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Willard Evening 5/18 - Printable Version

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Willard Evening 5/18 - Jig-fisher - 05-19-2024

Willard yesterday evening was slow, but we did catch a couple pulling cranks with the big motor. My trolling motor is being fixed at the moment, but still wanted to get out. 5 pm through about 830 pm. 2 teeny walleye, one wiper, and 2 decent walleyes.

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RE: Willard Evening 5/18 - wiperhunter2 - 05-20-2024

Lately, catching 5 would be considered good IMO. On and off, folks are doing better but most of us are not doing any better than that, especially in 3.5 hours. Thanks for the report and pics. Were you using down riggers? How fast were you trolling?

RE: Willard Evening 5/18 - Cowboypirate - 05-20-2024

We were there in the morning and got busted again. Can't get it timed right this year

RE: Willard Evening 5/18 - Jig-fisher - 05-20-2024

(05-20-2024, 12:10 AM)wiperhunter2 Wrote: Lately, catching 5 would be considered good IMO. On and off, folks are doing better but most of us are not doing any better than that, especially in 3.5 hours. Thanks for the report and pics. Were you using down riggers? How fast were you trolling?

We were running 6 rods at once and yes, 2 rods were on downriggers. We caught 2 of the 5 on the riggers, including the biggest walleye. Trolling from 1.7 to 2.3.

RE: Willard Evening 5/18 - wiperhunter2 - 05-20-2024

(05-20-2024, 04:41 AM)Jig-fisher Wrote:
(05-20-2024, 12:10 AM)wiperhunter2 Wrote: Lately, catching 5 would be considered good IMO. On and off, folks are doing better but most of us are not doing any better than that, especially in 3.5 hours. Thanks for the report and pics. Were you using down riggers? How fast were you trolling?

We were running 6 rods at once and yes, 2 rods were on downriggers. We caught 2 of the 5 on the riggers, including the biggest walleye. Trolling from 1.7 to 2.3.

That's a great way to fish 6 rods out of a boat. How deep were you running the balls on your downriggers?

RE: Willard Evening 5/18 - Jig-fisher - 05-20-2024

(05-20-2024, 01:18 PM)wiperhunter2 Wrote:
(05-20-2024, 04:41 AM)Jig-fisher Wrote:
(05-20-2024, 12:10 AM)wiperhunter2 Wrote: Lately, catching 5 would be considered good IMO. On and off, folks are doing better but most of us are not doing any better than that, especially in 3.5 hours. Thanks for the report and pics. Were you using down riggers? How fast were you trolling?

We were running 6 rods at once and yes, 2 rods were on downriggers. We caught 2 of the 5 on the riggers, including the biggest walleye. Trolling from 1.7 to 2.3.

That's a great way to fish 6 rods out of a boat. How deep were you running the balls on your downriggers?
Depending on the depth, 5 to 12 ft. I figure the lures we were running dive around 8 ft by themselves. So in 22-23 ft of water it would put a lure just a few feet from the bottom.

RE: Willard Evening 5/18 - wiperhunter2 - 05-20-2024

(05-20-2024, 01:34 PM)Jig-fisher Wrote:
(05-20-2024, 01:18 PM)wiperhunter2 Wrote:
(05-20-2024, 04:41 AM)Jig-fisher Wrote:
(05-20-2024, 12:10 AM)wiperhunter2 Wrote: Lately, catching 5 would be considered good IMO. On and off, folks are doing better but most of us are not doing any better than that, especially in 3.5 hours. Thanks for the report and pics. Were you using down riggers? How fast were you trolling?

We were running 6 rods at once and yes, 2 rods were on downriggers. We caught 2 of the 5 on the riggers, including the biggest walleye. Trolling from 1.7 to 2.3.

That's a great way to fish 6 rods out of a boat. How deep were you running the balls on your downriggers?
Depending on the depth, 5 to 12 ft. I figure the lures we were running dive around 8 ft by themselves. So in 22-23 ft of water it would put a lure just a few feet from the bottom.

OK, that makes sense because we have been catching most of our fish just a one or two feet off the bottom. How far were your setbacks?

