Headed to willard for the second time this year, I don’t know why maybe wanted to see if the fishing had changed at all.
Got on the water around 6:00PM on Saturday and took a spin around the lake to see if I could see any bird activity, none? OK Plan two hit some of the old spots on the GPS casting some cranks to the dike worked over three of my best spots really good with nothing to show for it. then A bad storm rolled in and was lucky to make it in before 4 - 5 rollers swallowed my boat. whew! that was fun. After the storm cleared out. I hit the lake again looking for anything that might be a boil. NO BOILS? went in and ate some dinner around 10:30PM
Sunday on the water at 5:30 AM cruised the lake, looking for any signs the wipers. Nothing! I went all the way around the lake and down the middle before the sun hit the water. I ended up trolling the north dike for an hour, Hooked a good cat and my fishing partner hit a smallie and a catfish. No wipers. about 10:00 AM I moved to freeway area trolling in tight to the shore 12-14 feet of water. every pole had a different color on it. trolled about 3/4 of the east dike and decided to switch things up. stopped the boat reeled in three of the poles. my brother-in-law grabbed the forth and started reeling. WHAM! wiper on? OK. we got it to the boat and netted a nice fat 20" wiper. So that got me thinking. from then until 12:30 PM we worked the bottom hard threw the area with spoons, deep divers, jigs,etc. No more wipers.
Let me know when they start boiling. I’m done wasting my gas on that place for now.
OH YEAH! A guy at the ramp had three for trolling all day trolling leaded line 2 colors out using blue/chrome spoons. not sure what brand?
Well Tony, thanks for confirming what I have been thinking about Willard this year … replaca of last year.
I went out and netted one small walleye … no wipers. I seen lots of shad on the fish finder. I think it is similar to last year where the wipers don’t have to work very hard to catch dinner.
Man, is May and June the only GOOD months for Willard Wiper any more? That is the way it has been for me for the last two years!
It sure is sad isn’t it, that the good old days were when the water level at Willard was low[unimpressed]. I really think that if the DWR doesn’t start stocking more wipers in Willard this will become the norm. It seems to me that Ralph is right, the only time the catching is even decent is the spring before the next mass of shad come on the scene. But wait a minute, didn’t you catch that big wiper in the late summer or fall last year?
i dont see it as sad at all, there are wipers and walleyes crappies cats and smallmouth being caught at willard everyday maybe not the same #s as before but they are fat and healthy,i think people need to change how they fish and expect a few less but better quality.as far as the boils go if they show up it is a bonus,if not fish still have to eat.glass halfful i guess i think a lake cannot ever have to much forage.it gives the fish a chance.i feel sorry for the pressure fish take with gps and electronics.i like it when fish have a chance and are a challenge.
HA HA It is defiantly challenging lately![:p] You must be old school if you don’t like electronics and GPS. I hear you it sure has made it easier to stay on fish but SIR first you have to find them and then you have to get them to bite. It makes it a little easier but not much.
I perfer the old days, plenty of wipers to release to fight another day.[fishin]
So it was a year ago yesterday, wow, time flies. With all the shad in the water, I think you would need to be very lucky to have a repeat of that 27incher but I still think there is one that big or bigger in there. Yea, I miss those rare days when someone would post a report of catching 30-40 wipers in one day, sure was a blast. If the water stays high, that could be a thing of the past. [frown]
No argument from me, we had good fishing when there was high water years ago,but there where allot more wipers in the lake, I don’t think there schooling up though. To many shad have them dispersed all over the lake. you can’t even guarantee once you catch one you have found the spot?
I’m guessing Sept also. the shad should be reaching the 2-3" size by then then them damn wipers will have to work a little harder for a meal. Maybe then they will school up and launch there attacks. I had good fishing late last fall after they got to that size.
There are some toads in there Curt but to put a lure in front of there face is the trick, they will hit a bigger slow moving bait given the opportunity I would think.
Tight lines guys, let me know when they are boiling.
They usually stock them this time of year, I’m sure because the survival rate is better do to all the shad in the lake at this time of year. Hope they plant 500,000 again this year. the lake is way out of balance.[:/] during the low water years they really cut back and I think it let things get way out of whack.
**Not exactly true. They plant about the same amount almost every year. But, because they plant them as “sac fry”…fresh out of the eggs…they are tiny and vulnerable to all predators…bluegills, crappies, catfish, smallies, bigger wipers and even carp and large gizzard shad. **
When the water levels are up, and there are rocks and brush to hide in, the sac fry have a higher survival rate. During low water years the bitty bites have virtually no protection and survival rates are almost zero…compared to an average of about 5%.
The low water years are the main reason why we have experienced poorer wiper fishing the last two years. Plenty were planted but fewer survived to catchable size…or bigger. That took a lot of pressure off the shad population and they have boomed. Now there is an imbalance. Way too much food for fewer predators. Walleyes and wipers are less likely to chase a lure moving at mach 10 if all they have to do is yawn to get all the groceries they need.
Another side of the equation is that the heavy population of gizzard shad impacts the survival rate of the sac fry wipers in another way. The hordes of filter-feeding shad consume a lot of the zooplankton and other microorganisms needed by all species in the lake to make it from hatchlings to catchlings. In years past there have been big dieoffs of baby crappies up in the inlet channel when they starved to death at a young age…not being able to find enough food to progress to the next level.
**I pointed this out at the first of the year and everybody said I was wacko…that there would be plenty of wipers and boils all over. So…where are they? I still hope (like everybody else) that some kind of magical happenstance suddenly fills the lake with hungry wipers. But, I ain’t bankin’ on it. **
I still have not landed my first wiper from Willard this year…and I am not even fishing it any more. Maybe a couple of shots in the fall, but I only try because I know that I can always get some kitties to play with me even if the wipers don’t show.
Looks like 2009 was the smallest plant recorded by more than 1/2 the average. 2010 No planting to date with the year almost over. Most Previous years the planting had occured before now.
Or is 2009 when they stoped publishing the Data?
No problem…no dispute. Just passing along what I was told by a biologist…that they tried to maintain a certain level to keep a balance between predators and prey species. But it is bound to vary every year due to quantity and quality of fertilized eggs…hatch rates…survival until planting, etc.
Also, I suspect that not all plantings are immediately documented…if ever. There have been cases when plantings have been completed without showing up on the charts…for several species in several waters.
Bottom line…wiper fishing ain’t worth spit right now. Hope it gets better.
This time of year should be prime time to catch wipers, the water temp is actually perfect for hot action.
to much food is what it is. this kind of imbalance is why they put the wipers in in the first place,No one was catching anything. the DWR planted the wiper to thin them out and did a good job and the fisherman started catching fish.
Yea, I miss those rare days when someone would post a report of catching 30-40 wipers in one day, sure was a blast. If the water stays high, that could be a thing of the past. [frown]