Just wondering if anyone has heard anything about the lake problems with shad or if anyone is even trying to fish it. Might try it here soon but not sure it would be worth the trip. Just asking so thanks for any info guys ....

They should have biologists reports available along with stocking numbers. I heard the walleye fishing was improving, if that helps. The more apex predators less shad...

Thanks Slabfinder.... Might just give it a try later this week , used to love fishing the lake , then it just started going down hill.

It really depends on what you're fishing for.  I still find it to be the best bass lake in the area.  while numbers have been down significantly the past few years, the size of the average bass I caught was awesome.  This year, it's been a mix of smaller fish with the bigger ones and overall catch numbers have been way up, which tells me the lake is recovering.  As stated, the walleye fishing has improved from what I hear.  Its really the pan fish that has taken the biggest hit.  Hope this helps. 

Thanks Basaster5...mainly walleye & bass , and yes always has been an awesome bass lake. Knew the panfish has been bad . Last year was really bad for me, did get a few bass , panfish if any were small and couldn't find a walleye. Did get some slabs at Pymatuning.Then on my 5th trip out my 9.9 motor blew up, pretty much ended my season early. Got a new 20 motor and ready to go 😀...have been to Pymatuning once this year about a week ago some slabs but nothing to write home about. So figure might be time to get back to Wilhelm ... besides 100 miles round trip to Pymatuning & 50 miles to Wilhelm... Thanks again for the info.

Steve, Wilhelm is practically in my backyard and I've fished that lake for many years.  In her beginning she produced some of the finest hammer handle sized Northern by the dozens.  In the 70s & 80s some bragging size bass were (5lb +) caught along with Musky, Walleye, Crappie, Gills and now, sizable Northern.  As time passed, the walleye became fewer and fewer as did the Crappie and Northern and so did the vegetation.  Places where weeds were so heavy you could practically walk over them became barren of any growth and this continues to be the case.  Bass however, continued to thrive making 5 lbs common, and 8 to 10 pounders being taken often enough that the news of such catches, just wasn't as exciting anymore.  I find it amazing; the amount of Walleyes stocked from year 2000 to 2014 vs the amount of Bass stocked over the same time period. All these fry and fingerlings stocked and the walleye fishing nowhere what it was pre 90s and before trophy Bass lake projects. (http://fbweb.pa.gov/stocking/WWCWStockingDetailsHistorical_RFP.aspx)
 
Anyway, I did notice last year, there seemed to be far less of the Shad appearing in Wilhelm.  Don't know, maybe that's wishful thinking or, maybe I just wasn't there at the right times.  But I do know, as in the past, there was not the weed growth as once was.
 
I had hoped to hit Wilhelm this week but with this cold front moving in I don't know if the lake is worth wasting the gas.   Time will tell..................
 
Good fishing. 

Depends what you like . Ice fishing I limited on ok gils once . But only once cuz I didn't feel like filleting much the other times I fished . 5-7 inches . Not hogs at all but I was generally surprised with the shoulders they had compared to other years . Every summer me and my buddies fish the main causeway at random for crappie . Always catch a ton with maybe 10 keepers mixed in . But last year the big crappies I saw caught were actually healthy slabs but still not in numbers . I do however feel like it rebounding . I'm old enough to remember the fishing before it plummeted . We used to make 5-6 trips a year where all day long you'd catch slabs . The roadbed bite near the propagation area used to be unreal in the fall

John .... Yeah , I remember the good old days , guess I'm old enough too 😀.. Used to always hit Pymatuning early for slabs & to put fish in the freezer then work Wilhem hard for bass & walleye. My son will be 39 so I've been around for awhile. Do remember catching the northerns at the causeway used to get tired of catching them but sure wish we had those days back. Daughter lives on Ollie road just past the causeway, grandson is heading back to college to get his Masters soon so figured we could get a fishing trip in here.... Remember one time we launched at the marina , trolled down to launch 2 and son caught a 26",21"& 20" walleye on first pass on Hot & Tots ... Yep those were the days, Good luck fishing this year.....

Good night on the Wilhelm ... Bass comes in on Saturday and I caught 2 nice bass which I released... Go figure !! Did catch fish some small though , perch wasn't to bad .... But my grandson had the monster of the night .....25" ... 6lbs ....walleye trolling with HOT & TOTS .... so guess maybe getting better !   

Nice catch...................... Congratulations!
 
 Keep pictures like that coming!
 
I'd be awwwwwwwwwwwfully disappointed if ya didn't see large schools of shad hitting the surface while yinz was there!