I dont know what im doing wrong here but for the last few years of trying to fish willard i get completly skunked. a few years ago when i moved to utah i went there to try it out and some one came along asked what i was fishing for and what bait i was useing i told him i was fishing for whatever would bite and was useing a worm, he showed me what rig was working for wipers from the south dike and bam was hitting them good for the next couple weeks, and when i decided i wanted to keep a wiper to see how they taste i have literally caught nothing there since. I usually release the fish i catch as unless i know i will be eating it soon why keep it.
Any help or tips would be appreciated, I dont have a boat(dont really want one) am trying to talk the wife into letting me get a float tube, so i am stuck on the bank for now.
Willard is weird like that. I have the same kinda luck there. Rarely catch anything besides a small catfish or two from the bank. Never have caught a wiper or walleye or bass there, and it’s been years since I caught a crappie.
I usually give it a couple tries a year in the spring/early summer, then give up. Let me know when you figure it out.
There are plenty of so called Willard experts who do not always catch a lot of fish either. Like most waters it is subject to a lot of different factors…time of year, water temps, water clarity, spawn, post spawn, summer doldrums, fall feedup, lockjaw, etc.
Over time, with a lot of experience and getting good help from others, you will learn more about the lake and be able to fish with greater confidence on every trip. You still might not catch fish all the time but you will catch more and you will learn more with every trip.
It is impossible to outline all of the variables in location, water levels, water temps, fish habits, seasonal variations and freaky conditions like the big drawdown of a couple of years ago. It is no different than a lot of other lakes. There are some things you pretty much take for granted but you still have to find the fish each time you go and then find out what it will take to catch them. Those things can change from day to day…or hour to hour on the same day.
But, the continuous research sure is a lot of fun.
Don’t beat yourself up over it. Just enjoy it.
I dont beat myself up over it just cannot figure it out, ive tried every lure i could think of and still noting. I am hopeing a float tube will help so i can get away from the shore abit, but fear it will be a little dangerous once the recreation season is in full swing as utah boaters seem a little rude when it comes to fisherman, i have had my line run over a couple times there bank fishing.
Yes, a tube DOES let you fish a lot of spots you could never reach by bank fishing. And yes, the power squadron can be more than a bit annoying…and dangerous. But if you wait until all the lights are on green you ain’t never gonna leave the house.
There is a lot to learn about Willard fishing. You also have to learn about timing your trips and choosing your locations to reduce the problems with annoying boaters and jet skiers. Much of the best fishing is before they hit the water in the morning…and during cooler months when the wimpy ones stay home.
There are no magic buttons to push or pills to take. You just gotta put in the time and keep learning.
Don’t fret. There are people out there with 20K in equipment who get skunked. I know.
45mph boats, bow mount foot controled motors, color depth sounders with GPS, down riggers, planer boards, tackle boxes up the wazoo. They still get skunked and it costs them a lot more to do it.
I dont expect to catch something everytime i go out, but nothing in at least 3 years ive never had that bad of luck anywhere. I was out there yesterday at pelican bay and didnt get even a bite, but reading some of your posts makes me feel a little better as it sounds like artificial lures wasnt cutting it and that is what i tried to use. i figure once the boating season is in full swing i will probably spend more time at causy, and i go to idaho to fish frequently as thats where my family lives, and we have are own private little fishing hole there.
The hard part is the learning. If I go, try all my lures, retrieve speeds, depths, locations, etc..under X conditions, and finally catch one, I can catalog that for future use.
If I go time after time and do all that and get nothing, there’s no feedback. So, I got to the tackle store or come here, read about some lure or technique, go buy one and try it, and nothing again. Stuck in a continuous no feedback loop…
What we really need is a giant computer system, similar to those they use to predict weather patterns or sequence DNA where we can come back to after the fact and have it tell me WHY I didn’t catch fish (using it to tell me how ahead of time, would be taking the fun out of it).
Feedback is all I really want; something to help me next time.
PM sent[fishin]
**I’ve been fishing there for 2 years, and I get skunked too. Even when I go with more experienced people. I got ONE wiper, when I was with Fish N Fool in his boat.
I’m thinking about making my first trip of the year (yay for procrastination!) on my birthday in a couple weeks. This next week is kinda busy with doctor appointments and work, but after the 15th I should be all free for fishin’!
**