. The marks closer to the tail are not natural and could be a line wrap issue.[/#0000ff]
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