# Ok...here it is...westbranch 3-23-16



## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

Started fishing @ 6:45 pm. Pretty windy up till about 9. then lake went almost glass and the eyes were everywhere! Never seen so many swimming close to shore. About 75 percent of them were about 15-18 inches.lost 3 and had alot of follows.was fishing the dam about halfway down and worked my way back to about the 2nd telephone pole past the cove. Its was 10 pm and then I thought I got hung up on another rock when drag started pulling.next thing I know she was in my net and I was about freaking out. Several other people either got their limit or had 3. The eye measured 29 1/2 and weighed in at 9.1 lbs. The lure was a scatter rap in bluegill #5.


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## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

Good job on that biggie, I got out tonight at sunset saw a guy that just caught a musky


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## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

Hit wrong spot.. Anyway a nice fish , 20 guys out along rocks and 3 boats close by. Went on down past the crowd and not much going on for awhile , then I finally broke the ice for the new year, a nice 20 in male , about two hrs after dark, before moving one time I scanned the water out front and saw a beauty of a musky cruising by about 30 ft out a couple of feet down, 30 plus inches easily , that was after 10 pm.


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## Yakeyes (Jan 1, 2015)

Nice fish guys, I was also out but didn't hook up with anything until about my 15th "last" cast but it got off before I seen it, I think it was a musky though.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

SO YOU!! got the hog we've been hearing about??! Good job. You deserve that fish with the effort we all know you put in out there! Good for you Twisted!
Can't beat Raps, Erie size fish w/o all the Expense and Travel time!


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## Dirty Mudskipper (Mar 2, 2011)

That's awesome, you definitely put your time in and deserve it!


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## nicklesman (Jun 29, 2006)

Beauty congrats


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## westbranchbob (Jan 1, 2011)

Twisted that's a hell of a fish...and at a less than productive walleye lake no less...hahahaha...good job .


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

Thanks everyone. 95 percent sure going out tonight...been a good boy all weekend with ix-center and Kalahari outings with the family...lol hoping to catch a easter eye! Weather is looking good this week. Everything should turn on.

Thanks again and good luck.


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## Dirty Mudskipper (Mar 2, 2011)

Might join ya for a bit need to release some stress after my garage was broken into last night. I'll be the one all quiet and pissed off wearing a zips beanie.... LOL


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## CarolinaKid (Aug 24, 2013)

Love this. Nice fish!


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## The Roofing Guy (Mar 9, 2010)

been down there on and off for weeks. seen plenty of them cruising and a few rolling here and there, but FAR from the #ers from 5 years ago before the secret went viral on here!  as far as what's been caught, I've seen very few drug ashore. 1 here 1 there...I remember having 20 fish nights years ago (all released) and rarely were there even a sole out there with us...I firmly believe this lake has been overharvested by anglers unaware of their actions. as far as females being caught "in the mouth",...LMAO!!!


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## Dirty Mudskipper (Mar 2, 2011)

Twisted, was it this time last year you hammered that giant ski? Next year, it'll be a 20lb wiper for ya... (Or was it striper they stocked).


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## Leighway (Oct 31, 2011)

Awesome job. Nice work


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## set-the-drag (Jan 13, 2013)

well done!




  








That's right.... not erie but ladue 29.5" and 9.56 lbs baby




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set-the-drag


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Apr 7, 2014







two years since I seen anyting inland close. my buddie couldn't believe he caught it and neither could I! its nice to know pigs are around us


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

Congrats on the hog!!!! I've put in 3 days at the dam with no success. I guess I missed the Saturday night bite by one day. Typical....


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## Cashregisterface (Jun 1, 2012)

twistedcatfish1971 said:


> Started fishing @ 6:45 pm. Pretty windy up till about 9. then lake went almost glass and the eyes were everywhere! Never seen so many swimming close to shore. About 75 percent of them were about 15-18 inches.lost 3 and had alot of follows.was fishing the dam about halfway down and worked my way back to about the 2nd telephone pole past the cove. Its was 10 pm and then I thought I got hung up on another rock when drag started pulling.next thing I know she was in my net and I was about freaking out. Several other people either got their limit or had 3. The eye measured 29 1/2 and weighed in at 9.1 lbs. The lure was a scatter rap in bluegill #5.


