Pineview Morning ... Willard Evening ... 8-3-07

[Old_Coot]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2][#002850]One of my many fishing neighbors had never seen a tiger musky and neither had his dad-in-law so we decided to give Pineview a try early in the morning. Then after coming back home, eating lunch, and taking an “old coot” nap, we went out to Willard for some wiper which neither of them had seen either.

We launched at Pineview at about 6:45 into 76 degree water. Wow, what a beautiful morning to be fishing with such great guys![/#002850][/size][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2][#002850]Trolled Jointed Rapalas around Cemetery Point and along the south bank by the highway.

Ken boated his first tiger around 7:45.[/#002850][/size][/font]
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Then he picked another one up around 8:30.

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Finally, it was Vicks turn for our third pup.

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Ken finished off the trip with our fourth musky of the day. All were just small but it was nice to catch so many in such a short time.

At the ramp on our way out, the money collecting lady showed us pics of a 30 pounder that was caught two days ago. It was not released back into the lake but was hauled up onto the docks for pictures never to swim again ... makes me sick ... literally! As you may have noticed, fewer and fewer big tigers are being taken out of Pineview these days. The ones being caught are all small now. Boy, I wish that the DWR would not allow ANY tigers of ANY size to be kept ... at least until years down the road when they are once again planted and growing to maturity.

Well, anyway, we got our lunch and naps and headed out to Willard for some evening fishing. Launched at the South marina into 1.2 feet of 85 degree water! Our truck/trailer was the ONLY one at the marina. The big parking lot was void of any water craft at all and had been taken over by model gas airplanes.

We only caught one wiper all night and it was just a small 10 incher! The Willard trip kind of bummed me out. Last few times I was there, we did pretty good and I was hoping to show my guests a good time but it was not to be. Kind of a skeleton graveyard kind of feeling about the whole Willard trip.[/#002850][/size][/font]
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[petty4life]

how was the launch conditions at the so. marina?
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[Flycasting]

A 4 tiger day is awesome!

How many inches was the 30lb'r???
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[Old_Coot]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2][#002850]Launching at the South marina is fair at best. You can still do it if your boat is light and you are careful. once out of the marina, and into the channel, it's much better 4-5 feet. But once out of the channel, about 500 yards, it goes back to 2.5 feet! Be careful!

The deepest part of the lake (out S-E of the light pole) is 14 feet deep.

We were in about 9-10 feet of water all night. Marked lots of fish but could not get them to bite. Once again, I attribute it to the recent up/down mostly low barometric pressures.[/#002850][/size][/font]
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[Old_Coot]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2][#002850]Nope ... ya can't complain about a 4-musky morning. Those pups will be much harder to catch in a year or two.

I don't remember the leingth on that 30 lber. In fact, I don't know the weight for sure. I just gessed at the weight from the pic.
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[petty4life]

[]guess its time to get mt new tube out there
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[Flycasting]

I had the same thing last week from the tube. I saw countless fish on the finder in 8' of water, but I couldn't get them to hit anything. I threw hardbaits, jerk baits, soft plastics, and dragged chub minnows through them... nada. Normally if I see them on the finder like that, I can manage a few.

I think TD's theory is right on... Wipers are site feeders, and the W is keeping Willard's water discolored. Makes it tough.
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[Theekillerbee]

Looks like the little tigers were answering the call of the wild. Too bad Willard was so slow for ya.
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[wiperhunter2]

Nice report Ralph and way to go on the four musky. Too bad about Willard, I had a feeling the catching wouldn't be too good there today, I'm glad I headed to Porkupine instead. I sure would like to hit it next weekend, so I hope your report isn't going to be the norm for all of us[unsure].
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[Old_Coot]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2][#002850]WH2, I am quite sure the wiper bite will come back on shortly once these crazy barometric pressures (BP) stabilize for a few days. The water was quite murky too yesterday. I'm thinking that the murky water is less of a problem than the BP. Recently, when the BP was steady and high and the water was murky, the wipers took real well to prism shads and rattle traps. I think that is because they could "hear" the lure rattles and keyed in on that. Not to mention that the murky water had kept them a bit hungry (harder to see shad). So, IF I am correct in my thinking, soon, we'll be back to a stable BP, murky waters, and success again with lipless rattl’in crank baits. Then, if/when the water clears up, we could even see the boils begin again. Well, anyway, that's what I think. I'm always trying to figure out them silly wipers.[/#002850][/size][/font]
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[nansea]

Nice fish!!
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[N.E.T.O.]

Thanks for the report and pics! I wish I lived closer to Pineview so I could hit in in the mornings and evenings and avoid the power squadron!

Randy
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[wiperhunter2]

I agree with your idea about the BP, we have also caught the wipers when the water is murky, so hopefully this weekend the catching will improve. I think the wiper boils will be few and far between because of the murky water but time will tell.
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