Lake Whitefish fishing at Willow Island Lake

Start shallow in spring: lake whitefish sit in 13 to 42 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 13 to 42 ft, and winter fish hold in 13 to 42 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 36 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. A blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon covers the summer program.

Cisco (Lake Herring) fishing at Willow Island Lake

Spring cisco (lake herring) on Willow Island Lake hold shallow, usually 10 to 40 ft. They move out to 13 to 42 ft in summer and finish the year down in 13 to 42 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 36 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning. Summer baits: a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic gets it done.

Walleye fishing at Willow Island Lake

Spring walleye on Willow Island Lake hold shallow, usually 4 to 15 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 15 to 35 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 19 ft that scores prime in fall. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.

Yellow Perch fishing at Willow Island Lake

Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 5 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.

Northern Pike fishing at Willow Island Lake

Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 5 ft that scores prime in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage covers the summer program.

Smallmouth Bass fishing at Willow Island Lake

Spring smallmouth bass on Willow Island Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 13 to 42 ft. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 11 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Tie on a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig and you're in the game.

How deep is Willow Island Lake?

Willow Island Lake is about 42 ft at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.

What fish are in Willow Island Lake?

Anglers target smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, lake whitefish, rock bass, cisco (lake herring) on Willow Island Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on Willow Island Lake?

Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 36 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.

When is the best time to fish Willow Island Lake?

For lake whitefish, the summer bite is best in early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.