Gulpin' On Willard 7-27-22 (With Video)

[TubeDude]

LINK TO VIDEO

Been away from Willard for a couple of weeks.  But from past experience I figured the shad would be getting big enough for the predators to pursue…and that a changeup in lure sizes and presentation might be in order.  In years past I have done well with Gulp Minnows and small Rapalas.  So that’s what I brung to the party.  That's what the title of this report refers to...not mini boils or gulping fish.

           Launched a little after 6:30.  Air temp 69 and water temp 77…warming to 80 by noon departure.  And air temp had climbed to 90 by noon.  TDH (too d------ hot).


            Powered out beyond the buoys and found some 9-10 foot water.  Tossed out a couple of whirly fligs decorated with Gulp.  One with a white 3” Gulp Minnow.  The other with a white 3” swimming mullet…a “curly tail” body.  Had my first kitty customer within the first half hour. 


            Worked back and forth between about 8’ and 11’.  Had most bites on either side of 10’.  Caught a succession of cats on both Gulp models…minnow and mullet…some sweetened with a bit of crawler.
 

            Probably caught about a dozen Gulp gulpers and then switched it up a bit.  Started dragging a 2” holo Rapala on one rod and slinging a U-rig with 3 gulp baited hooks on the other rod.  Got hits on the U-Rig but no hookups.

            Howsomever, the little Rapala was appealing to big carp and I caught two big “golden wipers” in fairly quick succession.


            It had been glass calm all morning but was forecast to get breezy by noon.  So I started working back toward the ramp and told myself I would bag it by 11:30.  Then my Rapala rod went bendo again.  Another carp?  Nay.  It turned out to be a 21” wiper on that little lure this time.  Yee Haw.

  

            Optimistically I stayed out a while and practiced my wiper calls.  Didn’t work.  That was it for the day.
            Saw lots of shad on sonar today.  Suspected that the predators were starting to find some large enough to eat.  Back at the cleaning station I didn’t find any shad in my wiper but one  of the kitties was full of shadlets just over an inch long.


            Only a couple of boats out from the south marina and only saw one or two others on the whole lake.  High temps, low water and high gas prices all might be to blame.  As I came back to the ramp about noon I noticed 3 or 4 power squadron type boats that looked…and then left.  There is a sign at the entrance to the south marina cautioning boats about the low water…but some of ‘em just gotta check.
            First trip with my new Lithium battery.  I’m sold.  Peak output for 5 hours of heavy use and still power to spare when I got in. 

[imtrying]

That is a fun report.  As most are.  Did you check water depth as you leave the marina?  A few weeks ago it was low, but still usable for a small boat.  Just wondering if there has been a change.

Thanks

[TubeDude]

That is a fun report.  As most are.  Did you check water depth as you leave the marina?  A few weeks ago it was low, but still usable for a small boat.  Just wondering if there has been a change.

Thanks

I launched at the far north end of the northernmost ramp.   Found 2.5 feet fairly close to the ramp and about that deep all the way to the channel.  Only a couple of shallow draft boats launched while I was there.  But several other boaters looked at the depth at the end of the docks and decided not to chance it.  Small craft should be okay for a while...and larger boats can make it with an electric to move them to the channel...or trim their motors up a lot.

[SkunkedAgain]

Great video Pat, was fun to join you on that trip... well about as close to fishing as I've been for awhile... Thanks for the report... Jeff

[TubeDude]

Great video Pat, was fun to join you on that trip... well about as close to fishing as I've been for awhile... Thanks for the report... Jeff

Glad you liked it.  Bet I had more fun making it than you did watching it.  Are you keeping tied down with farm stuff?

[wiperhunter2]

Good to read you got a decent sized wiper, instead of NBC on this trip out to Willard.
Earlier this year, before we got all those Spring and early Summer rain showers, I figured the South marina would too shallow to launch from by now, sure glad that it was put off a bit longer, maybe with some luck we will be able to get out there from the North marina later this Fall, to chase some perch, I guess time will tell.

