Willard still cranking out the eyes

[wiperhunter2]

I wasn't sure how the DWR stocking the eyes would turn out but I will say it has turned out really good, so thanks to all the DWR folks that made the decision to do that at Willard and all the hard work they spend every year, netting, then stocking all those eyes. As much as I miss catching those higher numbers of Wipers, I enjoy eating the eyes much more. 

Reelfast and I got out to Willard today and from the last two weeks, it did not seem that getting there when the gate opened did any good, so today we got there at 7:30 am. It was windy when we arrived and the folks that got there early were getting off the water. We got ready and went ahead and launched, then slowly headed North because of the water white capping. Once we got to the wind blocking North dike we started trolling cranks at 2 mph. After a few minutes we started catching eyes and it was one after another for an hour or so, then the wind calmed down and the catching stopped, bummer. We kept trolling, changing lures often, until the wind picked up again and so did the bite. Again we had a spree of non stop action with the biggest eye going 22". The predictions of high winds today were in the back of our minds when the winds calmed down again and again so did the bite. We pressed on, going through the same area we had caught the fish earlier and started picking up a fish here and there, even a double and a huge perch, that got off at the net. We kept at it and ended up cranking out two limits by noon. Got some text from JJannie, they were out there as well, good hearing from you two. All in all it was a good day and I was glad we hung in there, even with the windy conditions early. Thanks Dan for a great morning at the Bay.

That is a very sweet batch of Walleye. They are going to filet up real nice and taste delicious .

The fight is not a wiper.  I love a wiper hit and I love the fight. 
I wonder how they will factor into the predator/prey equation as far as the shad and other forage.

IMO, both wipers and eyes are eating machines, so I don't think there will be much difference between walleye being the dominant predator in Willard compared to the wiper. At least as far as there being more walleye in the lake now, compared to the wipers.