04-09-2018, 04:22 AM
You're right Pat, I have not spent tons of time at the inlet fishing during the spawn, but I have spent time there just watching for the antics. I've fished it 5-6 times is all, but gone and spent a 1/2 hour to couple hours watching on several occasions as I drive by.
I have absolutely no doubt that snagging happens, especially very late at night after the normal people go to bed, so that is why I vote for closing it at night only (as if my opinion matters anyway).
The thing is, I would hate to see a few bad apples spoil it for everybody. I probably will never Fish there's again because I'm more of a solitary type of fisherman and a sure fire way to get me to leave is to have a large group show up and screw with my peace and quiet, but I'm weird that way.
As for the wholesale snagging during daylight hours and extreme behavior I'm afraid that I haven't seen it during the times I've fished there or stopped to watch. I've fished as late as 8:00pm at the latest and honestly I thought the fishing sucked. On two occasions I've been there while people were catching a fair number of walleyes, but not many of them were snagged and with the exception of two snagged fish that I witnessed, all were returned back to the water. Most fish I saw caught were caught in the mouth.
I don't blame you for having more of an emotional response toward it because it makes sense after all of your years fishing there. Heck, I've fished Willard for walleyes since the early 80's and remember some stellar walleye fishing trips, so rest assured my friend, I am not in the slightest offended by your stance and hope I didn't get under your skin much either.
Btw, I like fishing for the walleyes more in May, june, and July than I do during the Willard spawn.....it's much easier! Also, I hit the Bear river today to try for walleyes and got 2.... and a dozen nice smallies as a bonus, so the crowds can have Willard for now and I will kindly stay out of their way, hehe!
Mike
[signature]
I have absolutely no doubt that snagging happens, especially very late at night after the normal people go to bed, so that is why I vote for closing it at night only (as if my opinion matters anyway).
The thing is, I would hate to see a few bad apples spoil it for everybody. I probably will never Fish there's again because I'm more of a solitary type of fisherman and a sure fire way to get me to leave is to have a large group show up and screw with my peace and quiet, but I'm weird that way.
As for the wholesale snagging during daylight hours and extreme behavior I'm afraid that I haven't seen it during the times I've fished there or stopped to watch. I've fished as late as 8:00pm at the latest and honestly I thought the fishing sucked. On two occasions I've been there while people were catching a fair number of walleyes, but not many of them were snagged and with the exception of two snagged fish that I witnessed, all were returned back to the water. Most fish I saw caught were caught in the mouth.
I don't blame you for having more of an emotional response toward it because it makes sense after all of your years fishing there. Heck, I've fished Willard for walleyes since the early 80's and remember some stellar walleye fishing trips, so rest assured my friend, I am not in the slightest offended by your stance and hope I didn't get under your skin much either.
Btw, I like fishing for the walleyes more in May, june, and July than I do during the Willard spawn.....it's much easier! Also, I hit the Bear river today to try for walleyes and got 2.... and a dozen nice smallies as a bonus, so the crowds can have Willard for now and I will kindly stay out of their way, hehe!
Mike
[signature]