[TubeDude]

Good to read you got a decent sized wiper, instead of NBC on this trip out to Willard.
Earlier this year, before we got all those Spring and early Summer rain showers, I figured the South marina would too shallow to launch from by now, sure glad that it was put off a bit longer, maybe with some luck we will be able to get out there from the North marina later this Fall, to chase some perch, I guess time will tell.

We have seen Willard a lot lower than it is now...and still able to (cautiously) launch out of the north marina. 
And some of my best perchin' in the late fall has been during lower water times.  Looking forward to it this year.  With all of the perch showing up during the summer it bodes well for the population.   

I'm planning to hit the north marina area either next week or the week after and work those small Rapalas more aggressively.  I got quite a few hits on them on Wednesday and only fished them a little over an hour.  For general info, I was fishing them about 4-5 feet behind a small 1/8 oz. inline trolling sinker I make.  And I was varying my speed on either side of 1.5 mph.  The key seemed to be to keep it up in the water column, rather than near the bottom.  I was only pitching it back about 30 to 40 feet.  Those small Rapalas seem to have a better action at lower speeds than big billed lures like the Flickr Shads...and they more closely match the hatch of the baby shad.  They have worked well in the past.

[wiperhunter2]

Good to read you got a decent sized wiper, instead of NBC on this trip out to Willard.
Earlier this year, before we got all those Spring and early Summer rain showers, I figured the South marina would too shallow to launch from by now, sure glad that it was put off a bit longer, maybe with some luck we will be able to get out there from the North marina later this Fall, to chase some perch, I guess time will tell.

We have seen Willard a lot lower than it is now...and still able to (cautiously) launch out of the north marina. 
And some of my best perchin' in the late fall has been during lower water times.  Looking forward to it this year.  With all of the perch showing up during the summer it bodes well for the population.   

I'm planning to hit the north marina area either next week or the week after and work those small Rapalas more aggressively.  I got quite a few hits on them on Wednesday and only fished them a little over an hour.  For general info, I was fishing them about 4-5 feet behind a small 1/8 oz. inline trolling sinker I make.  And I was varying my speed on either side of 1.5 mph.  The key seemed to be to keep it up in the water column, rather than near the bottom.  I was only pitching it back about 30 to 40 feet.  Those small Rapalas seem to have a better action at lower speeds than big billed lures like the Flickr Shads...and they more closely match the hatch of the baby shad.  They have worked well in the past.

What color or pattern of Rapala have you used?

[TubeDude]

I'm planning to hit the north marina area either next week or the week after and work those small Rapalas more aggressively.  I got quite a few hits on them on Wednesday and only fished them a little over an hour.  For general info, I was fishing them about 4-5 feet behind a small 1/8 oz. inline trolling sinker I make.  And I was varying my speed on either side of 1.5 mph.  The key seemed to be to keep it up in the water column, rather than near the bottom.  I was only pitching it back about 30 to 40 feet.  Those small Rapalas seem to have a better action at lower speeds than big billed lures like the Flickr Shads...and they more closely match the hatch of the baby shad.  They have worked well in the past.

What color or pattern of Rapala have you used?

The only ones I tried last Wednesday were the little 2" Rapala Rattlin' Raps.  I believe the color is "holographic blue shad".  There are several shadlike colors in their lineup and all have caught fish for me in years past during this time of year when the baby shad are a main menu item.  As you can see in this picture of my "Mini Crank" lure box, there are a lot of other small lures that will work too. 
  

I have also done well on my own prism tape doctored lures...lipless cranks, spoons and spinners...in the pattern I call "Wiper Bling".  And, while fishing from my float tube, there have been days when I caught a lot of fish by casting and retrieving these small lures while boaters trolling at mach 3 weren't doing much.  In fact, one of the best tactics is to cast out, allow the lure to settle to the bottom and then fast crank it back up through the water column.  Discovered this method many years ago while fishing for white bass and stripers in Arizona.  It works on Willard Wipers too.

[wiperhunter2]

The only ones I tried last Wednesday were the little 2" Rapala Rattlin' Raps.  I believe the color is "holographic blue shad".  There are several shadlike colors in their lineup and all have caught fish for me in years past during this time of year when the baby shad are a main menu item.  As you can see in this picture of my "Mini Crank" lure box, there are a lot of other small lures that will work too. 
  

