Willard 5/15 (Thurs)

[RockyRaab]

As promised, I took the ProAngler out today. Winds were calm, water temps 60° in the North Marina and 64° in the main lake. Saw something quite unusual. A seaplane landed on the lake, taxied into the marina, up the ramp and shut down to let a lady use the restrooms, then fired up, taxied out and took off again. Talk about a "pit stop!"

There were three (count 'em!) THREE Hobie kayaks out fishing today. Talked with one guy and saw the other one several times. They're sure getting popular!

Met two 'tooners from the board (Catfish and ?) and called them over to the hump where I was catching crappie They were using fly tackle but that didn't limit their success at all. Both were hooked up often.

Me? I caught a limit of crappie from 9" to 13" and one 22" 5+lb wiper that had my reel singing for several minutes before I netted it. No pix, but the 'tooners saw him to verify.

Pedaled out to the Great Empty to cook my lunch (meatballs marinara, crackers and PB, sport drink, and M&Ms. Yummmmm...and (naturally) was interrupted by a probable channel cat who ran off with my Carolina worm rig. I set the hook, but apparently not hard enough because after a short tussle, he gave it right back to me.

Called it quits at 3 pm. There was a DNR truck in the parking lot. Guy sat there from the time I arrived until after I left. Never got out of the truck that I saw, but perhaps he was glassing for limit exceeders. I sure hope so.


BTW, there was a sign at the gate that said the North Marina would be closed to boat launches on Saturday the 24th. Launch ramp closed on Memorial Day SATURDAY? You gotta be chitting me!
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[DKStroutfitter]

They are having some kind of grand re-opening for the area that was closed due to the oil spill. Possibly to let everyone know that the park is once again open for business.
I doubt the intelligence of their timing though.
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[RockyRaab]

Yup. I agree. They should have done that THIS weekend.

Oh, forgot to mention that I caught everything today on a 1/8 oz black jighead with a clear twist tail and either a chartreuse Berkley Gulp maggot or a piece of ordinary worm. Water visibility seemed to be about 18" or so, and my finder showed a near carpet of shad two feet down - so thick they sometimes registered as the bottom. Hold a jig a couple feet below that and hang on!
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[sharksugar101]

I was also out there today. That sea plane sure was having some fun out there skipping across the lake. We only caught one wiper and walleye. We also caught a crappie trolling a rapala that was almost as big as he was. I think im done fishing willard though after some idiot today almost ran into my boat, actually he did. I had to push him away because he wasnt paying attention where he was going. Sure hope he can drive on land better than he can on water!!!! Idiots.
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[southernbass]

So you mind if I ask what you were using to catch crappie.in going sat with my kids not sure if we're back or boat fishing though I'm thinking from a boat.you can pm me of you like.thanks
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[catfish77]

It was great to meet you Rocky. Your watercraft is awesome. Thanks for letting us join you. It really slowed down after you left, although people in the marina were still slaying them. I couldn't buy a nibble in the marina.
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[RockyRaab]

You, too. While I was loading up, an Asian lady came over and asked if I caught anything. I let her lift the lid on my cooler and she almost had a conniption over that wiper.

Good thing I quit when I did, because when I got home I discovered that I'd lost count and had a limit of crappie instead of two short.
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[nkunz]

I was there Thursday also. I caught a limit +1 of crappie inside the N. marina. It was not real fast fishing. It took about 3 hours. I caught 3 on a green fly tied above a 1.5 inch tube jig. The rest were on the tube jig. Most people there were catching them on a variety of small soft plastic jigs, fished 3-4 feet below a bobber. Most people just picked a spot and fished. But I moved around until I found fish. I watched one guy out in a boat catch 5 in less than 10 minutes. But I never saw the guy in the other end of the boat catch any. I also talked to a guy that had been out in a pontoon fly fishing for wipers outside the marina. He did not catch any wipers but did catch dozens of crappie. He only caught one inside the marina.
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[RockyRaab]

The two pontoon guys and I found what I suspect is TubeDude's crappie hump outside the marina. It was a spot hardly larger than the average bedroom, but every time one of us drifted over it, bendo and a crappie.

It was the first time I had my GPS unit along, and you can bet I marked that spot! In typical Willard fashion, however, it'll be barren the next time I get there. Sigh...

Oh, I noted that none of the 10 crappie I cleaned yesterday had any eggs. They were either all male or had spawned out already.
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[Hnaf]

I had noted in another thread that the brother in law and I were going to be out there yesterday too but we got word that the south marina was a good target and made a last minute plan change. We did ok, beautiful day, but from your report north was a better pick and maybe we should have stuck with that plan. Though to be fair I'm still a Willard newb and I don't know many specific spots yet. Thanks for the report and sharing.
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