Willie Lake

How big is Willie Lake?

How deep is Willie Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Willie Lake?

What are the closest cities to Willie Lake?

Are there boat launches on Willie Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Willie Lake?

Willie is a small lake (191 acres) located south of the City of Litchfield in Meeker County. A state-owned access with gravel parking and a double cement plank boat ramp is present on the west shore. A separate fishing dock is also present at the public access. Willie has approximately three miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of seventeen feet. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) has divided Minnesota's lakes into 44 different classes based on physical and chemical characteristics. Willie is a class 34 lake and other similar waterbodies in the Hutchinson Fisheries Management Area are Greenleaf Lake and Long Lake near Dassel, both in Meeker County. Willie's 2017 lake management plan listed Walleye as the primary management species, while Northern Pike, Black Crappie, White Crappie, Yellow Perch, Bluegill and Largemouth Bass were secondary species. The Willie Lake fish population occasionally suffers partial winterkills with the most recent event occurring in 2023. Fish populations can fluctuate widely depending on the severity of the latest winterkill event.

Walleye, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass and Common Carp were not sampled in the 2023 gill nets. However, Bluegill and Largemouth Bass are typically not sampled well in gill nets. Low numbers of dead Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Common Carp, Black Crappie and White Crappie were observed at the public access and outlet area of Willie Lake following ice-out in 2023.

Low numbers of Northern Pike were gill netted this year with fish averaging 22.8 inches in length. Approximately 25% of pike netted were 26 inches or longer. The longest pike sampled was 26.8 inches. Northern Pike regulations were revised at a statewide level beginning in 2018 to better accommodate regional differences in pike habitats, population abundances and size structures. Three management zones were established for Northern Pike, with their own bag limit and length limit restrictions. In the north-central zone, where Willie Lake is found, anglers can keep up to ten Northern Pike, but no more than two fish can be longer than 26 inches; and all pike from 22 to 26 inches must be immediately released. Darkhouse spear fishermen are allowed to have one pike within the protected slot limit in their possession. This zone regulation is meant to reduce small pike abundance by shifting population size structure back to more medium and large sized pike.

Low to moderate numbers of Black Crappie were netted in 2023, but average size was small (5.6 inches in length). The longest Black Crappie sampled was only 7.1 inches in length. Moderate numbers of White Crappie were netted in 2023, but average size was small (6.8 inches in length). Only two fish were over 9.0 inches in length. The longest White Crappie sampled was 11.6 inches. Anglers may also encounter Hybrid Crappie at Willie Lake. A Hybrid Crappie is a cross between a Black Crappie and a White Crappie. Low numbers of Yellow Perch were netted and all were small. The longest fish sampled was 6.4 inches. However, Yellow Perch play an important role as forage at Willie Lake. Additional fishes sampled in the 2023 gill nets included Bigmouth Buffalo, Black Bullhead and Brown Bullhead.

People can have significant impacts on lakes and the fish populations they support. Overharvest, lakeshore development, removal of shoreline vegetation, and introductions of invasive species can all adversely affect fish populations. Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are typically moved from infested to non-infested waters by anglers, boaters and lakeshore owners, and can adversely impact lakes and fish populations. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants and animals from their watercraft and drain all lake water from their boat and bait buckets before leaving the lake. If you suspect an infestation of an invasive species in this lake, save a specimen and report it to a local MNDNR office. Additional information on all of these topics can be found on the MNDNR website (www.dnr.state.mn.us) or by contacting the Hutchinson Area Fisheries office.

What is the average air temp for Willie Lake?