South Willow Lake

South Willow Lake is a lake in Grant County, Washington and covers about 37.39 acres.

South Willow Lake can be broken down in a few passes: shallow cover, the first break, and the deepest useful water.

Fish and Baits

Fish listed for South Willow Lake include Bluegill, Brown Bullhead, Largemouth Bass, Pumpkinseed, Rainbow Trout, and Yellow Perch.

During the first pass near the outside weed line close to shade, keep a small jig tipped with a worm or minnow close to bottom on a shelf for yellow perch.

During a cool spring morning near the outside weed line after a cold night, use a small jig, worm, or tiny plastic around green weeds and protected pockets for bluegill.

During a cold winter outing near a soft-to-hard bottom change beside useful cover, work a soft plastic, jig, or spinnerbait around weeds and protected cover for largemouth bass.

During the final pass near scattered wood away from empty shoreline, use a worm on the bottom in a warm, quiet pocket during low light for brown bullhead.

During a low-light period near an open-water edge near firm bottom, Other targets listed here include Rainbow Trout; give each one its own bait and depth instead of trying to catch everything with the same rig.

How to Read the Water

During a slow shoreline pass near the outside weed line before changing areas, use wind as a clue; a light push can carry food toward a bank, but hard wind may muddy it, so look for a clean edge near a point or protected pocket.

Season by Season

While using a short cover-to-depth check near an open-water edge where food is present, spring runoff can add color and pull fish toward fresh water; green weeds and the first drop become stronger summer targets; in fall, follow bait toward points and shallow flats, while winter rewards a slower search.

A Simple Tackle Plan

During a slow shoreline pass near a windblown shore with stable weather, a light spinning rod, thin line, a few small spoons, inline spinners, and jigs cover the listed trout; carry one slightly heavier setup when other fish or windy water call for more control.

During the last hour of daylight near a firm-bottom flat near visible bait, record the wind, water color, depth of the first bite, and cover after a bite; those four notes are more useful on the next trip than a long list of spots that did not produce.