Won’t be long now before the lake is open.
](southmarinadocks — Postimages) We walked out to the channel and fished for a little over 4 hrs and caught 4 cats up to 21", using fligs and chub meat. I took this pic looking out the channel into the Bay. Just since yesterday the ice has melted at least 1/4 mile out from the mouth of the channel, see pics from my drive by report from yesterday, to see how much it melted in one day. Won’t be long now before the lake is open.
Won’t be long now before the lake is open.
](southmarinadocks — Postimages) We walked out to the channel and fished for a little over 4 hrs and caught 4 cats up to 21", using fligs and chub meat. I took this pic looking out the channel into the Bay. Just since yesterday the ice has melted at least 1/4 mile out from the mouth of the channel, see pics from my drive by report from yesterday, to see how much it melted in one day. Won’t be long now before the lake is open. That will get Tubedude all Gung-ho to start chasing some Willard kitties. Nice job on the cold water cats. [/quote]
Won’t be long now before the lake is open. That will get Tubedude all Gung-ho to start chasing some Willard kitties. Nice job on the cold water cats. [/quote]
](southmarinadocks — Postimages) We walked out to the channel and fished for a little over 4 hrs and caught 4 cats up to 21", using fligs and chub meat. I took this pic looking out the channel into the Bay. Just since yesterday the ice has melted at least 1/4 mile out from the mouth of the channel, see pics from my drive by report from yesterday, to see how much it melted in one day. Won’t be long now before the lake is open. What a welcomed site. Looking forward to getting in the boat and out of the exhausting hikes needed for ice fishing. [/quote]
Won’t be long now before the lake is open. What a welcomed site. Looking forward to getting in the boat and out of the exhausting hikes needed for ice fishing. [/quote]
Well done guys, glad the soft water produced
](FINE FINISH — Postimages) In earlier days TubeBabe and I did a lot of iceout bank tangling in the channel at the south marina. In the days before shad and wipers the cats grew bigger…up to about 20 pounds…and it was common to catch at least one of 10 pounds or more.** **
** One of my all-time favorite rememberies was of an early morning when I was soaking crawlers out off the point where the boat basin joins the channel. It was around the first of March and I had been catching quite a few cats…and even a stray walleye or two. I would cast the crawler on a light sinker rig out into the channel and the current from the runoff inflow would slowly move it downstream until it stopped along the channel edge. As I was waiting for an “inquiry” I was joined by an old goober who asked “Catchin’ any pike?” That was how a lot of Utahns referred to walleye in those days. I politely answered that I was fishing for catfish. With a look of disdain on his face he told me that I was doin’ it all wrong. Everybody knows catfish only bite at night…and during the warm months of summer. Right on cue my rod went bendo with a catfish. I reeled it in and added it to the stringer with the other cats. When I looked around the old goober was halfway back to his car. You can always tell an old fool. You just can’t tell them much they don’t already know.
** One of my all-time favorite rememberies was of an early morning when I was soaking crawlers out off the point where the boat basin joins the channel. It was around the first of March and I had been catching quite a few cats…and even a stray walleye or two. I would cast the crawler on a light sinker rig out into the channel and the current from the runoff inflow would slowly move it downstream until it stopped along the channel edge. As I was waiting for an “inquiry” I was joined by an old goober who asked “Catchin’ any pike?” That was how a lot of Utahns referred to walleye in those days. I politely answered that I was fishing for catfish. With a look of disdain on his face he told me that I was doin’ it all wrong. Everybody knows catfish only bite at night…and during the warm months of summer. Right on cue my rod went bendo with a catfish. I reeled it in and added it to the stringer with the other cats. When I looked around the old goober was halfway back to his car. You can always tell an old fool. You just can’t tell them much they don’t already know.
Back in those days, 70’s and 80’s, I rarely fished Willard, it wasn’t until they stocked the shad, then wipers that I started fishing Willard on a regular bases. I heard the stories of cats up to 20 lbs and common place 10 lbers that folks caught while trolling close to the dike but it just did not interest me at the time. Now I wish I had got out there at least once to catch one of those big old cats. We were hoping an eye would come a calling yesterday maybe even a perch but no such luck but the cats kept us entertained, you can always count on them, thank goodness.
Wow how quickly things change, I didn’t hardly notice the temps go up much, but I guess I am on the other side of the hill, so maybe that’s why I missed it… I was surprised to see the ice had melted already… Well glad to see some spring starting to show up, snows getting so deep up here I need to get the snowmobile running just to get in and out of here… Good thing for a tractor so I can move some snow… Later Jeff
I will be as Willard for a couple weeks in June this year. IF they get the lake full enough the cat fish troll will be good for the big ones. Pretty consistent bite.
My prediction is that we will start fishing Willard as soon as it opens up, because this past winter has been a bust as far as Ice fishing go’s. And we cant wait to get back on the soft water.
I will also be there as soon as I can . I can’t wait it is driving me crazy because I don’t fish the hard deck. Hope to see you all soon