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126-acre lake in Huron County, Ohio. The lake tops out around 46 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Shoreline on the chart totals 2.4 miles. A shoreline index of 1.2 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. 12% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. End to end it runs roughly 0.8 mi, about 0.6 mi across. The water lies in Huron County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Shelby Reservoir #3, 10 mi south of here.
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. Main-lake point is the standout, a point at roughly 11 ft, rated prime for fall largemouth bass. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (42 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring puts crappie in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 25 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Spring crappie concentrate at Back-bay flat, a prime-rated feeding flat around 7 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (11 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (11 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (44 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bluegill in 1 to 6 ft. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 15 ft, wintering in 10 to 25 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a feeding flat in the 11 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (11 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (11 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (11 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
In spring, channel catfish run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 40 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 44 ft, rated prime for winter channel catfish. Time it for after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (11 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Shallow bay flat (11 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (11 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (44 ft) |
Structure-wise the chart holds 6 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 44 ft.
Access data: Ohio DNR — Boater & Stream Access. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Ohio waters are set by the Ohio DNR Division of Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Willard Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ohio fishing regulations →
Willard Lake is about 46 ft (14 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish on Willard Lake. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Main-lake point is the top-rated area: a point in about 11 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For largemouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Willard Lake is regulated by the Ohio DNR Division of Wildlife. Check the official Ohio regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Shelby Reservoir #3 10 mi · Monroeville Reservoir 12 mi · Bellevue # 5 12 mi · New London Reservoir 12 mi · Norwalk Upper Reservoir 13 mi · Bellevue # 4 16 mi · Outhwaite Reservoir 21 mi · Riley Reservoir 21 mi · Bucyrus Reservoir #2 22 mi · Beaver Creek Reservoir 22 mi · Raccoon Creek Reservoir 23 mi · Wellington South Reservoir 23 mi
See how Willard Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Ohio · best crappie lakes in Ohio · best bluegill lakes in Ohio · best channel catfish lakes in Ohio
Browse all Ohio fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.