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Willard Bay Walleye
Overview: Willard offers walleye,
wipers and channel cats, plus some crappie and smallmouth bass. It has more big walleye
than any other water in the state. But the big ones are hard to catch. The next state
record walleye will probably come from Willard, and it could happen this year.
During the spawn - which should run through April this
year - the north and west dikes are productive. The light pole, located on the north dike
west of the North Marina, is a favorite spot. Fishing is good along the dike for a couple
hundred yards on either side of the pole. The dike area near the outlet, north of the
North Marina, is also productive. But fish are caught all along the north and west dikes. The easiest way to get to the light pole is by boat. Many
people hike or bike to it, maneuvering in along the dike in from either direction. The South Marina channel is also a popular place to fish
for walleye and catfish. After the spawn look for walleye in the deeper water out
in the bay in the area around the light pole and near structure just out from both the
north and south marinas. Walleye range freely, and can be found anywhere. But the dike
provide consistent fishing through the year because they provide most of the structure in
the reservoir and serve as spawning areas for the walleye, catfish, shad and other fish
species. During the later spring and summer you can often catch walleye, catfish, wipers,
crappie and sometimes smallmouth bass by working a single-tailed grub along the dikes. Timing: Walleye come into the dikes to spawn in the late evening,
and stay in the area all night. The most productive time to fish is first light and from
sunset until dark. Gizzard shad provide forage for all of the game fish in
the reservoir. The shad are prolific, with several spawns a year. The easiest fishing
occurs during April and May, before fry from the first shad spawn become big enough to
attract the attention of the predator fish. Big channel catfish spawn along the dikes in June.
18-pound catfish have been caught in the Bay, and there are bigger ones just waiting.