Willard has been good to me.

[thatchergreg]

I made my second trip to Willard today, the first trip was 2 weeks ago. Usually in March, a fishing trip to Willard means warming up the boat and burning out the cobwebs and not catching anything. This year has been a pleasant surprise with the first trip yielding 5 cats and today’s trip netted 8 whiskery friends.
I launched at the North Marina at 11 a.m., winds were light, sunshine was warm, and bugs were few, a perfect day to use vacation time.
Today I started in the Northeast corner with some new flig patterns. Golden carp tipped with sucker produced 2 cats and cotton candy with fillet-o-perch caught one. When the bite stopped I relocated to freeway bay and switched both rods to my new gizzard shad flig and sucker meat. Five more kitties found the net by 4 p.m. when I was tired of fighting the wind and called it a day.
All 8 were cookie cutters and fought quite well in 48 degree water, all were given CPR since I still have 2 left from my first trip. With this year starting so well I can’t wait to see what summer brings.

[wiperhunter2]

@thatchergreg

I made my second trip to Willard today, the first trip was 2 weeks ago. Usually in March, a fishing trip to Willard means warming up the boat and burning out the cobwebs and not catching anything. This year has been a pleasant surprise with the first trip yielding 5 cats and today’s trip netted 8 whiskery friends.
I launched at the North Marina at 11 a.m., winds were light, sunshine was warm, and bugs were few, a perfect day to use vacation time.
Today I started in the Northeast corner with some new flig patterns. Golden carp tipped with sucker produced 2 cats and cotton candy with fillet-o-perch caught one. When the bite stopped I relocated to freeway bay and switched both rods to my new gizzard shad flig and sucker meat. Five more kitties found the net by 4 p.m. when I was tired of fighting the wind and called it a day.
All 8 were cookie cutters and fought quite well in 48 degree water, all were given CPR since I still have 2 left from my first trip. With this year starting so well I can’t wait to see what summer brings.

Nice report and pics Greg. Fligging and moving around sure can make all the difference this time of the year. Fishing on the East side of the lake is usually more productive for me too, especially early and late in the season. They seem to be more widely distributed the rest of the year. How deep of water were you having your best success in?

[TubeDude]

@thatchergreg

Today I started in the Northeast corner with some new flig patterns. Golden carp tipped with sucker produced 2 cats and cotton candy with fillet-o-perch caught one. When the bite stopped I relocated to freeway bay and switched both rods to my new gizzard shad flig and sucker meat.

Good to hear the fligs are working well for you. I did okay on “whirly fligs” with spinner blades on my first Willard trip this year. Any chance you could post pics of your new patterns. Sounds like they might be close to some of the ones that are working for other fliggers.

[thatchergreg]

Everything was caught at 10 to 12 feet, also, the water temp at 12 ft was only 1 degree cooler than the surface temp.

The top two are the gizzard shad, top view and side view.
Golden carp is next and cotton candy is the bottom one.

[Tin-Can]

@TubeDude

“thatchergreg, post:1, topic:321417” wrote:

Today I started in the Northeast corner with some new flig patterns. Golden carp tipped with sucker produced 2 cats and cotton candy with fillet-o-perch caught one. When the bite stopped I relocated to freeway bay and switched both rods to my new gizzard shad flig and sucker meat.

Good to hear the fligs are working well for you. I did okay on “whirly fligs” with spinner blades on my first Willard trip this year. Any chance you could post pics of your new patterns. Sounds like they might be close to some of the ones that are working for other fliggers.

Pat, better watch out, looks like you may have some flig competition .

[TubeDude]

@thatchergreg

Everything was caught at 10 to 12 feet, also, the water temp at 12 ft was only 1 degree cooler than the surface temp.

The top two are the gizzard shad, top view and side view.
Golden carp is next and cotton candy is the bottom one.

**You do good work. At least the fishies vote for it.

Might suggest some experiments for ya. Try putting a blue glitter back on the shad…a black or purple back on the carp…and make a pink back instead of pink stripes on the cotton candy.

I have made a lot of different color combos…with spots, stripes, vertical bars and all kinds of other “triggers”. They all seem to work at one time or another. But the two things that seem to have the greatest “universal appeal” are 1. eyes and 2. A darker or brighter back color for contrast and accent. After that, vertical bars become #3.

