Floatin' and Freezin' on Willard

[TubeDude]

Didn’t like the cold forecast for Willard on Monday.  But it didn’t look any better for the next week or so…so I bundled up and went for it.  And it WAS cold.  Only 22 degrees air temp at 8am launch…and only warming to 36 by 1 pm quitting time. 
 

And water temps were down to 36…and only getting up about 1 degree all day.  There was actually some skim ice in the channel.  Shook me up when my tube started going crunch crunch as I motored out where the DEADLY DUO  PLUS ONE (Wiperhunter, Wiperslayer & 2Knots) were already anchored and perchin’.  Due to the low water they had to pull into a steep bank along shore to get loaded and launched.

The “three men in a tub” had already caught a couple of perch by the time I started fishing.  But I fished a long time up and down the channel without a sniff.  Nothing showing on sonar either…unlike the previous weeks when the screen was covered with shad and OGs (other guys).  Appears like the big shad dieoff is about over and the perch are scattering and cruising elsewhere looking for vittles.  It’s an ecology and foodchain thing.
 
After an hour of fishless fishing around the marina, I began moving north…making S turns with the tube and watching TV for potential signs of life.  The bottom for a long ways was a fishless desert.  At several spots I saw a few scattered marks and paused to present my offerings.  No love at any of my stops.
 
Finally got down to my “Kitty City” area and put out an orange flig on one rod and vertical jigged with another rod while kicking slowly along with just fin power.  I did pick up one under 20 kitty and had a couple of other pop and drops.  Then my light rod bent over in the holder and line started zinging off the drag.  Thought I might have lucked into another wiper.  But, alas, when I brung it to the net it was one of those big scaly golden wipers (carp).   Fun, but no thanks.
 

About 10:30 I worked my way back to the marina area…hoping some fish had moved in.  The other guys in the boat were just leaving to check another area too.  They said they had caught about 10 perch…not much for 3 guys who had whacked them last week.  I got serious with the vertical stuff…rigging with some of my new dropper jigs that had worked well last Thursday.  Got fish on the previously effective orange tiger…plus the new blue and silver model.
 

I moved around the previously perch-infested areas without any interruptions.  And then, finally, a munch.  Brought in my first footlong.  But that was not the beginning of a major fish fest.  Got a 10 incher a long time later.  Then, after the boat guys moved back…after finding nothing elsewhere…I added first one and then another 12 inchers. 
 
Got my first perch at about 11:30 and my last of 4 just before 1 pm.  Figured I had enough fun for the day…and had enough perch for some scampi and noodles.  So I took inventory of my frozen digits…fingers and toes…and boogied for the ramp.  The boating boys were still out there when I left.  Curt put up a report on the Premium board showing they did catch some fish…but fewer than last week.
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[wiperhunter2]

Great report and pics Pat, bet the carp gave you a good battle on such light tackle. Ira had a carp on as well but a little too much pressure on it and it broke the hook right off the jig. I think we caught all but a couple perch in the same spot you did but we only got two more after you left but they turned out to be the largest of the day. Might have to try another location next week, in years past Freeway bay starts to turn on about this time of the year. One thing we noticed as we were sitting there was that they had started the new development South of Pelican beach. From what I was told they are putting in a new day use area in those trees and it will extend all the way down to Freeway bay. Good seeing you out there Pat.

[2knots]

Great seeing you out there Pat, not sure I’d venture into those chilly waters in a float tube for the time you did.

[TubeDude]

Great seeing you out there Pat, not sure I’d venture into those chilly waters in a float tube for the time you did.

I gotta giggle sometimes when someone bundled up like an Antarctic explorer in a boat wonders if I am colder in my float tube.  If you know how to layer...with the right stuff...you can be warmer in a float tube than exposed up in a boat.  In my 60 plus years of float tubing I have learned how to survive it quite well, thank ya.  Not saying I'm ever in any danger of heat stroke but not likely to get hypothermia either. 

We really have it a lot better today than in the '70s and '80s when I first started float tubing Utah waters in the cold months.  Not much specialized cold weather stuff for float tubers...and not nearly as much for ice anglers either.  In those days...without neoprene booties, thermal socks and extra large foot pocket fins to hold them, float tubers were obliged to get out of the water periodically and do the "tuber stomp" to restore circulation and feeling to the feet and nether regions.  Truly a pastime for masochists only.  I guess I qualified.

[2knots]

Your right on the gear advances, I just remember wading the winter river is the old waders ( pre neoprene) And having to do the “stomp” to get warmed back up lol

[Therapist]

Hey Pat! How much water is there in the harbor?? Might give the docks a try if there is sufficient H20!!

[jjannie]

Pat you're a trooper for sure. Glad you got enough for dinner though! 

At least you probably didn't have to load up like Curt, Ira and Alan - we've done that at Pineview before (we brought a folding step stool to assist us - LOL), wasn't sure Willard banks were steep enough for doing it - way to go guys!

[TubeDude]

Hey Pat!  How much water is there in the harbor??  Might give the docks a try if there is sufficient H20!!

Plenty of depth.  About 4' at the end of the ramp...at least 5-6 feet out the channel...with a shallow spot about 3' just as you enter the lake.  There is about 2-3' of water at the end of the dock but when it's cold there is often some frost on the top surface of that dock.  You can still nose the boat into the dock for loading and unloading, but with the downward slope it is easy to do a triple klutz and start the day with an injury...even if you only injure your dignity.

If you launch, be sure to stay straight  out from the docks before heading west into the lake.  Right now you can see all of the mud banks exposed to  the east but before they were visible a lot of boats either got bogged down or got some prop damage...or both.