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Willard Bay Map
#1
I found this map someone gave me a few years back. The DWR dropped some tire reefs and Christmas tree bundles several years back. By now I'm sure the trees have disolved. If anyone notices the tire reefs on their fishfinder please share the GPS coordinates. Also if you share any other coordinates with a description and I will compile them all on a new map to share.

Thanks
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#2
As a long time fisherman of Willard I have never seen reefs in the spots on your map? except the island, there is a drop off on the flat on the east side where it say SHALLOW! on your map also. and the hump over by the outlet is really there but never marked any of the others and have trolled the whole lake.

Maybe I just missed them?
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#3
The map is quite old and the reefs were marked when I got it. I also fish Willard a lot and haven't noticed them except for the SW corner. A few times I have trolled over what could have been tires. Unfortunatally I didn't mark them. Now that I found the map I intend to look for them. They may have been removed or sunk into the mud.

Thanks for the info.
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#4
I know where a few of those are. I will have to get some structure scan screen shots and post em. The christmas trees are still there. Most of the branches are gone but the trunks are still intact. I have looked at a few of them with the camera and the ones i saw are so wrapped up in fishing line and lures that its next to impossible to target them without hanging up. The last time I went over them with the side scan I counted over 40 of em down there. There is also quite a bit of natural structure out there. But when most people see only a 1-3 foot variance or "hump" on the 2d sonar, they ignore it. One of my honey holes outh there only shows up as a small hump on 2D sonar but ist actually about 200 yards long and ALWAYS produces fish. That ledge over in freeway bay is pretty impressive on side scan too. When I get some shots I'll post em.
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#5
The map is accurate !! Those reefs were a project of the Northern Utah Bass Association ( NUBA ) in the early 80's. The reefs were built on the shore and the National Guard donated a helicopter to lift em in place. There were at least 4 projects to enhance the structure in Willard. They are still producing fish even today !!!
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#6
Actually, the choppers that dropped those Christmas trees were from a rescue unit at Hill and I was a helicopter crew chief of that unit at the time. The maps of where the trees went was a closely held secret among the people involved in planting them. The unit was called Detachment 4, 40 Air Rescue & Recovery Squadron. This is the first time I've ever actually seen one of the maps!
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#7
I often plant artificial reefs when I go to willard. I try and use durable materials. Quite often I have been known to use Rapalas, bottom bouncers, snap wieghts, trilene, stren, and the occasional cell phone or "floating" trolling motor remotes. Im sure they still produce fish as my rods always seem to bend over in those areas[sly].
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#8
thanks for the map, interesting read i didnt know about any of that structure apart from the island......which location was supposed to be the christmas trees?
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#9
Definately an interesting map. I don't have a boat that I can get to some of those places with but it would be interesting to see what is holding around them.
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#10
Wiperhunter and I got to talking to a nice gent and his wife - Paxapunch as he signed on here. He said he had old maps of Willard before it was filled. Might write a book someday. They clearly knew how to find the Wipers. Really sweet rig they drive too.

I've heard tell there are old "roads" that extend into, across the bottom of the lake. Don't wonder if some of these are you're various favored trenches, walls, drops?

That's really cool the way this thread fanned out. Word! Down to the guy that flew the chopper that dropped the trees! Thank you all for the historical contributions. I love it!
I'd look forward to those side-viewer shots. Seen an article on those, and they sound sweet.
I think we went from myth and here-say to a whole lotta reality! (is it "bad" the tire-map leaked?)

This is a different sort of map I ran across. The thing that intrigues me is how the "road" lines extend into the water. Could have been roads lines up with service access you might think.
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