Willow Creek

[Madpuppy]

Any reports on Willow Creek? I know Boji fishes Willow and I will be in the area quite a bit the next few years so hopefully I can get some fishing in also. Give me a shout Boji as I will be in Wayne quite often and am going to do some fall and ice this winter over at Willow.

[BOJIHAWK]

Willow has been dead the past 2 years I'm afraid.  In 2004 it kind if peaked and I think the pressure destroyed recruiting...except recruiting more anglers from the south to come up and harvest fish...lol.  There are very few eyes in there and even the wipers that made it fun are almost non-exsistent.  Put those 2 things with the average crappie length dropping (although I did see a gut sort to a nice bucket of 12-13"ers last Feb)....it's just been horrible.  And that does suck.  I know you can still catch some cats and if you don't mid sorting....crappies can be caught.   The good news is that I'm hearing more and more about Power Creek and Buckskin coming around as far as numbers.  Goose Lake should be producing nearly keeper pike since the renovation a few years back.  Even Maskenthine has coughed up a few big pike to anglers.   Sorry to say, either chemicals, water clarity due to silting, pressure, or combinations of all 3 have really put Willow Creek in the crapper for a fishery. I sat out on that lake twice after jan 1.   Barely even graphed a fish and almost went through a set of blades from punching holes.

The good news is...it's will cycle back up....just don't have it as a destination any time soon.

Good to hear from you Madpuppy...leaving for SD in a week....I'll try and drop a report in here.

[BOJIHAWK]

If you want to go out some evening to Buckskin for some catfish beat down....I'll meet you there.  I've been catching some tanks with whiskers out of that thing.  Don't plan on eating them though.  Last one I cleaned wasn't pretty.  I would say the meat was......khaki.  :-)

[Madpuppy]

If you want to go out some evening to Buckskin for some catfish beat down....I'll meet you there.  I've been catching some tanks with whiskers out of that thing.  Don't plan on eating them though.  Last one I cleaned wasn't pretty.  I would say the meat was......khaki.  :-)

Good to hear from you Boji! I'll be heading out that way around the first part of Oct. as this month is shot. We're trying to get the restaurant back up and running as we have been closed for the past 2 1/2 months due to to the Misoouri River flooding, we didn't take on any water but we became an island when the river came up and stayed up. Team that with the other 2 businesses and we're a little busy for the month of Sept. The river is still closed to boat traffic and sounds like it will be til next year so that's a bummer, my boat hasn't been wet this year which is a first for me in about 35 years. I'll give you a shout and we'll hit some lakes out you're way and I appriciate the offer! My son is a Freshman at WSC now so I'll be heading out that way quite often as he loves to fish, look forward to finally meeting you. Have a good trip to S.D. Take care and be careful out there!

[BOJIHAWK]

You want fishing....head to Bitter Lake (near Waubay).    We hammered fish there like no other trip in recent memory.  Not the easiest fishing in the world but once you find them it's on!  I'm going to struggle getting the gumption to fish around here for a while.  Although the Mizzoo near Santee and North is solid and I've put some limits together in 2 outings to Lewis ansd Clark....still hard to go out after the 5 days I just got back from.

Sorry to hear about the restaraunt my man.  The flood has proufoundly effected many people in this area.  The lakes around Waubay are also innundating some farm buildings and a few homes.  Mother nature is a wicked mistress.  Live by her and struggle as well.  I'm sure you will power through the set back and come back stronger.  Life marches on I suppose.  Glad to hear your son is attending Wayne...good school.  We had a tradgedy here Sunday and lost 2 students to a motor cycle wreck.  So sad.