RE: Willard Evening 5/18 - BoatBallast - 05-20-2024

We fished through the middle of the day on Saturday for 4 wipers and 1 walleye, just trolling cranks in Freeway Bay. Not great, but not terrible.

RE: Willard Evening 5/18 - wiperhunter2 - 05-20-2024

(05-20-2024, 04:46 PM)BoatBallast Wrote: We fished through the middle of the day on Saturday for 4 wipers and 1 walleye, just trolling cranks in Freeway Bay.  Not great, but not terrible.

Any size to the wipers?

RE: Willard Evening 5/18 - Jig-fisher - 05-20-2024

(05-20-2024, 04:17 PM)wiperhunter2 Wrote:
(05-20-2024, 01:34 PM)Jig-fisher Wrote:
(05-20-2024, 01:18 PM)wiperhunter2 Wrote:
(05-20-2024, 04:41 AM)Jig-fisher Wrote:
(05-20-2024, 12:10 AM)wiperhunter2 Wrote: Lately, catching 5 would be considered good IMO. On and off, folks are doing better but most of us are not doing any better than that, especially in 3.5 hours. Thanks for the report and pics. Were you using down riggers? How fast were you trolling?

We were running 6 rods at once and yes, 2 rods were on downriggers. We caught 2 of the 5 on the riggers, including the biggest walleye. Trolling from 1.7 to 2.3.

That's a great way to fish 6 rods out of a boat. How deep were you running the balls on your downriggers?
Depending on the depth, 5 to 12 ft. I figure the lures we were running dive around 8 ft by themselves. So in 22-23 ft of water it would put a lure just a few feet from the bottom.

OK, that makes sense because we have been catching most of our fish just a one or two feet off the bottom. How far were your setbacks?

I don't run my line counter reels, but guessing 100 to 150 ft.

RE: Willard Evening 5/18 - wiperhunter2 - 05-20-2024

(05-20-2024, 08:25 PM)Jig-fisher Wrote:
(05-20-2024, 04:17 PM)wiperhunter2 Wrote:
(05-20-2024, 01:34 PM)Jig-fisher Wrote:
(05-20-2024, 01:18 PM)wiperhunter2 Wrote:
(05-20-2024, 04:41 AM)Jig-fisher Wrote: We were running 6 rods at once and yes, 2 rods were on downriggers. We caught 2 of the 5 on the riggers, including the biggest walleye. Trolling from 1.7 to 2.3.

That's a great way to fish 6 rods out of a boat. How deep were you running the balls on your downriggers?
Depending on the depth, 5 to 12 ft. I figure the lures we were running dive around 8 ft by themselves. So in 22-23 ft of water it would put a lure just a few feet from the bottom.

OK, that makes sense because we have been catching most of our fish just a one or two feet off the bottom. How far were your setbacks?

I don't run my line counter reels, but guessing 100 to 150 ft.

OK, I figured you were out there a ways but I thought I would ask, thanks.

RE: Willard Evening 5/18 - BoatBallast - 05-21-2024

(05-20-2024, 08:11 PM)wiperhunter2 Wrote:
(05-20-2024, 04:46 PM)BoatBallast Wrote: We fished through the middle of the day on Saturday for 4 wipers and 1 walleye, just trolling cranks in Freeway Bay.  Not great, but not terrible.

Any size to the wipers?

Our biggest was almost 3 lbs.  The others were all smaller.

RE: Willard Evening 5/18 - wiperhunter2 - 05-21-2024

(05-21-2024, 03:25 AM)BoatBallast Wrote:
(05-20-2024, 08:11 PM)wiperhunter2 Wrote:
(05-20-2024, 04:46 PM)BoatBallast Wrote: We fished through the middle of the day on Saturday for 4 wipers and 1 walleye, just trolling cranks in Freeway Bay.  Not great, but not terrible.

Any size to the wipers?

Our biggest was almost 3 lbs.  The others were all smaller.

Lots of those smaller wipers this year.

RE: Willard Evening 5/18 - BoatBallast - 05-21-2024

(05-21-2024, 02:11 PM)wiperhunter2 Wrote: Lots of those smaller wipers this year.

Seems that way.