Wasn't sprayed by skunk but close-Willard 8/17

[leaky]

I too went to Willard today, first time in 2 yrs. Fished from my tube on S. dike and W. dike. and quit about 4 like finhunter. Caught 1 small cat and ----------------, would you believe 2 large crappie!!![shocked] Maybe they're coming back? Wish I could catch a wiper!!!! Crappie just don't have the fight. Oh well.
Leaky

[Coldfooter]

Hey Leaky congrats of the Slabs,, after all,, their great eats! Whats more you didnt have to explain the stink when ya got home because it wasnt a shunkin'[]
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[wiperhunter2]

Thanks for the report Fred, it sure is amazing how many people have caught crappie in the open water at Willard lately. I would also think this is a good sign, how big were the ones you caught?
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[leaky]

Didn't measur, should have. Did take a pic but probably won't develope for another 6 mos.[blush] I guess the biggest was at about 11-12in. the other was probably 1-2 inch shorter.
Leaky

[Fishry]

I thought you meant literally sprayed by a skunk!!!

That nearly happened to me at Willard a few years ago. We were night fishing on the south dike and I was sitting on a large rock with my plastic container of chicken livers sitting next to me. My friend tells me in a very calm voice not to move and not to look behind me. I, of course, turn my head just in time to see a skunks tail go straight up in the air about two feet from me. I held really still until the skunk relaxed and put its tail down, but we were still sharing the same rock and I did not see a quick escape route, so I continued to hold really still. The skunk ended up sitting on my lap eating all of my chicken livers while I continued to hold VERY still (What a great smell!!). My friend was about 15 Yards away laughing his butt off and hiding his chicken livers. When it was done eating my kitty bait it just wandered off. Things like that are what motivated me to get a boat!
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[HFT]

I think we are see a little come back,last week I went to try my luck for wipers but ended up catching Crappie one right after another. Two classes 7" and 11". I had thought I lucked into a school but after I told a couple willard guys they came back with the same report. 15' out from the rocks 1/32oz. sparkle jigs 3' below a bobber. Caught 2 cats that night on the same method. This is a good thing!
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[Out4Trout]

[cool]Hey James, nice report! Which dike or marina were you fishing out of/off of?
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[HFT]

East dike,half way between the marinas.
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[Out4Trout]

[cool]Thanks James. I know it's early, but I'm already starting to get the itch for ice fishing again. Do you keep the Whatta Crickets and Boogers out all year, or not till Nov or so? Also, any new creations you're working on?
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[HFT]

I always have Ice fishing on the brain so I keep them out were they always are, Besides I have been getting good report of smallies hitting Whatta crickets.
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[wiperhunter2]

That is great news, I guess they have done better than I thought they would with these low water years, thanks for sharing the info James.
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[Hellsangler69]

I lucked out on catchin one on a 3" curly tail at Willard a couple weeks ago , but wasn't fishing for crappie . Might have to go back and try my luck . I wasn't to far from shore on the westside in the middle .
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[finhunter]

When you say East dike, do you mean the one that parallels the freeway or the dike east of the south marina? There is also a peninsula with a row of trees that runs along the edge of the water that would be part of the east dike.

I followed instructions in this tread above jig with bobber 15' of shore but didn't catch any crappie. I nailed a lot of catfish though (one on jig, seven on spinner nightcrawler) out in 15' deep water in that middle section of the east dike.
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[HFT]

About half way between the marina's. sitting on the rock dike.
you did use a sparkle jig Right? I also had ultrabite attractant on.
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[finhunter]

I was using little white sparkly jigs but I was in a boat casting into the rocks and retreiving back. I caught a 4 pound cat and hooked another on that jig.
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[HFT]

They also seemed to hit best when it was sitting still just the action of the waves.
Kind of crazy,catching cats on a jig. but a catch is a catch.
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