Windy Willard

[ZUKI_BLUE]

Wiper hunter two and I headed out yesterday, Catching 4 eyes trolling Cranks and Harnesses Around the island. I headed out solo today and caught one eye and a couple wipers. Doing the same thing. 22 fow 2.5mph, purple, fire, bs,
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[jjannie]

Nice job but how did you mange netting wipers solo? My guess is I'd lose one trying do that.
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[wiperhunter2]

Thanks for the report and pics Gene. Enjoyed getting out there with you on Thurs, even with those less than ideal conditions. One thing I've been forgetting to mention recently, for those that might be interested, is I've been having a decent amount of luck trolling lead core line with Kokanee creek tackle, western walleye series worm harnesses. The hot one for me was the splatter green color, until a wiper decided he wanted it more than me and after a monster hit, it was gone, time for me to restock.
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[ZUKI_BLUE]

Hi JJANIE, it was a real challenge especially the first one that.To begin when I troll at that speed I set my line counter real with the drag as light as possible with the clicker on. It would’ve taken all my line if I hadn’t started to tighten up slightly on the Drag. The minute he hit, I went into neutral with the boat. Normally wouldn’t do that but there was enough wind and waves that I felt mother nature could keep a tight line and I needed all the help I could get. My line counter measured 75 feet longer than where I started. the rest is real patience, no pun intended. After he hit he ran right under my other line. There was no way that I could wind in the other line and fight him also so I just let that line stay there figuring I’d probably be twisted up but I still might get him. He continued around The right side of the boat and looked like he was going to circle The bow mount trolling motor. At that point I took a right with the boat using my trolling motor and remote and headed straight west to avoid that from happening as I knew I could not raise the trolling motor and he was sure to be heading for a wraparound. All this time my drag was still set low enough that he could run easily whenever he wanted. I found I could still make headway in bringing him in by working him like they do in big ocean fishing, raising the rod tip slowly and then winding in lowering the rod tip keeping pressure but not too much. He must’ve made 10 runs at various links getting shorter as he got more tired. When I finally got him to where I could see him near the boat, I actually loosened the drag so that if he did head snap he wouldn’t break off ,hopefully. He made about five more runs From Boat side to maybe 10 or 15 feet out. Finally he was all worn out, I could tighten my drag out a little more and he literally came to the top laying on his side too tired to do anything. And I net it. When I got him out of the net he was too tired to even the flop around, he allowed pictures and I gently put him back in the water and held him by his lower lip and held him there in a vertical position until he told me it was time to leave. I held him so long that I began to think he was not going to make it, but I still held him and all of a sudden his tail wiggled in his head wiggled , I let them go and you just slowly turned and headed Straight down, not very fast, but I knew he was ok.
None of this was fast Don’t know how much it was ,but it was a long period of time maybe 15-20 minutes by the time I released him.
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[jjannie]

Oh my, way to hang in there to get him all by yourself! Sure makes catching more sporting doesn't it? Sounds like a fun time for sure.

[ZUKI_BLUE]

For sure, was a great time! I never saw a leaded line
Rod bend over like when that wiper hit that crawler harness!
Incidentally, both wipers on Friday Hit in the same area As that one on Friday. Oh, and I did try that on Friday. I had a real problem telling when I was hitting bottom. I even let out six colors and couldn’t feel the bottom. Any insights?
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[doitall5000]

When you say green, splattered green, is that chartreuse green.?
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[wiperhunter2]

No, I believe it's just green with black splatter on it, here is a link to the one I've been catching both walleye and wipers with:
https://shop.kokaneecreektacklecompany.c...-W-618.htm
After I lost it, I tried another kind I had, it was chartreuse and I never got a bite.
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[wiperhunter2]

It is just a matter of getting a feel for it, it does not hit the bottom like it does when using a lure but you can tell, if you watch it closely. On that first fish, before we got all tangled up, I knew how much to let out from the trip Ira and I had from a couple of days earlier. After I switched over, to your lead core setup, I let out line until I noticed it ticking the bottom, then reeled up one color, some times reeling up two colors will work too, just depends on the day and how high up the fish are marking on your fishfinder.
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[fishday]

Sounds like Willard is giving up the fish pretty regular these days. I have not been there yet this year. Want to get out there soon though--as soon as mushroom season is over, which the way this weather has been going may be a while. Hopefully get out there next week.
So you're trolling a worm and harness on lead core? At 2+ mph? The eyes are suspended then and like fast worms I guess. I thought maybe guys were trolling a bottom bouncer with a crank bait. Have you tried that? A poor man's down rigger. Have you ever used the snap weights?
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[wiperhunter2]

[quote fishday]
So you're trolling a worm and harness on lead core? At 2+ mph? The eyes are suspended then and like fast worms I guess. I thought maybe guys were trolling a bottom bouncer with a crank bait. Have you tried that? A poor man's down rigger. Have you ever used the snap weights?[/quote]
Yes, we are using lead core at 2.3 to 2.5 mph, both wipers and eyes are taking the worm harnesses. We are also trolling mono out the sides on planer boards. I know jjannie trolls BBers with cranks but I've never tried that but I do use snaps weights, much easier to use, IMO.
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[SBennett]

Hey Curt,
I've yet to hit Willard this year (maybe tomorrow after hearing these great reports) but the last few years I've been using my downriggers with Arts stuff at that speed and it's been working great. At least with riggers you know exactly where you are and still get to use ultralight gear.
Take care!
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[wiperhunter2]

Hey Shane, we at times use DRers too but IMO they are too much hassle, if you can catch the fish without them. That being said, I can't say I've ever used a DRer with a 150 ft setback. Sometimes I think the gas motor spooks those eyes, so using a long setback really helps. I need to get ahold of Art about getting some new blades and suggest a new color he does not carry but I haven't talked to him in a few years.
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[SBennett]

Makes sense, congrats on the success.
In other parts of the world lead core for walleye is used very successfully. I know it works and is very effective, just takes away from the little fight those Willard eyes have in them. Let's face the truth though, we dont try to catch walleye at Willard for their amazing escape tactics...
Got some new colors and combos, also a new blade design for squid.
Hop on the website and check them out.
Maybe see you up there soon!
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