Wimpy Willard

[Jig-fisher]

Haven't been fishing since the end of September. After seeing a couple of decent reports from Willard, I decided to give it a try this morning. Launched from the South Marina before sun-up along with several other boats. It was a balmy 38 degrees, not quite the weather for wearing the shorts i had on, but i did bring a jacket and it was all i needed. Once the sun peeked over the Mtns, it warmed up quick. Slow trolled fligs tipped with chub north from 16 ft out to 21 ft and back. Couple of rattle-rattle perchy type hits, but nary sniff from anything else for a couple of hours. Didn't see much on sonar either.  Other boats came and went and I didn't see anyone catching fish. I finally pulled up and motored over to Freeway Bay. 

I started searching again and was seeing a bit more promising marks, but no takers. I then passed over a big school of large fish down about 15 ft in 20 ft of water. They cast big shadows below the side scan. My first thought was they had to be wipers. I marked the spot, but pulling the fligs through the area produced nothing. I went up and down the length of Freeway with nothing to show for it.

It was nearing the time I needed to leave, so I switched it up, put on some deeper diving cranks, put down the big motor, and practiced June trolling techniques and headed towards where I had marked that big school of fish. As I neared the mark, one of my poles got slammed as I was cruising along at 3.1.  Yep a great chunky 18" wiper that even took a little drag in a last ditch effort to free itself from those nasty hooks. Finally that stinky smell floated away with the breeze. But that was it. I trolled the area for about another 1/2 hour, then trolled back to the south Marina with no other hits . Not many boats left on the lake except a few power squadron boats heading out.

It is always great to get out, just wish the catching would have been better.

[obifishkenobi]

Haven't been fishing since the end of September. After seeing a couple of decent reports from Willard, I decided to give it a try this morning. Launched from the South Marina before sun-up along with several other boats. It was a balmy 38 degrees, not quite the weather for wearing the shorts i had on, but i did bring a jacket and it was all i needed. Once the sun peeked over the Mtns, it warmed up quick. Slow trolled fligs tipped with chub north from 16 ft out to 21 ft and back. Couple of rattle-rattle perchy type hits, but nary sniff from anything else for a couple of hours. Didn't see much on sonar either.  Other boats came and went and I didn't see anyone catching fish. I finally pulled up and motored over to Freeway Bay. 

I started searching again and was seeing a bit more promising marks, but no takers. I then passed over a big school of large fish down about 15 ft in 20 ft of water. They cast big shadows below the side scan. My first thought was they had to be wipers. I marked the spot, but pulling the fligs through the area produced nothing. I went up and down the length of Freeway with nothing to show for it.

It was nearing the time I needed to leave, so I switched it up, put on some deeper diving cranks, put down the big motor, and practiced June trolling techniques and headed towards where I had marked that big school of fish. As I neared the mark, one of my poles got slammed as I was cruising along at 3.1.  Yep a great chunky 18" wiper that even took a little drag in a last ditch effort to free itself from those nasty hooks. Finally that stinky smell floated away with the breeze. But that was it. I trolled the area for about another 1/2 hour, then trolled back to the south Marina with no other hits . Not many boats left on the lake except a few power squadron boats heading out.

It is always great to get out, just wish the catching would have been better.

Those Wipers are fun. When you say slow trolled what speed is that? I really concentrate on keeping my speed at .5 mph when I’m fishing fligs and prefer to error on the side of slower? Often times the slightest breeze dictates the direction that I fish usually into or across the wind because even  a light breeze makes it impossible to go t slow enough, anything over .7 mph and I very rarely get bit on fligs.

[Jig-fisher]

Haven't been fishing since the end of September. After seeing a couple of decent reports from Willard, I decided to give it a try this morning. Launched from the South Marina before sun-up along with several other boats. It was a balmy 38 degrees, not quite the weather for wearing the shorts i had on, but i did bring a jacket and it was all i needed. Once the sun peeked over the Mtns, it warmed up quick. Slow trolled fligs tipped with chub north from 16 ft out to 21 ft and back. Couple of rattle-rattle perchy type hits, but nary sniff from anything else for a couple of hours. Didn't see much on sonar either.  Other boats came and went and I didn't see anyone catching fish. I finally pulled up and motored over to Freeway Bay. 

I started searching again and was seeing a bit more promising marks, but no takers. I then passed over a big school of large fish down about 15 ft in 20 ft of water. They cast big shadows below the side scan. My first thought was they had to be wipers. I marked the spot, but pulling the fligs through the area produced nothing. I went up and down the length of Freeway with nothing to show for it.

It was nearing the time I needed to leave, so I switched it up, put on some deeper diving cranks, put down the big motor, and practiced June trolling techniques and headed towards where I had marked that big school of fish. As I neared the mark, one of my poles got slammed as I was cruising along at 3.1.  Yep a great chunky 18" wiper that even took a little drag in a last ditch effort to free itself from those nasty hooks. Finally that stinky smell floated away with the breeze. But that was it. I trolled the area for about another 1/2 hour, then trolled back to the south Marina with no other hits . Not many boats left on the lake except a few power squadron boats heading out.

