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[cool][#0000ff]Met up with Flycasting about 6 AM in the NE corner at Willard Bay this morning. Light breeze and a lot of bugs in close, but they thinned out as we kicked away from shore in the 75 degree water.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We ganged up on the wipers and threw everything in our combined lure boxes. No wipers wanted to play. The best we could do all morning was one long line release apiece and a couple of other bumps.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]On the other hand, the minnow-munchin' kitties were ready to play. I went through two bags of minnows...keeping eight cats and tossing more than that back in. But, no wipers on minnows either.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Recreational boating traffic was not nearly as bad as we thought it might be on the holiday weekend. Fishermen were worse than skiers, with some of them trolling right between us two tubers. You'd think they would know how to use their steering, if not their sense of sportsmanship. I almost had to lift my legs out of the water a couple of times to keep from getting snagged.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Oh well, no wipers but a nice morning on the water. Good to meet ya Flycasting. We'll have to hook up again. Only next time, let's go where they have stocked the lake better.[/#0000ff]
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I can see the lack of consideration by the boaters, who'd think its OK to troll between tubers but am inconsiderate boater, they are usually better than that, its the ski boats that usually don't care where you are in the water. Pat you should have thrown a 3oz weight into the side of the boat to get their attention, and if that didn't work at the drivers head. OH well, just be glad it wasn't me in the toon, I'd of chunked something, anything to tget their attention. Hope it wasn't someone you knew, behind the wheel of the boat.
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Good to see you found the cats.
On the first I had a guy and a gal come trolling past me and they hooked my line as they went by. The guy was talking with as he went past, but then as he turned the boat to back towards the shore, the lines didn't follow right behind the boat. They of course took a different angle. For a moment, I thought they were going to hook me with the lines. I lifted my fins out of the water and then realized they were deep enough they went under me. It was a little disconcerting for a moment there.
It pulled my bobber under, but lucky enough it didn't tangle it up.
To bad about the wipers. I am looking forward to catching one or two of them again.
When lauching at the NE corner, do you drive in past the pay station or take the road before it?
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[cool][#0000ff]It's the old story. Those in boats do not think float tubers are serious fishermen so they do not deserve respect. It always seems to be the story that the guy with the largest craft has the right of way. To heck with courtesy. And, in my experience, I have probably had more "friendly encounters" with boating anglers than with water skiers. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I would be happy to meet you up there and show you the spot, but it is easy enough that you should have no problem finding it yourself. With your new toon, you would find it a lot better for launching than going up over the levee. It is probably also a better spot to fish in many cases. And, even though there is some boating traffic, there is no place on the lake that is completely free of it.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As you come under the freeway, after making the exit for the North Marina, you have four choices. 1. You can turn left onto the onramp and go south on the freeway. 2. You go past the onramp and turn left (south) to go into the North Marina. 3. You can drive into the ranger facilities (closed to the public, but there is a road). 4. Just to the right of the road into the ranger buildings is a dirt road leading up onto the north dike. Take that one.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The dike parking is $3, but if you have a pass it is covered. Park near the gate and go through the access opening in the fence. Within a few feet there is a short path down off the dike and onto a weed-covered flat, across to the (paid) campground area. You can see an opening in the shoreline trees and brush that campers use to park their boats and PWC. You will also see the pavement and a set of restrooms.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The small launch area is a nice clean sand but you have to work your way out through some flooded brush. There is a pretty wide hole in it, but you need to watch your rods. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Actually, if you have a lot of gear to launch, like TubeBabe and I usually do, you can drive in the campground and stay around to the right until you come to that area. It is okay to park and unload your stuff from the back dirt road into the ranger facilities, but you can't leave your vehicle there. After we unload, I drive the car back up onto the dike to park it. It is tricky learning to navigate the winding one-way street in the campground, but worth it to save carrying all your gear those extra steps...and you don't have to take it down the hill...and back up.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#0000ff]Hey Dave, I have a short fuse too, but I have had that happen so many times that I just shake my head and deal with it. I always love it when they stare straight ahead and just pretend you are not there. And, if I say anything they go off..."Quit yer whinin'. You don't own the lake." or something like that.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As I previously posted, I once take stronger action and cause both bodily harm and property damage. That only got me some interviews with rangers and put others at risk. Not good. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In my old age, I have mellowed a teensy bit. Not completely, but a bit. I now count to three before launching my surface to surface missiles. Well, sometimes I only count to two and get impatient.[/#0000ff]
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i see the anger managment classes i recomended are helping out[  ]
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[cool][#0000ff]Yeah, but if you were a true friend you would give me the cell number of your dealer so I could score some of those "meds" too. [/#0000ff]
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ok but im only going to say this once TKB
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Hey, I resemble that remark!
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It was great to meet you and fish with you today TD. Thanks for sharing a few of those chubs. In case any of you didn't know this by now, THIS MAN KNOWS HOW TO CATCH FISH!!!
TD hooked me up better than most guides I have gone out with. After kicking back in he even volunteered to fillet the cats for me. He made easy worked of them with his electric fillet knife. They were great by the way with the recipe we talked about.
TD also introduced my tube to the world of sonar. Great little setup. Don't know how I ever fished without it.
Although we didn't manage any wipers, and the trollers were a bit close for comfort, it was still a great day to get out on the water. Great company with a few fishies in between always beats a day at the desk.
Thanks again TD, and I'll have my people get a hold of your people so we can coordinate something again soon!
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[cool][#0000ff]Glad it worked out for us to get together. I had my doubts when I was driving north from Salt Lake this morning. Lots of lightning over the mountains and places along the highway with recent rain wet. I almost laughed at how often the weather forecast ("fair and sunny") has to be modified with "occasional heavy wind and rain". That's fishing for ya.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]At least we never had any rain on the water and the breezes were never more than just a fishing ripple. Bugs were a bit intense close to shore, but once we were out there in fish country everything was pretty nice.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Don't be discouraged if your people can't make contact with my people. My people goof off a lot and are usually out fishing. Maybe you better just PM me and we can go direct.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Good luck at the Gorge. Hope your sonar helps you over there.[/#0000ff]
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Thanks for the info.
I am not sure when I will be able to get back up there. I would like to try the area where the weeds and sticks are at the waters edge.
Most of my fishing has been for bass, so I am more comfortable with being able to see some kind of structure and being able to cast to it.
The trolling and open water fishing is foreign to me, although I am trying to learn.
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[cool][#0000ff]That brushy area in the NE corner has lots of fish for those who like to work that kind of cover. Lotsa crappies and sunfish, and even a few largemouth.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Yesterday, when we were kicking in, I noticed a couple of small wiper splashes as we neared the edges. I have also heard that quite a few wiper chasers do well in and around the cover when the shad are using it as shelter. Also more than a few walleyes taken from around the edges...and some big cats early in the year.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you prefer fishing stickups you will love that area.[/#0000ff]
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How long into the season do the wipers stay turned on there at Willard?
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[cool][#0000ff]It is a function of water temps and bait movement. As long as the shad are active and moving around the lake, the wipers follow and feed. When the water chills below about 65 degrees, both the shad and wipers tend to stay deeper and move around less. That usually starts sometime in September, but wiper fishing with shad imitating lures often remains good well into October. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In the fall months, bank fishermen often do well on Wipers by soaking bait on or near the bottom. Many a cat fisherman is pleasantly surprised by bottom feeding wipers slurping up their crawlers or other catfish baits.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Last fall, I got wipers inside the north marina on small tube jigs being fished for late crappies. I am sure they can be caught elsewhere around the lake, but like the walleyes they sometimes prefer smaller stuff as the water gets colder.[/#0000ff]
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