Mother of all WIllard reports

[Jigz]

[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Willard had me so irritated that I thought I’d take the time to really dig up some info and learn a few things about the place. It started innocently enough by reading the Willard bay archives,(yes, every single one!) lots of good info in there, but its hard to keep it all in your head. So I get this epiphany to organize it all into my usual fishing log format. I liked what I saw but decided I would like more info so I started adding more things to it until it became this hugely insane project that I’m not telling how many hours it took me to complete. Now, where does that leave me? Perhaps with little more than a lot of mostly useless data that I really haven’t got a chance to analyze yet. Or perhaps there are a few hidden treasures in there that are just waiting to be discovered. To tell the truth it’s way too big of a headache for just a humble fisherman like myself to handle. So for all of you fellow crazies who have spent too much time in the sun and like to think of fishing as a science, why not help me analyze this big pile of data and see if we can spot any trends, patterns or something useful. [/size][/font]

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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Download the Excel file (hope it works)[/size][/font]

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[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]A few keys to it: It’s far from perfect and I’m working with second hand information from many different people (some of whom probably always catch fish and some who may not be as lucky) so I expect many flaws abound. I never really expected I’d be sharing this so be forgiving if it’s a bit sloppy [/font]J[font "Times New Roman"] [/font][/size]

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[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]Post in red are ones where the fishing seemed to be “getting hot” [/font][/size]

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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]If the time the fish were biting best was reported I tried to put specific hours in. Barometric pressures were for those specific hours (as it fluctuates during the day) and was based on Ogden reading, but I suspect it’s close as I can get.[/size][/font]

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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Moon Phase I measured mostly in 8ths. I thought about using pics but copy and paste for each day would get very tiresome.[/size][/font]

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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]There are a few places where reports were sketchy and fishing seemed slow, I summed those times up in one entry.[/size][/font]

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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]If you see any improvements to be made lets hear some ideas, keeping fishing logs can be a science in itself. If you have any data from your own logs (water temps would be nice) let me know and I’ll revise the records. It might be nice if some of the original posters of the reports would take a look and chime in WH2, old coot, BLM, Predator, fishin’ fool, Nomoose, and all you many others who were kind enough to share your knowledge.[/size][/font]

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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]So all you data analysts out there….take a Tylenol, put on your reading glasses, and tell me your secrets![/size][/font]
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[Old_Coot]

[size 4][font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]Dude,[/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]VERY nice work. That is the kind of research that is of high interest to me. Your spread sheet makes visible a bunch of the stuff that goes through my head day and night. I'm always looking for the "formula" even though one don't really exist.[/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]Question; I noticed that most (if not all) of the entries had the air temps listed. Did you get that data from somewhere other than the BFT posts?[/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]Something that I could give you is my chronological stack of weekly fishing reports that I have been keeping for over a year now. Each week the Ogden Standard Examiner puts out the Explore magazine. And in that insert they show Willard (along with many other local lakes) and how good the fishing is for that week. One fish is poor fishing and four fish is excellent fishing. They are generally a week behind but it does reflect some more info that you may find interesting to add to your spread sheet. Like I say, I’ve kept everyone for the past 60 weeks or so.[/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]Again … nice work … and thanks.[/size][/font][/size]
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[mikecromaine]

i will be spending sometime looking thos over from first glance it looks great.

looks like you did spend at time and effort on it !

thanks for the info
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[wiperhunter2]

Wow, You have some great info there, you must have spent a lot of time on it. Let me know if I can help you with any questions you might have. I usually keep a log on my fishing trips and one of the things I record is temps. Again great work. WH2
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[PREDATOR]

I dont know about all that.

Its interesting info, well done, I hope it works for you.

