Wipers

[Wood Shampoo]

Guys,

I know this is not an Oregon report but I thought I would share with you what we catch here in Utah. The Wipers in this pic are 25" and came in at about 6-7lbs each. If you have never caught a Wiper, just think of a fresh water Tuna! When these fish hit, it is like a freight train and they don't stop until they want to. All of these fish were caught yesterday evening in a lake here in Northern Utah called Willard Bay on a white curly tailed grub out in the open water.

[Don Fischer]

I though that Willard Bay was part of Salt Lake and nothing lived in it?

[Wood Shampoo]

Nope - Willard Bay is fresh water. It use to be just a field many years ago until they built a rock wall around it. It is fead by a couple rivers that flow into it.

[mkwerx]

Awesome fish! I remember catching a few smaller ones on the last trip we took to KS. Dad and I were fishing for crappie and cats near the dam on our favorite impoundment - very rocky area. Did OK on the cats and crappie - but I started catching some odd fish - looked like small striped bass from the markings, but their body shape was kind of odd. F&W guy ID'd them as wipers. They were going nuts over a small white chenille and marabou crappie jig fished under a float.

I should've kept one to eat - they're supposed to be quite tasty.

[codeman]

hey, so where exactly is this willard bay lake at? My buddy lives in boise and we are always taking road trips looking for new fish. I have caught only one wiper in my life (Colorado) and it was puny. my buddy has never seen one. If not too far south in utah might want to take a road trip to check it out. sounds cool. We have no boat but would be float tubing it, if that is a possibility? what other kinds of fish do you typically catch there? also, is there camping at the lake or close by? any info would be appreciated and maybe even make a couple new friends and go with us??

[Wood Shampoo]

Willard Bay is only 4 hrs from Boise and I only fish it out of my float tube. There are also Walleye, Crappie, catfish and small mouth bass in Willard. There are 2 campgrounds around the lake but I must warn you, the bugs are VERY BAD around this area. They will carry you away if they don't eat you on the spot. Let me know if you are coming and I'll show you around as it is a large lake and if you are in a Tube, you need to know where to go.

Wiper fishing only gets better as the summer goes on, so anytime from now to first part of October is great.

[Hunt'nFish]

Cool looks like some good eating.
Never heard of a "wiper" but they sure look like some sort of hybrid bass.
I'm sure they put up a good fight!
Hunt'nFish

[mkwerx]

Huntnfish, "Wipers" are a hybrid of White Bass and Striped Bass, so you're spot on. And yeah, they do put up a good fight.

[rodholder1]

Hey Wood Shampoo thanks for the post and pic. I too have never seen or heard of a Wiper,always like to see and learn about new fish to catch:excited:
And ifish is not all about Oregon IMHO.

[stlhdr]

There's a southeastern Oregon lake that has wipers that weigh into the high teens. I think the state record is somewhere around 18 lbs.