Fishing

I want to hit Willard Bay though the ice this winter. I have heard there used to be good ice fishing in the north marina some years back. Any suggestions on what to do?
Nathan Hall

That might have been true 10 years ago but Willard has been very poor for a long time. Maybe this will be the year, with the higher water level, when the fish will move back into the marina but don't count on it. TD would be the person to ask about ice fishing Willard, I don't know anyone that has ever done good ice fishing at Willard.

As WH2 says, Willard is probably not the best prospect for ice fishing. Too early to predict for this winter but the past two winters have been low water conditions and that did not help. Too shallow inside the marinas for the fish to come inside.

There have been some good winters in both the north and south marinas, during high water. Crappies are the main target...usually around the docks. But, there are a surprising number of bluegills and even yellow perch that come through the ice inside the marinas. Even a few cats and an occasional misguided wiper.

Actually there are several holes and pockets within easy trudge of the north marina in which catfish school up during the winter and they will bite on bait or baited jigs. You just have to keep looking until you find those spots and GPS them. They hold up year after year.

Serious ice smackers go over to the west side and fish the deeper trenches. That's where the shad school up for the winter and the predators hang with their groceries. Again, you have to put in some time to find the best spots, but when you find a hungry hangout you can get action.

That's the best area to pursue wipers through the ice. Just be warned that they are much harder to bring to the hole than they are to hook. When hooked they make big wide sweeps under the ice, tangling up all your fishing buddies and scraping your line on the edge of the hole. You need good line and lots of space.

You can catch walleyes through the ice too, but that is usually either very early, very late or after dark. And forget it if you are in a noisy group that likes to run around and make a lot of noise. Actually, we used to catch quite a few walleyes through the ice inside the marinas too, but you had to be on the ice before light. There would be a few fish caught early but the first rowdy ice tangler to come stomping out on the ice...especially with noisy kids...and there were no more walleyes for the day.

Best suggestion I can offer is to hit the ice inside the north marina as soon as it is safe. Wear cleats if it is still slick. Drill holes at the inside corners of the docks...or on the north edges. Crappies like shade. Use a tandem tear drop or mini jig rig with white or chartreuse jigs. Tip them with waxworm or a small piece of crawler. Drop them to the bottom and then slowly work them back up through the water column...stopping after each 6" lift. Watch your line and your rod tip. The fish don't hit hard. And crappies suspend up off the bottom. They are sometimes only a foot or two below the ice. They may even come right up to your hole and look you in the eye.

Perch can also be caught around the docks. But, both perch and bluegills are more likely to be schooled up around rocks, humps or depressions out in the marina. Seek and ye shall find. Good sonar is vital.

Wipers also come inside the marinas during high water winters. If you have an underwater camera you can see them swimming through at just about any depth...from on the bottom to just a few feet under the water. Watch your screen and move your offering up and down to intercept the travel lanes. Fish white or chartreuse jigs, shiny spoons or plain bait...crawlers or minnows. Tip the jigs with crawlers, chub meat or perch strips.

The large numbers of crappie showing up at Willard this past year makes me optimistic that there will be some decent ice fishing action for them. Not likely to be like in the "olden days"...when 50 fish limits were common. But, in the olden days we did not have any wipers to anticipate either. I think there is a connection.

I for one plan to spend some time on Willard ice this year...if it freezes enough to do so. Last year it froze very solid, but that was a cold winter and the lake was shallower. Deeper water does not freeze as fast. Some winters the main lake does not freeze completely.

We shall see.

I don't know if I can add much to what tubedude has siad other than the ice fishing at willard the past two years has been ok for me. I live very close to the lake so despite the low water levels I still ice fish it quit a bit. I have not seen another ice fisherman out there the last two years. Fishing in the north marina produced scores of channel cats for me. The deepest water I have found is only six feet deep but the fish don't seem to mind. Out on the west side I have caught several catfish and even a few walleye on rapala swimming jigs. The catfish hit the swimming jigs as well. I am very excited to get after the crappie this year. I caught several bueties in the spring and am hoping to catch up to a few of them through the ice. Hoping for an early freeze. The one fish that still aludes me through the ice is a wiper. That would be so much fun.
Fishjon