Don’t know if you know how to work with wire or not, but if you do, you might wanna try adding some “bling” to your fligs. You already have the center hole thing going. Now if you run some wire down through the body…and string on some beads and blades…you can really kick up the appeal for wipers and walleyes. Here are a couple of pics. And if you would like to visit my playroom sometime I’d be happy to show you some tricks with the wire.
**

[Catfishhunter19]

@thatchergreg

I made my second trip to Willard today, the first trip was 2 weeks ago. Usually in March, a fishing trip to Willard means warming up the boat and burning out the cobwebs and not catching anything. This year has been a pleasant surprise with the first trip yielding 5 cats and today’s trip netted 8 whiskery friends.
I launched at the North Marina at 11 a.m., winds were light, sunshine was warm, and bugs were few, a perfect day to use vacation time.
Today I started in the Northeast corner with some new flig patterns. Golden carp tipped with sucker produced 2 cats and cotton candy with fillet-o-perch caught one. When the bite stopped I relocated to freeway bay and switched both rods to my new gizzard shad flig and sucker meat. Five more kitties found the net by 4 p.m. when I was tired of fighting the wind and called it a day.
All 8 were cookie cutters and fought quite well in 48 degree water, all were given CPR since I still have 2 left from my first trip. With this year starting so well I can’t wait to see what summer brings.

Can you buy flig jigs or do you guys make them?

[TubeDude]

@Catfishhunter19

“thatchergreg, post:1, topic:321417” wrote:

I made my second trip to Willard today, the first trip was 2 weeks ago. Usually in March, a fishing trip to Willard means warming up the boat and burning out the cobwebs and not catching anything. This year has been a pleasant surprise with the first trip yielding 5 cats and today’s trip netted 8 whiskery friends.
I launched at the North Marina at 11 a.m., winds were light, sunshine was warm, and bugs were few, a perfect day to use vacation time.
Today I started in the Northeast corner with some new flig patterns. Golden carp tipped with sucker produced 2 cats and cotton candy with fillet-o-perch caught one. When the bite stopped I relocated to freeway bay and switched both rods to my new gizzard shad flig and sucker meat. Five more kitties found the net by 4 p.m. when I was tired of fighting the wind and called it a day.
All 8 were cookie cutters and fought quite well in 48 degree water, all were given CPR since I still have 2 left from my first trip. With this year starting so well I can’t wait to see what summer brings.

Can you buy flig jigs or do you guys make them?

**Flig is my cutesy term for “floating jigs”. There are several sizes and colors available at tackle outlets. They were originally designed for fishing worms or minnows (or plastics) for walleyes. I started making my own a long time ago and have posted some “how to” stuff on the board. The original poster (thatchergreg) has started making his own and is doing very well at it.

We have both come up with some original sizes, shapes and colors that work especially well in Utah waters. I don’t know about Greg, but I do make extras and have been known to part with a few for a modest price. If you can’t find what you are looking for online or at one of the local outlets, you would be welcome to visit my playroom and look over my collection.**

[thatchergreg]

Pat,
I do have a Hagens wire bender and made some whirly fligs last winter, just haven’t had time to try them.
As far as selling tackle, so far I have resisted the urge, its a good way to ruin a hobby. I have managed to give several dozen to people at Willard who are struggling to catch something.
Janns Netcraft has floating jigs that look pretty good.

[theresahit]

@TubeDude

“thatchergreg, post:4, topic:321417” wrote:

Everything was caught at 10 to 12 feet, also, the water temp at 12 ft was only 1 degree cooler than the surface temp.

The top two are the gizzard shad, top view and side view.
Golden carp is next and cotton candy is the bottom one.

**You do good work. At least the fishies vote for it.

Might suggest some experiments for ya. Try putting a blue glitter back on the shad…a black or purple back on the carp…and make a pink back instead of pink stripes on the cotton candy.

I have made a lot of different color combos…with spots, stripes, vertical bars and all kinds of other “triggers”. They all seem to work at one time or another. But the two things that seem to have the greatest “universal appeal” are 1. eyes and 2. A darker or brighter back color for contrast and accent. After that, vertical bars become #3.

Don’t know if you know how to work with wire or not, but if you do, you might wanna try adding some “bling” to your fligs. You already have the center hole thing going. Now if you run some wire down through the body…and string on some beads and blades…you can really kick up the appeal for wipers and walleyes. Here are a couple of pics. And if you would like to visit my playroom sometime I’d be happy to show you some tricks with the wire.
**

Congrats on the Early Success!
FRIGs are new to me, if you don’t mind doing some schooling, how are the Floating Jigs fished for the Cats?
Do you Troll?

[TubeDude]

@theresahit

“TubeDude, post:6, topic:321417” wrote:

“thatchergreg, post:4, topic:321417” wrote:

Everything was caught at 10 to 12 feet, also, the water temp at 12 ft was only 1 degree cooler than the surface temp.

The top two are the gizzard shad, top view and side view.
Golden carp is next and cotton candy is the bottom one.

**You do good work. At least the fishies vote for it.

Might suggest some experiments for ya. Try putting a blue glitter back on the shad…a black or purple back on the carp…and make a pink back instead of pink stripes on the cotton candy.

I have made a lot of different color combos…with spots, stripes, vertical bars and all kinds of other “triggers”. They all seem to work at one time or another. But the two things that seem to have the greatest “universal appeal” are 1. eyes and 2. A darker or brighter back color for contrast and accent. After that, vertical bars become #3.