I have also done well on my own prism tape doctored lures...lipless cranks, spoons and spinners...in the pattern I call "Wiper Bling".  And, while fishing from my float tube, there have been days when I caught a lot of fish by casting and retrieving these small lures while boaters trolling at mach 3 weren't doing much.  In fact, one of the best tactics is to cast out, allow the lure to settle to the bottom and then fast crank it back up through the water column.  Discovered this method many years ago while fishing for white bass and stripers in Arizona.  It works on Willard Wipers too.

OK, when you said small repala's  I thought about this type of small rapala:
https://www.amazon.com/Rapala-Countdown-...is-20&th=1
Great idea on dropping them to the bottom, then fast crank it back up.

[TubeDude]

OK, when you said small repala's  I thought about this type of small rapala:
https://www.amazon.com/Rapala-Countdown-...is-20&th=1
Great idea on dropping them to the bottom, then fast crank it back up.

Almost everybody is familiar with the old "traditional" Rapalas...plain or jointed.  And a lot of guys use the "Fat Raps".  But it is surprising how few folks know about or use the Rattlin' Raps.  I like them better than the old RatLTraps.  And the fish in Willard keep voting for them so I will too.

[wiperhunter2]

OK, when you said small repala's  I thought about this type of small rapala:
https://www.amazon.com/Rapala-Countdown-...is-20&th=1
Great idea on dropping them to the bottom, then fast crank it back up.

Almost everybody is familiar with the old "traditional" Rapalas...plain or jointed.  And a lot of guys use the "Fat Raps".  But it is surprising how few folks know about or use the Rattlin' Raps.  I like them better than the old RatLTraps.  And the fish in Willard keep voting for them so I will too.

I've used them many times in the past, especially back in the days when those Producer lures worked so well but in recent years lipless cranks just haven't worked as well for us, although we have had some success using them for crappie both at Willard and at Pineview.

[TubeDude]

OK, when you said small repala's  I thought about this type of small rapala:
https://www.amazon.com/Rapala-Countdown-...is-20&th=1
Great idea on dropping them to the bottom, then fast crank it back up.

Almost everybody is familiar with the old "traditional" Rapalas...plain or jointed.  And a lot of guys use the "Fat Raps".  But it is surprising how few folks know about or use the Rattlin' Raps.  I like them better than the old RatLTraps.  And the fish in Willard keep voting for them so I will too.

I've used them many times in the past, especially back in the days when those Producer lures worked so well but in recent years lipless cranks just haven't worked as well for us, although we have had some success using them for crappie both at Willard and at Pineview.

It is interesting to look back over the history of the wiper fishery the past few years.  For several years...'05 -'10 and a few years beyond...there were wipers galore.  You couldn't avoid catching them.  My wife and I had days when we kept our tubes inside the north marina and had wiper boils going on around us all morning...each catching at least 10 -20 fish apiece by throwing pearl Sassy Shads.  Then...after DWR began experimenting with "new and better" stocking programs...the fishing began to fall off.  At least for wipers.  Their new and improved walleye program has resulted in a better walleye fishery but a lot of us miss the slugfest sessions with wipers.   When was the last time you fished a wide open boil?

Funny how the favored lures have changed too...both for the fish and fishermen.   For a time those Producers were the hot lures.  For the past few years I have not been able to buy a fish on them.  Hmmmmm?  Is it the fish changing...or the fishermen?

[Freakyfisherman]

OK, when you said small repala's  I thought about this type of small rapala:
https://www.amazon.com/Rapala-Countdown-...is-20&th=1
Great idea on dropping them to the bottom, then fast crank it back up.

Almost everybody is familiar with the old "traditional" Rapalas...plain or jointed.  And a lot of guys use the "Fat Raps".  But it is surprising how few folks know about or use the Rattlin' Raps.  I like them better than the old RatLTraps.  And the fish in Willard keep voting for them so I will too.

I've used them many times in the past, especially back in the days when those Producer lures worked so well but in recent years lipless cranks just haven't worked as well for us, although we have had some success using them for crappie both at Willard and at Pineview.

 When was the last time you fished a wide open boil?

