Willard 1-4-11

[catfish77]

I took advantage of the other Willard report and hit it this afternoon till dark. Fished in the South Marina and out toward the main lake in the channel. Ice is a good 3 to 4 inches[].

Not sure if I ever found the deepest part of the channel, but I found a depth of about 14 to 15 ft. I only marked one fish outside the marina. My best luck was inside the marina in about 13ft. of water. I pulled in two jumbo perch and two baby perch. I missed several light bites as all the bites were light. They hit waxies. Hey Tubedude, care to give us some tips for Willard ice fishing...where to fish and what to use? Where are those darn crappies? lol

Justin
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[mattpeace]

i sat at the end of the dock from about 1:30 to 2:30 with no success, only had my auger and one pole with the jig left on it from my earlier trip to causey so wasn't really prepared to fish was more on a scout mission any way.
[fishon]
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[redneck_delux]

i am thinking about heading out to the marina after work tomorrow (3:00 am) probably will be a waste of time but i would sure like to score a nice walleye. any tips?

[catfish77]

That was my first time ever ice fishing Willard. Maybe drink a lot of redneck beer so you think your pole is bouncing..lol
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[redneck_delux]

no way on the beer thing i probably couldnt get past the first few without passin out after a long day at work, besides ive been on a scotch kick for the last while. nothin like some walker black to warm up the old gut. dont get me wrong i like to suck down a few keystones once in a while but cold weather warrants a more potent beverage...... i just figured id go waste an hr or so just to check things out. and i have a special tactic i have been wanting to try. probably won't amout to anything but what the hell i aint gunna catch anything at home on my couch so i might as well go freeze my butt off and have fun []

[TubeDude]

"Hey Tubedude, care to give us some tips for Willard ice fishing...where to fish and what to use? Where are those darn crappies? lol"

[cool][#0000ff]It has been a few years since I was last able to fish the South Marina through the ice. In fact, the last time I fished it in winter was before there were any wipers in Willard. In those days the lake was choked with both crappies and walleyes. Also lots of bluegills.[/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]Most crappie anglers in those days fished around the end of the small dock up in the end of the marina. And the fish were often suspended only a couple of feet below the ice. Plain white tubes or curly tails...with or without waxies...took lots of crappies then. Sometimes schools of crappies would cruise around out in the more open areas and you could actually see them going through below your hole. Less commonly they would suspend a foot or two above the bottom. In the days before good ice sonars it was always a challenge to find the fish...even though there were more of them.[/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]Used to be grundles of walleyes in the marinas under the ice. But, they were spooky and seemed to hit best right at daybreak and again right at dark. I liked to sneak quietly onto the ice just before it got light, drill a few holes and then tiptoe from hole to hole before the happy horde joined me on the ice. I usually just jigged a 1/4 oz. silver Kastmaster or a special mylar jig...bouncing them off the bottom and then bringing them up a bit. With just the right action you could usually count on banging a few small wallies on any given morning. Seldom over about 16 inches but every once in a while a big ol' mama would stretch your string. And quite a few stray cats...especially if you tipped with crawler.[/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]The main channel has been dredged and is deeper now than in former years. Maximum depth during high water is about 17 to 18 feet. So by looking at the high water mark on the rocks you should be able to figure what your deepest spots might be. Wipers usually like at least 15 feet in the winter but sometimes cruise through at mid depth. Crappies can be at any depths but last winter the 13 - 15 foot zone seemed to be best. Perch come up into the shallower water looking for small shad or the fry of their own and other species. They also cruise mud flats looking for midge larvae at times.[/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]In short, most of the species move around a lot, looking for food. If you can find the little channels they use as highways you can set up and wait for them to swim through. Or, you can drill a bunch of holes and go hole hopping from time to time to try to locate fish. Just don't stomp on the ice as you move around and once you have your holes drilled, leave your auger alone. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Fish inside a closed system (marina) seem to be more sensitive to unusual noises. And noise in a "bowl" bounces back off the sides from all directions. Fish have sensitive lateral lines and have to rely on their senses to avoid predators so they get nervous when there is a lot of activity.[/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]I have had more than one trip spoiled by a rowdy group of noisy ice stompers. I have been catching lots of fish from the school of marks on my sonar and then others crash onto the ice...and head in my direction (always). In seconds my sonar clears up and the fishing is over. It pays to go early, fish quietly and try to avoid fishing near others if you can avoid it. That's tough on Utah's hard hit waters.[/#0000ff]
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[CoyoteSpinner]

i would sure like to score a nice walleye. any tips?

