I have been reading all the recent Willard posts with pure envy as I have yet to catch a walleye in Utah. I hit the southwest corner last week before the weather turned hoping for some great fishing but the wind came up about an hour before sun down and never let up. I have heard a little wind is good but this was kicking up 3 foot waves. Needless to say all i caught was cold feet and bits of moss. I am born and raised here but only fished for trout. I spent 4 years in Iowa where I became a lover of Walleye and all panfish. I feel confident that I have the gear and technique to get them but never seem to hit the right area at the right time (not to mention I can never get out fishing as much as I would like). I plan on hitting Willard tomorrow night from dusk on. Do those of you with experience there think I have a chance or is the spawn done? Any other tips or thoughts would also be appreciated.
Hey fishindoc, the fishing will just keep getting better for the next month. Not much size to the walleye on average(15-20). I’m sure there are plenty of biguns in there though. try getting away from the crowds and fish farther down the west dike. Those fish at the corner have seen a lot of jigs/rapalas. Biggest peice of advice I can give you is sloooooow retrieve speed. That will change as the water warms. let me know how you do. I have to go fish in star valley (visiting the in laws) all weekend and ill be dying for a Willard report.
Thanks for the advice. I’ll be sure to let you know how it turned out (good or bad). That’s good to know that the spawn isn’t coming to a close. It always seems like I am late catching them so time to turn over a new leaf.
I think the spawn is pretty much over, but that will just help fishing.
I see, so the spawn is likely done but the post spawn action is potentially as good or better? I never bothered fishing the spawn in Iowa. They always seemed willing to play if you had a nice healthy minnow or crawler.
Caught 2 this evening. 1 was a ripe male the other a spawned out male. 1 at 17 (ripe) the other 21. Definitely going to be a second spawn or long spawn year. Troll slow… .7 miles an hour or less.
Nice, how late were you out? I am trying to figure out when I should hit the water and how late to keep trying.
4 pm to 10. I would stay till 9 and call it after that. Or I would warts at 3 am and go till noon.
I wouldn’t call if fast and furious, but the action was steady from 4:00-6:30am last Friday. My father in-law also picked up 3 the day before. I would say that the spawn is NOT over as the rock around me was covered in milt. Looked like my two boys had had a pudding fight on the rocks 
. Still a lot of horny eyes in that pond. 
Nice catch, I would love to get a few like that. Do you think you do better in the early a.m. or from dusk on?