Congrats on the fish. I live 10 min from erie. Those are a dime a dozen. If you like big walleye I would suggest go to Erie. You'll get 30 inches plus regularly. I usually throw that size back in the water. Especially if it's a female. The walleye in the low 20s by inches taste better. Walleye bits and some jalapeño poppers. Damn that sounds good!!!!!!


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## Cashregisterface (Jun 1, 2012)

Cashregisterface said:


> Congrats on the fish. I live 10 min from erie. Those are a dime a dozen. If you like big walleye I would suggest go to Erie. You'll get 30 inches plus regularly. I usually throw that size back in the water. Especially if it's a female. The walleye in the low 20s by inches taste better. Walleye bits and some jalapeño poppers. Damn that sounds good!!!!!!


Also. Catching that size fish in such a small lake is a hog!!!!!!!


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## Ruminator (Apr 6, 2004)

Congratulations Jerry, nice way to start off 2016.


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## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

Not a wopper but still a nice one after flogging the water for three hrs. I'm heading up Wednsday evening if interested , last good day weather wise for a bit .


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## Ruminator (Apr 6, 2004)

Jerry, I'll shoot you a text.


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## hupcej4x4x454 (Oct 7, 2014)

twistedcatfish1971 said:


> The eye measured 29 1/2 and weighed in at 9.1 lbs.


Awesome! That's the largest non-Erie, NEO area 'eye I've seen in a long time. She was probably the queen eye of the pond. 
And from the dam?!?!?! I thought you got it off the campground rocks. Haha, wink, wink.


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

That muskie your thinking about Mudskipper was from 4-11-14 off the rocks @ the w.b. dam.


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

I usually make 2 charters plus a trip or two out of ashtabula with a friend every year and have caught some brutes. Ive tossed some big females back before.about twenty some years ago I let go a crappie that easily was pushing 3 lbs. The eye I caught the other day was probably a once in a lifetime fish from shore...she came into my net head first with one hook in the bottom jaw. Had mixed emotions about her...here is a picture of two Erie Eyes 2 years ago...ashtabula.


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## Dirty Mudskipper (Mar 2, 2011)

Snag, how'd you do last night. Looked like it would've been good to go. Started on my way out and got called to come home.


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## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

I didn't make it out, some commitments came up , sure would have been a nice night out .


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## BIGEYURK25 (Apr 4, 2013)

Thinking of hitting it Friday night, anybody doing anything out there from the dam?


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## kx36594 (Feb 6, 2010)

It's really slowed down with this rough weather patterns... Haven't done any good since over a week ago before the cold fronts and winds hit last Friday into Saturday...


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## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

Yeah these cold fronts don't help a lot , and now another snow front coming in on Friday into Saturday.


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## westbranchbob (Jan 1, 2011)

Just...a big bunch of suck...I'm so ready to fish the post spawn and the weather just flat sucks!


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## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

Wb -- next week end..


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## TRAPPERBECK (Mar 23, 2010)

I agree this weather sucks ! I hope next weekend.


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## set-the-drag (Jan 13, 2013)

Anyone think it slowed/stopped the spawn? I figured when they start it is on no matter what but Idk


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## westbranchbob (Jan 1, 2011)

Spawn is done..they did their thing and got out....maybe a few stragglers left but it's done...next up post spawn feeders...much more willing participants!


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## squidlips2020 (Jul 3, 2012)

No way they're done spawning not even started yet


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## walleyekiller446 (Oct 24, 2014)

Yeah way they were half spawned out 2 weeks away when I caught 9


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## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

They were on the spawn at the beginning of March on the rocks, there may b a few still hanging around but it will b just about done . If it isn't already. I'll b heading out next with with the boat for the offshore ones.


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## kx36594 (Feb 6, 2010)

May try it Sunday.... Just tired of fishing in the Gail force winds


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## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

With the early ice out this year the spawn got a early start, compared to the last two winters with a late ice break up. The muskies are probaly still roaming the area ..


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## westbranchbob (Jan 1, 2011)

I'm not trying to contradict anything here in just saying over the last month I've been up there a bit and the major population has been spawning for over 3 weeks...they are definitely winding down...doesn't mean they still can't be caught off the dam..it actually gets easier now cuz they're hungry again!


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