NBC day at Willard 6-26-20

[TubeDude]

Hit the south marina early...too early.  They have been leaving the exit gate on the south side open so we could sneak in and launch earlier than the 6 am gate opening.  No more.  Waited in line for almost a half hour.  Didn't get out of my vehicle to feed the skeeters like some of the other anxious guys in the lineup.

Busy morning at the ramp.  Musta been over a dozen boats launched before I got my tube rigged up and on the water.   Air temp early sixties.  Water temp early 70s...rising to about 74 by 11:30 departure.  Slight breeze at launch but pretty calm all morning.  Water clarity good.  Saw small fishy fry around the ramp.  Couldn't identify.  Lots of new young of several species in the water right now.  A few balls of new baby shad out in the lake.

I covered a LOT of water...from 10' out to 22'.  I presented a range of plastics, cranks and spinner rigs...with crawlers and with Gulp minnows.  Saw a LOT more fishy blips on sonar than I felt on the end of my line.  Thinking that the predators are taking advantage of the plentiful new food supply and don't need to mess with the silly stuff that fishermen offer.

No wipers and no walleye this trip.  Had four hits and landed 4 cats...all from the shallower zone on my S turn program.  Noticed a couple of anglers working right against the rocks and bringing in some cats.  Saw one good haul at the cleaning station later.  And the cats I caught were spawned out...and eating.  They all were stuffed with newly munched crawdads.  Probably just used my lures to "floss" after dining.

There were walleyes to be had today.  At least a couple of returning boaters had limits of good sized 'eyes.  Most were caught on trolled crankbaits.  But you had to have the right lure...at the right depth and speed.   Nobody reported any wipers.  And one of the wallie-whackers said his live well was full of barfed up silvery fry.  The toothy guys are finding some of the new crop of hatchlings large enough for dinner.  I suspect the wipers are doing the same.

I could tell when it was a good time to exit the lake.  I didn't even have to watch the parade of power squadron craft exiting the channel.  I could hear them.  As the sounds of loud motors, loud music and loud voices grew increasingly obnoxious...to a quiet and contemplative angler like myself (old codger)...the esthetics of the trip began to pale.  I headed in.

One last assault on my senses.  As I entered the boat channel with my 40# thrust electric throwing up a rooster ripple, there was a boat full of feminine pulchritude just exiting.  Those poor young ladies evidently could not afford much body covering.  And one of them might have been suffering from vitamin D deficiency.  At least she removed the D cup top of her already skimpy swim attire to anoint her "assets" with sunscreen...in full view of all who wanted to watch.  What's the sunshine equivalent of "snow blindness".  I think I got it.