Got out this morning on the water at around 8:30ish. We launched at the south marina and headed over toward light pole area. First I got a hit that released the sideplaner but it didn’t hook him. Then within about 15 minutes I hooked a 17" wiper then almost right after that I got another one about the same size (had one of the kids reel that one) another 10-15 minutes and my friend got a small one about 14". I got the last fish of the day and he was 19"+. This was all by about 10:30 then the bite died and we didn’t get another fish. We ended up leaving about 1:30.
I got the bigger fish with a deep diver behind some small pop gear, since we were fishing in about 12-13’ of water I didn’t snag up. All the other fish were on rattle traps all baits were shad colors. We were trolling about 2.5-3.2 mph and water temp started at 61 and by the time we left it was 65. Sorry no pics but it was a beautiful day out and these were my first wiper of the year.
I did notice that almost everyone else was hugging lots closer to the dike than where we were catching. I was wondering if anyone else was out there and how did you do? Did the bite die for everyone else at the same time?
your report was just like my day it just shut off around 1030 and i was all over the place looking for the fish it started to pick up again around 300 did very well after that got enought for dinner anyway
Fished willard from 6:00pm-10:00pm. Caught 8 wipers, most where around 19 inches. Caught 3 of them out in the middle in the first 2 hours and the other 5 close to the bank around 8 o’clock - 9:30.
Thanks for posting your report John, good to hear you got into some fish. I hope the water temp is a little warmer by tomorrow evening when I get out there. It sounds like very few people are getting into those big schools of wipers, sure hope that changes now that the shad have started hatching .
Sound like I called it an evening too early. I fished from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. I trolled along the dike in 10 - 13 feet of water with no luck. I also tried out in the middle of the lake but I didn’t mark very many fish. I went back to the dike where I marked fish but never hooked up. I did discover that I need to work on my boats fuel pump. I had to hand prime my fuel line and restart my boat every 10 to 15 minutes.
Me and a few friends went out there early in the morning and ended up catching 2 smallies, 2 catfish, and 2 wipers. We caught the 2 wipers one right after another at right around noon when we were headed out.
4 of my fish where caught in 12’ of water the other 4 where caught in 5’ of water. I thought I seen a yellow boat out by the light pole heading towards the north marina about that time, maybe it was you.
Yea it was. The engine died again and the fishing was slow so I reeled the lines in and left. I guest I should have quit trolling and started casting. I assume the fish you caught in the 5 feet of water you where casting.
[sly]..
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