Willard Catfish Fun 7-31-24 (With Video)

[TubeDude]

Glad the cats are still treating you well at Willard, even the baby wipers got in on the act. Did you try the power outlets on the canopy support poles? Any problems with the power squad?

Didn't try them this time.  But they didn't work the last two times I tried them.  Would need a short extension cord to use that for a fillet knife and I have done that in the past so I usually carry one.

Minimal boat traffic on the lake before noon.  Only about 3-4 fishing boats out of the south marina...and they scattered all over.  Saw one ski boat but it stayed way out away from where I was fishing.  Probably didn't see me or it would have used me as a slalom pylon like most other skiers do.

Haven't tried the north marina yet this summer.  TubeBabe and I used to fish inside almost exclusively in years past.  Got lots of cats and when the wipers were in we got lots of those too...without ever having to go outside.  That might be next on my list.  But with the addition of the big "waterpark" setup in the north marina...and the buoy line restricting watercraft from fishing along the east shoreline...it is likely to be less productive...at least in that area.  But it can also be good right in the main channel of the n. marina and over around the fishing dock.  Yep.  Gotta give it a try at least. 

The last few years I have stayed away from Willard until after Labor Day.  And then I like to fish the basin right off Eagle Beach.  Have had days in September there for four species...cats, wipers, walleyes and crappies.  They really hit on white Gulp Minnows or white shad plastics on a tandem rig with 2 1/8 oz. heads...lift and drop retrieve...right off the bottom.  I actually caught a 28" cat on one a couple of years ago.

Here are a few pics of the species that eat Gulps in the fall on Willard.