It is always great to get out, just wish the catching would have been better.

Those Wipers are fun. When you say slow trolled what speed is that? I really concentrate on keeping my speed at .5 mph when I’m fishing fligs and prefer to error on the side of slower? Often times the slightest breeze dictates the direction that I fish usually into or across the wind because even  a light breeze makes it impossible to go t slow enough, anything over .7 mph and I very rarely get bit on fligs.

.4 to .5 most of the time. Went slower, nothing. Bumped up to .7, nothing. I admit I haven't fished fligs much and the breeze did bump up the speed or slow it down. I didn't know going .7 or faster would not work.  Thanks for the advice.

[jjannie]

Any time you leave Willard without being skunked, it's a good day. We're still learning the fligging techniques. we're hoping once the plentiful shad die, and the water cools off some, our catching may improve.

[TubeDude]

It has been tough lately.  But fishing fligs in Willard is not unlike fishing anything else anywhere else.  First ya gotta find fish...active fish.  Then you gotta serve them something that will get them to "yawn" in front of your offering.

Lots of variables with fliggin'.  Depth...obviously.  Then speed, rigging, color, choice of baits, etc.  Floating jigs were originally designed by walleye anglers to  present their choice of baits...minnows, crawlers or leeches...just above the bottom...with some extra attractive color.  And that is their main value in Willard...serving up a desirable morsel of bait at the right depth and speed...in their choice of appealing colors.

On some days you need a shorter or longer leader...or slightly slower or faster speed...or a bit different rigging.  It's good to know your options and to be able to make the right adjustments according to what you are seeing...or not seeing...on sonar.

Colors?  Probably as much a matter of angler preference as fish preference.  Fish don't see colors the same way we do.  A lot of time they hit what they can see best and not a specific hue in the color spectrum.  Still, there are a half dozen colors and patterns that seem to do best year round under most conditions.  And there are a handful of other optional colors that occasionally get bit when the tried and true stuff ain't gettin' it.

That's fishing fer ya.  Lemme know if you would like some of the PDF files I have put together on the different kinds of fligs and techniques.

[Jig-fisher]

It has been tough lately.  But fishing fligs in Willard is not unlike fishing anything else anywhere else.  First ya gotta find fish...active fish.  Then you gotta serve them something that will get them to "yawn" in front of your offering.

Lots of variables with fliggin'.  Depth...obviously.  Then speed, rigging, color, choice of baits, etc.  Floating jigs were originally designed by walleye anglers to  present their choice of baits...minnows, crawlers or leeches...just above the bottom...with some extra attractive color.  And that is their main value in Willard...serving up a desirable morsel of bait at the right depth and speed...in their choice of appealing colors.

On some days you need a shorter or longer leader...or slightly slower or faster speed...or a bit different rigging.  It's good to know your options and to be able to make the right adjustments according to what you are seeing...or not seeing...on sonar.

Colors?  Probably as much a matter of angler preference as fish preference.  Fish don't see colors the same way we do.  A lot of time they hit what they can see best and not a specific hue in the color spectrum.  Still, there are a half dozen colors and patterns that seem to do best year round under most conditions.  And there are a handful of other optional colors that occasionally get bit when the tried and true stuff ain't gettin' it.

That's fishing fer ya.  Lemme know if you would like some of the PDF files I have put together on the different kinds of fligs and techniques.

Thanks TubeDude, I would love to increase my knowledge in how to effectively fish your great creations.

[TubeDude]

That's fishing fer ya.  Lemme know if you would like some of the PDF files I have put together on the different kinds of fligs and techniques.

Thanks TubeDude, I would love to increase my knowledge in how to effectively fish your great creations.

Here are a few of the things I have put to PDF.  Some I have posted before but at least a couple are more recent.  Hope they help.

[doitall5000]

Wow! Pat I'm looking at your walleye flashers, and I'm thinking about kokanee attractors.
John and I had very good success using a single dodger color combination and maybe we could make a large buzz blade to match.
Find a combination with squids or spinners.
How big do the buzz blades get?

[wiperhunter2]

Glad you could get out and caught a nice wiper. I'm hoping the catching gets even better soon, I'm hearing some people are doing better even now, so things are getting better but no big numbers yet.

[TubeDude]

Wow! Pat I'm looking at your walleye flashers, and I'm thinking about kokanee attractors.
John and I had very good success using a single dodger color combination and maybe we could make a large buzz blade to match.
Find a combination with squids or spinners.
How big do the buzz blades get?

I used to use them in sizes up to over 2" long for bass buzzbaits.  And some of my leftovers I have painted up and converted to flasher attractors to use ahead of crankbaits or crawler rigs (see pics).  Haven't made any in koke colors but it could be done and would probably be an effective thing to put ahead of your hootchie setup.  Lots of flash and vibration even at lower speeds.