New Willard Pond?

Utah Fishing Reports & Discussion Utah Fishing General
1
2

Stocked Nine Inch Trout

3
4

Correct.

5

I have sent an email to the “inside source”.  He is busy so he does not get to his personal email all that often, but I will try to call him later.

6
7
8
9

So is this pond like a community pond? Kind of an area for the campers kids to hang out while Dad hits the big pond in the boat??? Is it inside the state park so you need a paying pass to access it? Can you use floatation devices like pontoons on it? Looked like they did a lot of structure as they were building it, will be fun to see how things turn out…Later J

10

They are fencing in the pond and you have to go through the pay station to get to the new road leading to the pond, so I would be very surprised if it is free. If you are camping or have paid to get past the gate, I doubt there would be any additional charge. It was made only for shore fishing and float tube, pontoons and kayaks, there is a nice concrete launch ramp.

11

I just did a drive by recon of Willard north today on the way home from the BRBR. That new pond looks like it’s gonna be nice when completed. But the water level only looks to be about maybe 25% . I kinda think it may not officially open until much later this year, or maybe next year after ice off. 

12

Thanks for the info Curt and Forest… It will be fun to see how a controlled environment does… Looks deep enough that it will be fun to see what grows up in that pond… Later Jeff

13
14

I guess we will see what happens next but IMO the new pond is full. From week to week I’ve been watching the water level rise, it went over the berm, by several feet, where there is nothing but sandy beach above, then they let the water level drop. I don’t think they would have let the water level drop, if they were still trying to fill it. On another thread I stated what the Willard park manager told me last year, the plans was to have it open and stocked by Memorial day this year. Since I talked to him last Fall, those plans could have changed but just looking at the amount of work they have done this years there, I’d be surprised if it did not open soon.

I was also told the pond would be stocked with the same pan fish that are in Willard. If they have not stocked anything but trout at this point, I can only assume they were not able to get the pan fish stock they wanted to get before the pond opened, so they put trout in there, just for Memorial day.

15

I know the design engineer so I have some information as to what is the intent. Keep in mind that once it leaves design, other powers make the final decisions.

  1. Yes, the pond is full. It is actually a little fuller than one would expect based on the level that Willard Creek was pre-pond. The sand above is for beaches, as requested. This low water year did slow the fill rate substantially.

  2. The pond was 15’ deep before the work started. It is now 45’ deep. An Aerator was installed recently that pulls the cold water from the bottom and drops it over a

online pic share

cascading rock waterfall. This should keep the trout healthy all year around.

  1. Only about 400 trout have been planted, 100 each in 4 plantings. It seems like a waste of time and money to drive there with just 100 fish at a time, unless it is for something else. I have seen this done after killing off water to confirm the water is now safe to stock.

  2. Baby Bluegill were reportedly stocked, from out of state, in exchange for walleye eggs. The local certified source for Bluegill, crappie, and perch is Pineview. Unfortunately, with Pineview down so low, the panfish are not in cover and when they tried to shock up some transplants they pretty much failed.

  3. I seriously wonder how many trout actually survived with all of the Grebes and Cormorants that hit the pond.

  4. Fisheneer has it right regarding the stocking plans, opening plans, etc., but I bet he will admit that one rolls with the punches when we have water conditions like this year.

16

Wow, a cascading rock waterfall, I was wondering what that line of rocks were for, cool idea. It wasn’t working when I was last there, any idea when they will turn it on? If the DWR wants to get all those fish from Pineview, it seems like the best solution would be to have fishermen catch them there. Last Fall we caught plenty of crappie, perch, even a few bluegill at PV, most were too small to keep but I’d be willing to bet we could get a number of fisherfolks together on a Sat if they were interested in giving it a try this Spring, before they start charging to launch there or better yet have them wave the launch fee for one day so they could accomplish this goal.

17

They turned it on on Friday. I don’t know if it was intended to stay on for now or just a test.

You have a point about the fishermen. I don’t know how long it would take to get this organized and I don’t know how long before they start charging fees, is that not this next Saturday?

I think Fisheneer has connections within the Fisheries department so if you can tell me when the fees start and give me an idea of organization time for BFT, maybe he can see if the State can react that fast.

I tried to post a video of the energy dissipater at the top, but it won’t load. I included a still instead.

18
19
20