Willow Reservoir

Willow Reservoir is a named reservoir in Oneida County and the best numbers we have right now are about 4,217 acres and a maximum depth of 30 feet, and those numbers are a useful reality check before you start making a fishing plan.

A quick look at the water

I would keep the first trip pretty simple with a short rotation through one manageable section of the lake instead of trying to cover the whole thing and I would take a couple of bites in one type of water over a dozen pretty spots with no life.

Recorded fish species

On the species side, Willow Reservoir currently has Black Crappie, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Muskellunge, Northern Pike, Pumpkinseed, Smallmouth Bass, and Walleye, plus 1 more on record; so I would pack with weeds, wood, rock, or docks for bass and points, breaks, and wind-pushed edges for walleye, and stick with what produces signs of life.

My basic approach

If we were fishing Willow Reservoir together, I would choose a few spots that look different from one another and give each one a fair chance, then I would confirm the current rules before the first fish ever comes over the side.