Don’t know if you know how to work with wire or not, but if you do, you might wanna try adding some “bling” to your fligs. You already have the center hole thing going. Now if you run some wire down through the body…and string on some beads and blades…you can really kick up the appeal for wipers and walleyes. Here are a couple of pics. And if you would like to visit my playroom sometime I’d be happy to show you some tricks with the wire.
**

Congrats on the Early Success!
FRIGs are new to me, if you don’t mind doing some schooling, how are the Floating Jigs fished for the Cats?
Do you Troll?

**The main functions of the fligs are 1. present a bait above the bottom and 2. add some color attraction. They can be fished from shore…either by slow retrieving…or by just letting them sit. Those of us who fish them from boat, float tube, yak or whatever find that keeping them moving helps cover more territory and adds some appeal as well. As the sinker bounces over the bottom, the motion is translated to the flig floating up and behind.

Here is a writeup with more info on fishing them.**

[theresahit]

@TubeDude

“theresahit, post:10, topic:321417” wrote:

“TubeDude, post:6, topic:321417” wrote:

“thatchergreg, post:4, topic:321417” wrote:

Everything was caught at 10 to 12 feet, also, the water temp at 12 ft was only 1 degree cooler than the surface temp.

The top two are the gizzard shad, top view and side view.
Golden carp is next and cotton candy is the bottom one.

**You do good work. At least the fishies vote for it.

Might suggest some experiments for ya. Try putting a blue glitter back on the shad…a black or purple back on the carp…and make a pink back instead of pink stripes on the cotton candy.

I have made a lot of different color combos…with spots, stripes, vertical bars and all kinds of other “triggers”. They all seem to work at one time or another. But the two things that seem to have the greatest “universal appeal” are 1. eyes and 2. A darker or brighter back color for contrast and accent. After that, vertical bars become #3.

Don’t know if you know how to work with wire or not, but if you do, you might wanna try adding some “bling” to your fligs. You already have the center hole thing going. Now if you run some wire down through the body…and string on some beads and blades…you can really kick up the appeal for wipers and walleyes. Here are a couple of pics. And if you would like to visit my playroom sometime I’d be happy to show you some tricks with the wire.
**

Congrats on the Early Success!
FRIGs are new to me, if you don’t mind doing some schooling, how are the Floating Jigs fished for the Cats?
Do you Troll?

**The main functions of the fligs are 1. present a bait above the bottom and 2. add some color attraction. They can be fished from shore…either by slow retrieving…or by just letting them sit. Those of us who fish them from boat, float tube, yak or whatever find that keeping them moving helps cover more territory and adds some appeal as well. As the sinker bounces over the bottom, the motion is translated to the flig floating up and behind.

Here is a writeup with more info on fishing them.**

Great info, thanks so much! If you are willing to part with any Extra Fligs you’ve created, I’d be glad to purchase. Thanks again.

[TubeDude]

@theresahit

“TubeDude, post:11, topic:321417” wrote:

“theresahit, post:10, topic:321417” wrote:

“TubeDude, post:6, topic:321417” wrote:

“thatchergreg, post:4, topic:321417” wrote:

Everything was caught at 10 to 12 feet, also, the water temp at 12 ft was only 1 degree cooler than the surface temp.

The top two are the gizzard shad, top view and side view.
Golden carp is next and cotton candy is the bottom one.

**You do good work. At least the fishies vote for it.

Might suggest some experiments for ya. Try putting a blue glitter back on the shad…a black or purple back on the carp…and make a pink back instead of pink stripes on the cotton candy.

I have made a lot of different color combos…with spots, stripes, vertical bars and all kinds of other “triggers”. They all seem to work at one time or another. But the two things that seem to have the greatest “universal appeal” are 1. eyes and 2. A darker or brighter back color for contrast and accent. After that, vertical bars become #3.

Don’t know if you know how to work with wire or not, but if you do, you might wanna try adding some “bling” to your fligs. You already have the center hole thing going. Now if you run some wire down through the body…and string on some beads and blades…you can really kick up the appeal for wipers and walleyes. Here are a couple of pics. And if you would like to visit my playroom sometime I’d be happy to show you some tricks with the wire.
**

Congrats on the Early Success!
FRIGs are new to me, if you don’t mind doing some schooling, how are the Floating Jigs fished for the Cats?
Do you Troll?

**The main functions of the fligs are 1. present a bait above the bottom and 2. add some color attraction. They can be fished from shore…either by slow retrieving…or by just letting them sit. Those of us who fish them from boat, float tube, yak or whatever find that keeping them moving helps cover more territory and adds some appeal as well. As the sinker bounces over the bottom, the motion is translated to the flig floating up and behind.

Here is a writeup with more info on fishing them.**

Great info, thanks so much! If you are willing to part with any Extra Fligs you’ve created, I’d be glad to purchase. Thanks again.

PM sent.