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2017 Willard Bay trip #10
#1
The weather was beautiful, winds calm, but enough to keep the bugs down for the most part. Everything about this trip was so much different from the first 9 trips I made this year. Everything except the fact I got skunked.....again. [:/]
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#2
Forest, if you are doing the same thing you have been doing in years past, you need to change. With the water level being so high this year, the fish are deeper that those rattle traps can go, unless you start using snap weight, lead core line or down riggers to get them down deeper. Bottom bouncing can work but I'm not sure if your motor can go that slow but it might be worth a try, you could also try drifting with jigs. Thats all I got for you, hope it helps you on your next trip.
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#3
How were the crowds?
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#4
If you need to slow down your trolling speed you can troll in reverse. But I only do that on days that are reasonably calm because have wave slap the back of your boat all day can drive a person mad.
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#5
[quote a_bow_nut]

If you need to slow down your trolling speed you can troll in reverse.

[/quote]

One can also drag one or two 5 gallon plastic buckets with holes drilled in the bottom. I did this once, way back when, to slow one of my previous boats to allow me to bottom bounce at Yuba.
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#6
Changing the prop to a lower pitch is a real easy way to slow down a boat.
Also, trimming the motor up or down to make the angle of the prop less effective will slow a boat down, just make sure it is not so trimmed up that water is not able to be drawn in to the impeller.

Forest, you sound like a real nice guy but I think it may be time for you to give Willard a break and find a new lake for a couple trips?
Go whack a bunch of fish at a new lake then return to Willard with a whole new confidence level and show her who the boss is!
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#7
Curt, thanks for the advise. I'll try some different tactics. My motor will go slow with the trolling plate deployed. I can run at .50 mph. The rattle traps do bounce the bottom at that speed. I had not tried drifting yet, and yesterday the power squadron was so numerous, I didn't feel like being without power incase I had to dodge one of those guys suddenly.
I ran every speed from .50 to 2.5 mph and swapped out lures about every 15 - 20 minutes. Because we didn't get out on the water very early and could only stay a few hours, didn't have time to work as much area as I would normally.
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#8
Power squadron was out in full force. They were not too bad out on the water, but they sure had a bunch of folks with more boat than skills in the marina.[:/]
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#9
I can troll slow enough, have a good trolling plate. Have tried that back trolling thing, not only does the water slapping the stern drive you a bit nuts, but in my small boat I get pretty wet sometimes too. [:/]
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#10
Appreciate the advise guys. Don't need buckets, have trolling plate, and 15 HP motor. I can troll at .50 mph all day long if it proves to be a tactic that works at the time. Sometime it does, sometimes not. Yesterday was a "not"
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#11

SBennett:
Thanks for the "nice guy" compliment. All the other ideas like "Changing the prop to a lower pitch" or "trimming the motor up or down to make the angle of the prop less effective" would all be good tactics if I was in a bigger boat (like the 2004 Lund 1700 ProSport I used to own) And I used those tricks. But I'm in a 14' Lund, with a 15 HP motor that has 3 positions, full down, shallow drive (just keeping the water intake in the water) and full up and locked out of the water.

And I gave Willard a break for 3 weeks from after the Flotilla. Went to Benson Marina the last 3 Sundays. Didn't catch any record breakers, but didn't get skunked either. And will be heading to UL middle of next month. Other than Mantua, Bear River, and a couple trips a year to Hyrum, I don't fish many other ponds. I'm not real fond of Trout, other places are too far to travel in a day, and I enjoy fishing Willard. My post of another skunk wasn't so much of a complaint or request for help, but just a statement of fact. I see WB as a challenge every time I'm on the water, and that's what keeps me going back.

But appreciate the advise from all you guys. [fishin]
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#12
TC- I have a ton of respect for your "sticktoitivness". I grew up learning to fish on Bear Lake, so I can relate. The more I got blanked, the more I wanted it. I may have only learned that BL is a really tough fishery, but it also taught me patients and attention to detail. It became a matter of principle to me. Not catching fish for extended periods of time makes it that much more satisfying when you finally get it done and notched up when you can repeat success. Good luck. I hope you find a wide open 50 fish night- You'll have earned it!
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#13
I say keep hammerin' the same place, learn it good and teach the fish a lesson in the meantime. I taught myself to fish by not catching fish on the Lower Provo for a year and a half and the effort makes it that much better when you start slaying fish.
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#14
I'm sure with the ban on alcohol at Pineview and Causey the power squadron will get worse at Willard[:/][:/][:/][:/][:/]
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#15
I think it comes down to Willard being a fickle place, about the time you think you have it figured out....bam right in the kisser!
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#16
I spoke with the DNR Saturday about the alcohol at Pineview and he said passengers on boats can consume but drivers can't. Then he said divers had be under the legal limit. Were did you find the written rules on this. It would be nice to see. Not sure who to believe even if I don't drink and boat.
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#17
MACMAN, Thank you sir. Have been fishing since I was about 6 years old (that's over 55 years). But fishing from a boat, regularly, only since 2004 when I bought my first boat. So fishing Willard 13 years this July. I have had good days, great days, even a long run of great days at Willard. And I have had bad and worse days. I think this is the longest skunk string (in a row) I have ever had at Willard (including today [:/])
I have told many people when they ask me how I catch fish at WB, "I will gladly tell you what worked TODAY, but don't expect it to work tomorrow"
And to tell the truth (some anglers do that you know) I enjoy being on the water. Catching something is just a bonus. A nice one, but still a bonus.
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#18
Like I just told MACMAN, been fishing Willard for 13 years. And just about the time I think I got it figured out, it changes. High water, low water, almost no water. But constantly learning is what keeps the mind active I'm told.
So I keep going out there and trying to learn ..again...[fishin]
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#19
To all the helpful BFTer's that posted advise about how to get the speed of my troll slowed down: Took this one just for you guys. But I did try the additional weights on my line that wiperhunter2 suggested. Not only bottom bounced my lures in 20-25 feet at .65 mph, but plowed furrows in the bottom mud and sand at .46 mph.

[inline "(054) slow troll with plate down.jpg"]

Oh yea, I did actually hook up something today.......

Anybody loose this........[sly]

[inline (055).jpg]
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#20
We went to willard yesterday. Weather was great, fishing was bad. Hit the north marina early drifting for crappie, nothing. Switched over to plugs Trolled past the light poll, Jack. We did troll the west dike.
Tried a lot of different plugs we killed um in the past on. Wish I'd of takin the bottom bouncers because we read them on the bottom like you said.
Buy the way nobody was fishing, saw 2 boats in 5 hours. Try again next week.
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