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Reports Lake Winnebago, WI

Winnebago Fishing Report 1-4-10

Lake Winnebago took a punch from Mother Nature last week with a strong warming trend and light rain.  Like the true champion Winnebago is, she took the punch without too much pain.  Ice conditions are compromised currently, with very inconsistent ice over parts of the lake.  In general, about a foot of ice can be found lake wide, but local law authorities are advising vehicle travel be avoided currently.   During a rescue this past weekend the rescue vehicle (air boat) broke through the ice several times on the way to shore outside of Brothertown.  The West Shore seems to have better ice currently.

Heavy pressure from fishermen was seen during the past week.  The pressure in several concentrated areas has resulted in some negativity in the fish.  Get away from the crowd, and consistent bites can be found easily.  Shad schools are huge, and it may be a tough walleye bite to start this winter.

Small perch have dominated the catches.  Lake Winnebago has a bright perch future assuming these fish grow to be adult spawning size.  It is not uncommon to hear reports of 50 small perch in a half day of fishing, especially along the west shore.  Along the east shore, small bass have been a nuisance.


A couple of select locations:

Wendt’s:  This area continues to have the heaviest pressure on the lake.  Perch are very common, along with bluegill, crappie and a few bass.  The fishing pressure has slowed fish activity in this area versus prior weeks.

North Fond du Lac Area:  Similar story to Wendt’s with a few larger perch in the mix.

Fond du Lac:  Reports of some good perch action in front of Lakeside Park.

Calumetville:  Tough ice conditions, but some dandy white bass being reported. Just a note:  If you are heading to the East Shore, Val’s Bait (Stockbridge) is no longer in business.  You may want to grab some bait before heading in that direction.

Black Wolf:  Perch, gills and crappies are consistent catches.

Oshkosh area:  Perch are less common, but there are some reports of walleyes starting to bite in deeper water….if you can get there on a four wheeler.  The Garlic Island area has been best for walleyes.  In addition, walleyes can be found at 3.5 miles out of the Waugoo Ave access point (North of the Fox River) on metallic spoons tipped with spikes.

North Shore:  The fire lanes have been slow.

Lake Poygan:  The Lake took a beating during the warm spell.  The ice is getting better, but fishing was extremely slow.

Bridges could go out on the lake as soon as this weekend, if ice conditions improve.  The past week’s rains have smoothed the ice surface, so be sure to have some “creepers” handy when you get on the ice.  We are getting into prime time now, so definitely plan a trip soon to the lake.

The Winnebago Fishing League is now accepting applications.  A full field will consist of 36 anglers.  Do not wait until the last second to reserve a spot, as they might be gone!  You can sign up at http://www.myfishingpartner.com/portal/shop-online or read more about the league at www.winnebagofishingleague.com.  Until next report, check back for updates on our face book page or drop me a line at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Also, you can now follow my blog on the Wisconsin Outdoor Fun website.  http://blogs.wisconsinoutdoorfun.com/blogs/wof/wofschramblog/ Here I give you some random thoughts about the fishing world and all things Lake Winnebago.

Winnebago Weekly 12-27-10

Winnebago Weekly

12-27-10

Lake Winnebago has once again become the focal point of area sportsmen.  Solid ice conditions across the region have allowed fishermen access to many areas of the lake traditional not accessible this early in the season.  Most areas in the southern portion of the lake have nearly a foot of ice, topped with about 2-3 inches of fresh snow.  Northern portions of Lake Winnebago have ice reports in the 5-12 inch ranges.  Lake Poygan also reports in with approximately a foot of decent ice; however the surface does have some slushy locations.

Vehicle travel is not advised; however, there are trucks venturing out onto Lake Winnebago currently.  None of the bridges have been placed as of Saturday.  The ice build up (heaves) near the cracks makes vehicle travel difficult.   The West Shore Fishing Club is currently manufacturing new bridges, and they should be ready to go in the next few weeks if not sooner.  Thanks Guys!

