# Updated Bigger Willard Walleye 18 Apr!!



## k2muskie (Oct 6, 2007)

Planned our 2nd trip to Willard today&#8230;got the boat loaded&#8230;hooked up the Durango went to check the lights and nothing worked&#8230; -Ov- funny lights worked last Sunday&#8230;then as I began investigating I found out why the lights 'DIDN'T WORK *\-\* &#8230;Hershey decided to chew on the wire bundle sometime during the week&#8230; so did a little electrical 101 repair and taping 20 minutes had everything fixed and off we went&#8230;even taking Hershey //dog// .

Water temp on arrival was 44*&#8230;trolled the west dike for a couple hours marked fish deeper 17'-18' feet&#8230;nothing was interested&#8230; :|

[attachment=4:3fa617ic]willard 10 april 017-1.jpg[/attachment:3fa617ic]

[attachment=3:3fa617ic]willard 10 april 017-2.jpg[/attachment:3fa617ic]

Decided to head over to the freeway side. Worked freeway bay about 1/4 mile north of the buoys in about 14' heard my clicker go off and finally had a fish on and low and behold picked up our first Willard Walleye on a bottom bouncer with harness at about 1.5MPH&#8230;nice look'n fish measured a little over 20"&#8230;after the photo op back in the water it went for another day&#8230;had a couple more bumps on the bottom bouncer setup&#8230;but nothing stayed hooked&#8230;called it a day water temp on departure was 47* pushing 48*.

[attachment=2:3fa617ic]willard 10 april 017-3.jpg[/attachment:3fa617ic]

[attachment=1:3fa617ic]willard 10 april 017-4.jpg[/attachment:3fa617ic]

[attachment=0:3fa617ic]willard 10 april 017-5.jpg[/attachment:3fa617ic]

It was a nice time out on Willard...sure hope you all have a very nice Easter weekend and have fun in whatever your plans are... :wink: :wink:


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

*Re: Finally a Willard Walleye!!*

Good going K2 !! Too bad about the electrical problems. I'm surprised you even took that wire eater with you !! :wink:


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## soda (Nov 19, 2008)

*Re: Finally a Willard Walleye!!*

Nice catch! Never fished there before. Can you still catch them from the coast without a boat?


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## Size Matters (Dec 22, 2007)

*Re: Finally a Willard Walleye!!*

It's good you were able to get out it sounds like Hershey is still having fun Have a great easter.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

*Re: Finally a Willard Walleye!!*

That's good you had a fun time and caught a walleye to boot! I live accross the freeway and I can see Willard from my back window. Looked like there were two other boats out there with you. I wonder how they did.
By the way, great lookin lab you have there. Labs are awesome.


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## McFishin (Dec 24, 2007)

*Re: Finally a Willard Walleye!!*

nice going K2. I have never caught a walleye out of willard. but I do have a nice collection of walleye lures! Maybe this is my year.


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## teamroper (Apr 20, 2008)

*Re: Finally a Willard Walleye!!*

nice I need to get out there this weekend


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## k2muskie (Oct 6, 2007)

Hit 'da' Willard again water temp on arrival was 47* upon departure 52.9*...had a nice time as usual...won't bore you all with the details but got a nice Walleye right off the get-go...released...had 3 other bumps but they didn't make the boat for their photo ops.... 

[attachment=4:3rupbpah]willard 18 apr-1.jpg[/attachment:3rupbpah]

[attachment=3:3rupbpah]willard 18 apr-2a.jpg[/attachment:3rupbpah]

[attachment=2:3rupbpah]willard 18 apr-2.jpg[/attachment:3rupbpah]

[attachment=1:3rupbpah]willard 18 apr-3.jpg[/attachment:3rupbpah]

Hope you all are having a 'great' weekend... :wink: :wink:


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## MN transplant (Jan 4, 2009)

That's a really nice fish, way to go. I'm going to try my luck tommorow....gonna be hard to beat 24", but I'll give it a shot.


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## USMARINEhuntinfool (Sep 15, 2007)

Looks like a fun day, think I'm gonna have to have you teach me to catch all these non trout species...


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## k2muskie (Oct 6, 2007)

USMARINEhuntinfool said:


> Looks like a fun day, think I'm gonna have to have you teach me to catch all these non trout species...


We're only beginner's on Willard...Trust Me. But I know whatcha mean about hooking into a non-slimer-species get'n to be an exotic here in Utah.

Now USMARINEhuntinfool...there's at least 2-Eye's in Willard over 20"...as until the Perch in the freezer are gone (one bag left) we ain't keep'n any other fish...rest assured the Perch in the freezer will be gone this week...but for Willard Eye if we do hook into others under 20" it will be the making of a fine dinner...I'd like to see the Eye's in Willard rebound after the lowering of the water to fix the dike leak... Eye spawning areas left high and dry because of this...so for us any Willard Eye's over 20" we'll most likely release for the betterment of the species ...but that's just us...

Saw folks trolling close to the shoreline hook'n into lil Wipers...Eyes were just a titch deeper slow trolling 1.2-1.8 MPH roughly 12-16' of water using 1-2 oz bottom bouncer (varying depths we changed out bouncers) with harness and crawler...got the one yesterday after changing to the Shake-E-Blade and was literally let'n out line... stopped the line letout every 10' when I felt the tug back and it was fish on. Eye put up a little tug-o-war and was ever-so-lightly hooked in the upper inside of the mouth with the back hook of the harness...if it would've put up a gallant run...IMO fish gone.

:wink: :wink:


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## huntnbum (Nov 8, 2007)

Very nice K2, hope this warm weather just makes it better. I'll be out there fishing off the bank this week some time in the evening hours. did you catch any in the evening?


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## sportsman (Apr 17, 2009)

I haven't used bottom bouncers before how do you decide on the right weight to use, and do your prefer the lead colored ones or the chart.


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## flydaddy834 (Sep 11, 2007)

thats a good looking fish you caught. i also gota hand it to you for letting him go. i fished yesterday trolling the toon boat till the battery gave out. went all along the north dike and all around the north and nothing today. i was able to catch about 4-5lb wiper on 6lb test as i was trying to put him on a stringer after 10 min fight the line snaped with a fire tiger shad rap. it was hooked good it wont be going anywhere so if anyone catches one witht the fire tiger in its mouth that one was mine. it was awesome yesterday glassy waters nice sun couldnt have been better.


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## k2muskie (Oct 6, 2007)

sportsman said:


> I haven't used bottom bouncers before how do you decide on the right weight to use, and do your prefer the lead colored ones or the chart.


Trust me we're only beginners on using bottom bouncers....

For us it's how deep the area is and how fast you're trolling...we troll from .8 varing up to 1.8. Depth has been from 12-18' again trolling speed is taken into factor. For Willard we've been using the lead 2 oz bouncers. I have a couple of colored ones in 1 oz but haven't used them at all.

You want the bouncer to be noticeable on the rod tip like it's walking across the bottom without any huge pulls as then you're drag'n the bouncer along the bottom.

Good luck and I hope what I posted helps I'm sure there's more qualifed anglers who use bottom bouncers that could help out also with tips.

:wink: :wink:


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## 1morecast (Dec 6, 2007)

Thanks K2! I was thinking about using bottom bouncers for awhile now, I have yet to catch a walleye anywhere in Utah, but with your help I just might be successful. BTW I did really well shorelinefishing at willard on the north side using a bobber and 2inch curly tail grubs with a very slow retrieve, mostley crappie small wipers and smallies but no eye's.O Yeah and some giant carp too!


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