03-13-2010, 10:10 PM
[cool][#0000ff]I've been float tubing and fly rodding Willard since the mid 70s...BW (before wipers). In the olden days I kicked along the rocks throwing a six weight with sink tip line...mostly for crappies. But, I did catch a bunch of catfish too, expecially when I used larger flies. Cats really like black patterns (baby catfish) and anything white...shad or crappie fry. A red head or throat can help too. In clear water the cats are real sight feeders and will be right in the middle of a wiper boil feeding on the shad.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As others have advised, almost any fly of the approximate size and color of the current crop of shad forage will get the job done. They start out feeding on tiny inch long shad about the end of July and then they get bigger through the summer until they are just over 2 inches about September. However, when the wipers are up boiling on the shadlets they will hit almost anything of any size and a larger pattern will do fine.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The hard part is always finding the fish. Wipers are not homebodies. The cruise all over the lake looking for schools of shad to devour. But, a lot of the time the shad are herded up against the rock dikes and the wipers just keep pushing them down the shoreline, feeding as they go. Some guys run the dikes, on foot, and go down the rocks ahead of the moving wipers. That can be tiring and dangerous if you fall in the rocks.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you have a pontoon with an electric...or good set of oars...you have a decent chance of getting into the middle of a boil. Find out where the most action has been, and what time of day they have been most active. Then start fishing the area and watch for bird activity. They tell you that the fish are busy even before you see the surface splashes. Boogie into position and start strippin'. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If the fish are HOT, you will get hit as soon as your fly touches down. If not, let it sink a bit and watch for the line to twitch. If it does not get slurped within a few seconds, give it a few twitches and then make another cast further in the direction the fish are moving.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Some boils only last a few seconds. Others may be on and off all day. If you on on one all by your lonesome you will have to have the grin surgically removed from your kisser. More commonly, if you are the first one on the scene you will be "joined" by several wild eyed bozos in high powered boats who run right into the middle of the boiling wipers and put them down for you.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]When the fish are not showing you can sometimes find them by just slow kicking or trolling flies near the rocks. A good shaddy looking pattern will occasionally get bit by walleyes, catfish or crappies too. You never know. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]At other times you might see stray splashes well out from shore...especially in the NE corner area. That is a popular feeding area for wipers and they can be seen on sonar all the way from feeding near the bottom to cruising near the top. Again, a good place to try dragging your flies at varying depths until you find the ZONE.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Just a suggestion for those who tie their own flies. When creating a shad pattern, use some pearl flashy stuff in the tie. Shad have dark backs and sides that are almost mirror bright...with pearl, blue or even chartreuse glimmers.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Sometimes you have to wake up the fish and create a reaction bite. If you have sonar that shows wipers suspending at mid depth, over deeper water, try using a fast sink line and letting the fly go deep before retrieving. Then strip it in hand over hand, as fast as you can, up through the water column. You cannot strip it too fast for a wiper to catch it but you can wake them up and get them to chase it. Sometimes you will feel only a couple of bumps at first. Then, when you feel a bump with weight, set the hook. And once you get the fish agitated you will catch more.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]As others have advised, almost any fly of the approximate size and color of the current crop of shad forage will get the job done. They start out feeding on tiny inch long shad about the end of July and then they get bigger through the summer until they are just over 2 inches about September. However, when the wipers are up boiling on the shadlets they will hit almost anything of any size and a larger pattern will do fine.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The hard part is always finding the fish. Wipers are not homebodies. The cruise all over the lake looking for schools of shad to devour. But, a lot of the time the shad are herded up against the rock dikes and the wipers just keep pushing them down the shoreline, feeding as they go. Some guys run the dikes, on foot, and go down the rocks ahead of the moving wipers. That can be tiring and dangerous if you fall in the rocks.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you have a pontoon with an electric...or good set of oars...you have a decent chance of getting into the middle of a boil. Find out where the most action has been, and what time of day they have been most active. Then start fishing the area and watch for bird activity. They tell you that the fish are busy even before you see the surface splashes. Boogie into position and start strippin'. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If the fish are HOT, you will get hit as soon as your fly touches down. If not, let it sink a bit and watch for the line to twitch. If it does not get slurped within a few seconds, give it a few twitches and then make another cast further in the direction the fish are moving.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Some boils only last a few seconds. Others may be on and off all day. If you on on one all by your lonesome you will have to have the grin surgically removed from your kisser. More commonly, if you are the first one on the scene you will be "joined" by several wild eyed bozos in high powered boats who run right into the middle of the boiling wipers and put them down for you.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]When the fish are not showing you can sometimes find them by just slow kicking or trolling flies near the rocks. A good shaddy looking pattern will occasionally get bit by walleyes, catfish or crappies too. You never know. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]At other times you might see stray splashes well out from shore...especially in the NE corner area. That is a popular feeding area for wipers and they can be seen on sonar all the way from feeding near the bottom to cruising near the top. Again, a good place to try dragging your flies at varying depths until you find the ZONE.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Just a suggestion for those who tie their own flies. When creating a shad pattern, use some pearl flashy stuff in the tie. Shad have dark backs and sides that are almost mirror bright...with pearl, blue or even chartreuse glimmers.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Sometimes you have to wake up the fish and create a reaction bite. If you have sonar that shows wipers suspending at mid depth, over deeper water, try using a fast sink line and letting the fly go deep before retrieving. Then strip it in hand over hand, as fast as you can, up through the water column. You cannot strip it too fast for a wiper to catch it but you can wake them up and get them to chase it. Sometimes you will feel only a couple of bumps at first. Then, when you feel a bump with weight, set the hook. And once you get the fish agitated you will catch more.[/#0000ff]
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