Pat,
I think the last time I saw a true large boiling of wipers was the early 2000s. I was on the north dike, back when you could park in that little lot, just past the outlet. It was the first week of July, and with no one else around, a huge area about the size of a football field suddenly started to boil one evening. It didn't matter what lure I cast out there or what fly I tied on, everything got hit with aggression. I would hook into one on the spinning rod, get busted off, and turn around and get one on the flyrod and vice versa. I have never seen anything like it. The boil lasted almost two hours. I caught so many wipers in that two hours, I was truly sore in the middle of my back the next day. I don't think I will ever see that again on Willard bay. 
Gabe

[wiperhunter2]

It is interesting to look back over the history of the wiper fishery the past few years.  For several years...'05 -'10 and a few years beyond...there were wipers galore.  You couldn't avoid catching them.  My wife and I had days when we kept our tubes inside the north marina and had wiper boils going on around us all morning...each catching at least 10 -20 fish apiece by throwing pearl Sassy Shads.  Then...after DWR began experimenting with "new and better" stocking programs...the fishing began to fall off.  At least for wipers.  Their new and improved walleye program has resulted in a better walleye fishery but a lot of us miss the slugfest sessions with wipers.   When was the last time you fished a wide open boil?

Funny how the favored lures have changed too...both for the fish and fishermen.   For a time those Producers were the hot lures.  For the past few years I have not been able to buy a fish on them.  Hmmmmm?  Is it the fish changing...or the fishermen?

Likely it was back in the 2000's, by 2010 or soon after the big boils slowed way down, likely the result of fewer and fewer wipers being stocked. In those days a lot of the wipers that had been planted in Willard were going to other lakes, like minersville and newcastle. In the last ten years, the DWR stocked even fewer, with many of those wipers going to community ponds and many other lakes, like East canyon, jordanelle and schofield. Then about four or five years ago the push for more walleye and less wipers really started, I'm fine with more walleye but I think they went too far on the numbers of the wipers they cut out of the stocking program for Willard. Chris P said they are working on getting those numbers up and we did see more of those smaller wipers this year but it small in comparison to what it use to be. A few years ago Ira and I got into a small boil over in Freeway bay but other than that it has been close to 10 years since we have see any boils.

[fishskibum]

fish tacos dont boil
Maybe time to cut the limit or put a slot size restriction to prevent the keep em alls who frequent the n dike
from ......

[TubeDude]

fish tacos dont boil
Maybe time to cut the limit  or put a slot size restriction to prevent the keep em alls who frequent the n dike
from ......

Granted, there is a pretty heavy harvest each year by the mussel soaking bank tanglers.  But the decline in population is 100% attributable to the small numbers of wipers planted each year.  I am attaching a page with planting and netting survey numbers.  I don't have more recent info because DWR has not produced any reports for the past 3 years.

The decline is not the fault of serious anglers who fish with lures or flies.

[Piscophilic]

Thanks for another awesome report, pictures and video! It almost makes me think I could catch a fish at Willard these days. I'm going to stick with the golden pond though. Gas and time lost are just too high to get me to go farther away.

Keep up the great work, I learn something from all your outings...if I could just remember to use it by the time I get out again

[TubeDude]

Thanks for another awesome report,  pictures and video! It almost makes me think I could catch a fish at Willard these days. I'm going to stick with the golden pond though. Gas and time lost are just too high to get me to go farther away.

Keep up the great work, I learn something from all your outings...if I could just remember to use it by the time I get out again

Thankee sir.  Glad you enjoy my ramblings.  I also enjoy your reports.  And it sounds like we have both been putting in the time as caregivers for our wives' new knees. 

I will probably be launching my tube off the rocks at Lincoln Beach soon.  Sounds like the water levels are getting too low for boats to launch off the ramp now.  Still a long ways from the absolute lowest water years I have seen in the past.  So I know I still have some tubeable fishing ahead.   And for me it is about equal distance from either Willard Bay north marina or Lincoln Beach.  So I just flip a minnow...heads or tails.

Oh yeah, I will probably finish up my two part video on Catfish...Hook to Pan sometime in the next week or two.  I'll post links when I get 'em done.