Fish for anything BUT walleye, then maybe you'll catch one.

I too have hankered for to meet the toothy beast. I do hear they are spooky, but I've also heard some say they've caught them in very shallow water.
But I think the notion is good - of - drill your holes, then wait, be quiet, and then drop in. Heard of some folks that'd drill ahead of time, then walk out/over later.

TD: Any particular colors of Kastmasters? The usual "silver and gold, silver and gold" - maybe some half blue... I've got a rainbow pattern, but they don't have bows there, but bet some'd hit the pattern out of instinct (?)

I suppose the usual types of tippage. Doesn't sound like your downsizing to all them tiny winy ice jigs. The usual white wigglers and jigs you'd use other times of year?
Or both. With all their shad - I'd wondered if the fish there bite more aggressively than say the timid Mantua bunch? Perch and on up.
You're talking 'bout the S. Marina. Does the same basics apply to the N. Marina, or are there different strategies there? Doesn't have the same inlet structure, but the dock, and weeds at the south might hold friends?

Hadn't thought of the echo chamber effect, but I can see that. Sound bounces and travels - just like waves. Thinnin' of when the big party barge arrived in the quiet harbor- stereo crankin, drunk chicks dancin', waves everywhere. Yup - that'd scare off the walleye. At least THEY don't hit the ice, or maybe they ARE the loud ones on the ice - too! [laugh]

3am - yah - that should get you out before most early risers. Maybe I should try getting a few hours in before work, but I think I'll wait for me tent b4 taking that venture.

Let us know how you do (but whisper)

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Plain nickel spoons used to be the lure of choice. But nickel and blue are good too. These days you can often do well with 2" white or pearl tubes...especially if you have a good head with a bright eye. Since shad have become a forage item for all predators anything shadlike can produce. But, a white plastic with a hot red head sometimes wakes them up too. Ditto for chartreuse with red head...especially in low light.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The north marina is similar in some respects, but has a completly different layout. You can spend years learning it during its different water levels and fish movement patterns. I usually do well but I also have to find the fish on every trip.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Tip jigs with all the usual stuff...waxies, mealies, crawlers, etc. BUT...add to that PERCH STRIPS. I often tip jigs with those throughout the year and have caught more than a few crappies, wipers and walleyes on perched jigs. Of course it is also candy to kitties. I usually pre-treat my perch strips with a bit of salt and some crawdad oil. Have also tried shad oil but the crawdad seems to work better.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]And yes, the ice cap does seem to thin out the noisy power squadron crowd in the winter. Cuts way down on the bugs too.[/#0000ff]
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[catfish77]

Thanks TD...good to know about crappies being only a few feet under the ice. At PV, it seems they're usually deeper. Let me know if you want to head out.

Justin
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]It ain't that the crappie prefer one depth or another. They follow their groceries. In Pineview the baby perch go to the bottom of the deepest holes...so the crappies follow. In Willard you will find crappies wherever there are young shadlets. In Utah Lake they will also be shallow. They gots no choice.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Stay in touch. Willard is definitely on my target list. But so are a lot of other places. That can be confusing to us old guys.[/#0000ff]
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[chickendude1234]

So was the gate to the south marina open then? or was there a lot of walking involved getting to the marina?
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[catfish77]

open
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[The_Red_Leaker]

Does anyone know if the North Marina is open? I am a bit more familiar with that area of the lake but I have never ice fished Willard. My time there has been spent in the Red Leaker during warmer times. TD thanks for the info. you posted concerning Willard and some of its fish patterns; that knowledge is definitely appreciated.

I'm planning to be on Willard by sunrise Friday morning and wouldn't mind company if anyone is interested. I promise I'm not an ice stomper.....

[CROSSINEYES]

pan fish like shallow weed beds early ice mid ice they go to main lake deeper holes oxigen levle is depleeting shallow in bays by then and at last ice they head back in shallow bays with inlets. strait off infisherman and iceaholics anonimus.[] never fished them before but have the videos.
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[wiperhunter2]

The willard bay park manager agreed to leave the gate open at the south marina all winter but just like the north marina, you have to pay to go in.
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[CoyoteSpinner]

And clean up all your trash and bits and stuff, or they'll close it again. We had a warning earlier when someone got them to clear a snow-pile to open the road to the north parking.

Pack out more than you packed in. It's all good!