As for a reposnse to "It might be nice if some of the original posters of the reports would take a look and chime in WH2, old coot, BLM, Predator, fishin’ fool, Nomoose, and all you many others who were kind enough to share your knowledge.[size 1]"[/size]

[size 1]All I can say is there was a time when I fished willard dang near every day. I was on the water a minimum of four hours a day, and I averaged a lot of fish. I have had several days where I caught over 50 fish between two of us in the boat. [/size]

[size 1]BUT, I now must admit to myself and the world, that times change. Fishing at willard has changed. Back in 1994 when the DWR put shad into willard and the populations of shad were smaller, things were obviously different. Willards main attraction was catfish. Well, the shad changed all that, and time has changed lots of other things as well. [/size]

[size 1]I cant get the numbers or the size I used to. Boils are much smaller in size, shorter lived than in the past. The big schools of hundreds of wipers havent materialized in the past three or four years. [/size]

[size 1]Some specualte that as the shad have become established, and widespread, the wipers have less need to school up causing the catch rate per day to drop since you have to cover more water to find fish that are more spread out. its a good theory. [/size]

[size 1]I dont know why, i dont know how, all I know is that as willard has changed, I have not been able to effectivley change with it. [/size]

[size 1]Maybee your report or whatever you call it holds the key to the future method that will yeild 50 fish days at willard again. [/size]

As bodies of water change, and go through periods of drought, new growth, changes in cover, structure, and fishing pressure, the anglers who climb to the top are those who change with the conditions. Good luck to you.
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[Jigz]

Old Coot, I got the air temps and most weather stats from [url "http://www.wunderground.com/"][#800080][size 2]http://www.wunderground.com/[/size][/#800080][/url][size 2] you can look up any city in the USA and [/size][size 2]generate a report of that days weather conditions, moon phase ect. I would be interested in those fishing reports, let me know if we can work something out. [/size]

[size 2][/size][size 2]WH2 I am interested in any log information you may be willing to share, (especailly some of those missing water temps) [/size]

[size 2]How do you boys keep your logs? The report is the format I’ve been using for the last year, but I’m always looking for a better way. Sometimes I think it’s too much info and sometimes I wish I’d taken a few more notes.[/size][size 2] [/size]

[size 2]Of course you boys are right, there is no “Magical Formula” that will solve all our problems (won't stop me from trying though) and conditions are always changing, but maybe with some combined experience we can put a few more fish in the net. It’s really only been the last couple of years I’ve taken a proactive approach to learning more about the Ins and out of fishing rather than just chucking my line in the water hoping something grabs it. If nothing else this has given me a chance to learn and think about a few things. I hope this project helps a few people (myself included)[/size][size 2] [/size]

[size 2]Predator, every dog has his day. Eventually the odds will swing back in your favor, when you do figure it out, don’t forget to show us the way[sly][/size]

[size 2]Jigz[/size]
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[Gumbo]

Go to download.com and search for fishing logs. There are a few programs you can download. There are a few commercial packages out there too. Or create your own using Access or another database. Or I guess you could even use a notepad and pen. Either way, some of the programs you download will give you ideas for what fields to include.

Good luck. Keeping a fishing log is a big step towards becoming a better angler.

[Fish-N-Fool]

very nice! can't wait to get on the lake, I am jealous of you guys that have been out and caught fish already,
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[ALAN]

WOW! I'd tell you that you need to get a life, but I don't know when you'd have time. LMAO Excellent work. Al
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[Jigz]

Alan, I do need to get a life, or at least a different one! Truth be told I did it at work when I was forced into the late night-all night shifts and was dying for anything to do to keep my sanity. Mostly I just sit and 'manage' luckily I have access to a computer and good theraputic site like this one.[blush]

In the next life I want to be paid to fish!
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[hustler898]

Nice little project if you ask me[] We all need something to do, lol. I'll help you analyze the info if I have the time. So when we gonna see the same for aother lakes like Jordenelle, Utah and Pinview?[crazy]
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[Jigz]

Reports for other lakes? Just because I'm crazy doesn't mean I'm a masochist[]



Ok I admit it, I tried the same for Pineview. But it didn't have anywhere near the volum of reports that the willard forum possess which made it rather unimpressive. Everybody post more fishing reports!
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