WWWW (Willing Willard Walleyes and Wipers)

[MWScott72]

Got a call from Obi that there was an empty seat on his boat due to a couple late cancellations and jumped at the chance to put some more walleye fillets away…all while enjoying time on the water with Obi, Obi’s boss (how cool is that to have the boss want to fish with you?) and Juma.  We all met at the north marina at 6am, and once launched, headed to the light pole in search of the groceries.  The eyes were sleepy early with nary a look for the first 1-1.5 hours.  By this time, we had motored over into the SW corner.  Finally a bite, and then several more.  It soon became a rodeo.  A big eye broke off on one of the planets, then another fish hit on the other side.  While trying to grab the planer, which was being drug around by the still unknown eye, I inadvertently dumped one of my AirPods in the drink.  PSA…they don’t float ?

Soon I had the planer board and started bringing in line….at the end, there was a nice 18” eye.  Juma brought the other fish which had tangled with one of the other lines and now we started to untangle the mess.  Lines back in the water and another 30-45 minutes before another flurry of fish.  This happened 3-4 times as we swung around in circles over the general area .  We had a noon departure time to take care of work and moving responsibilities, so our day ended at 15 eyes, 2 wipers and a small cat.  Lots of down time with spurts of action would describe the morning.

Fish were evenly divided on BBs/worm harnesses and cranks.  Purple Flicker Shad (7) was the preferred color although a “Red Tiger” pattern (also in 7 but jointed) caught a couple. Speed probably averaged 1.9-2mph.  We were definitely not crawling at standard lower speeds.  

Thanks Obi - always a good time!

[Cowboypirate]

Nice day on the water. Willard has been generous to many this spring

[obifishkenobi]

Always a pleasure fishing with you. I got back out there the next day with a large group, starting off at the spot where we did most of our catching on Friday, a very slow start picking 1 here and one there with a lot of time in between only boating 5-6 Walleye 1 perch and 1 Wiper in the first 4 hours, do we moved north to the lite pole and caught 10 Walleye 1 Wiper and 1 perch in the last 2 hours. With the fish still coming consistently when we had to bag it at noon. Final count for the day was 16 Walleye 2 Wiper 2 perch and 1 small cat. On a mix of bottom bouncers and cranks. 

[wiperhunter2]

That's a great catch Shawn, even a baby cat, was that caught trolling above 2 mph? Looks like the bigger wipers are starting show up too.

[obifishkenobi]

That's a great catch Shawn, even a baby cat, was that caught trolling above 2 mph? Looks like the bigger wipers are starting show up too.

I’m averaging about 1.8 varying my speed from 1.6 up to 2.2mph. So the cat was caught in that range, caught  one just like it on Friday too.

[MWScott72]

I was out there again the next day (as you know). Forgot to post up yesterday, so thought to add to this thread now. Similar results for us on Saturday. Really slow for the first 3-4 hrs with 4 eyes, a wiper and a perch. Fished the same general areas as Obi. Even hit the light pole before he did and it was dead, so started trolling back thru the openness to the south marina when Obi called and said they were hitting at the light pole. Picked up the equipment and ran back and did circles with Obi for an hour or so and picked up three more eyes and a wiper. The power squadron started to really show about 1pm, so trolled back through the openness to the south marina and caught another 4 eyes and lost a couple. Ended the day at 2pm with 12 eyes, 2 wipers, 1 perch and a 12 pound carp my son snagged in the dorsal fin…that was a fun one!

Fish seemed to want BBs with harnesses more than the cranks…probably 3-1. Best color on the harnesses was a chartreuse blade. Cranks were a lighter purple #5 Flicker shad and #7 Flicker shad in red tiger. The wipers were 18” and the bigger eyes ran 21”. Noticed both on Fri and Sat that the bigger eyes were caught in the AM. After noon, it was junior varsity time with the cutter 14-15” eyes showing up.

[wiperhunter2]

I was out there again the next day (as you know).  Forgot to post up yesterday, so thought to add to this thread now.  Similar results for us on Saturday.  Really slow for the first 3-4 hrs with 4 eyes, a wiper and a perch.  Fished the same general areas as Obi.  Even hit the light pole before he did and it was dead, so started trolling back thru the openness to the south marina when Obi called and said they were hitting at the light pole.  Picked up the equipment and ran back and did circles with Obi for an hour or so and picked up three more eyes and a wiper.  The power squadron started to really show about 1pm, so trolled back through the openness to the south marina and caught another 4 eyes and lost a couple.  Ended the day at 2pm with 12 eyes, 2 wipers, 1 perch and a 12 pound carp my son snagged in the dorsal fin…that was a fun one!

Fish seemed to want BBs with harnesses more than the cranks…probably 3-1.  Best color on the harnesses was a chartreuse blade.  Cranks were a lighter purple #5 Flicker shad and #7 Flicker shad in red tiger.  The wipers were 18” and the bigger eyes ran 21”.  Noticed both on Fri and Sat that the bigger eyes were caught in the AM.  After noon, it was junior varsity time with the cutter 14-15” eyes showing up.

We ran across the same thing last week, one day they wanted cranks and the next time out they want the worm harness more, that's why it's always good to come prepared with both. Those carp can pull, when they are snagged on a dorsal fin, seems we catch more that way then ones caught in the mouth.