Lake Winnebago has some areas of solid activity.  The best area on the Lake is near Wendt’s on the West Shore.  The common bag includes some nice sized bluegills, crappies, and a ton of small perch.  The perch and gills can be caught on a small jig and waxies.  Crappies have been attracted to small minnows.  Expect to have a lot of company in this area if you choose to fish here.

We fished the Old Chaparral area south of Wendt’s several times the past week.  This area also featured some strong perch schools moving through the area in the 4-7 foot ranges.  Many of the fish were on the smaller size, but with enough time on the ice, a limit of decent perch could be found.  Our best bait was the Custom Jigs “nuclear ant” in orange.  We tipped these jigs with red spikes (Available at River Haus in Fond du Lac).  A spring bobber was a must as the bite was extremely light in most cases.

Some four wheelers are venturing out of Ceape Street in Oshkosh, and there are some reports of anglers catching walleyes in this general area.  No details as to which method is available yet.  Asylum Bay and Miller Bay are producing big numbers of small perch.

Lake Poygan has had some decent pressure from area anglers with a typical bag of white bass and an occasional stray (small) walleyes to show for their efforts.  Perch are also common.  Overall, this area has had some very inconsistent reports of fish activity and really is a day by day and hour by hour situation.  The Wolf River is still holding good numbers of decent male walleyes.  A jig and a minnow is the best tactic currently.  As the food sources become depleted in the river there should be a migration of walleyes back down into Lake Poygan.

Just a reminder: Tew’s Two in Oshkosh and River Haus in Fond du Lac offer some of the best assortment of live bait in the area.  Stop in and check out their great selection of minnows, spikes, eurolarve and other items.  Have a Happy New Year!  Please drop us a note as to how your last fishing adventure went on the ice.   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The long range forecast is calling for some warm temperatures and the possibility of rain.  Please be careful on the ice, and remember ice conditions can change rapidly.

Winnebago Fishing Report 12-6-10

12-6-10

Lake Winnebago is currently transforming into a big sheet of ice as anglers anxiously await the start of the ice fishing season. Some of the bays have become frozen, including Miller’s Bay and Asylum Bay in the Oshkosh area. The Harbor in Fond du Lac has also frozen over, and local reports indicate about 2 inches of ice along the shorelines. Lake Poygan has reports of ice as thick as four inches currently.

Predicted outdoor temperatures will be at or below the freezing mark, suggesting the potential for some decent ice building and formation during the next week. There has been some foot traffic onto the frozen bays, but it is highly suggested to wait until the ice has thickened to six inches or more for walking on the ice, according to multiple sources.

In the interim, now is a great time to sort the fishing tackle, make repairs, and change the mono on the reels/tip ups. It is also an excellent time to upgrade equipment due to many holiday retail specials (free shipping, rebates, free gift cards with purchases, etc.)

The Winnebago Fishing League will start in April of 2011 and run through Labor Day. More information can be found at www.winnebagofishingleague.com. The league will be limited to 36 anglers, and should fill up quickly. We expect to start accepting applications at the end of the month. The cost for the entire season is $125.00, much less than one mid-sized weekend tournament. Please feel free to contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.

Be safe and smart if you decide to venture on the ice.

Winnebago Fishing Report 12-18-10

Lake Winnebago. Lake Poygan and other area lakes endured a blizzard nearly a week ago, radically changing the ice environment.  During the storm, the northern portion of Lake Winnebago went from a frozen sheet of ice to large whitecaps after the ice layer was broken apart due to the high winds.  Ice shoves were seen in Lakeside Park in Fond du Lac, piling up to nearly fifteen feet tall in some locations.  Ice thickness was nearly 6 inches before the storm blew thru the immediate area.

Post storm recovery has been quick, and cold temperatures have reestablished the ice sheet.  Areas bays and the harbor in Fond du Lac remained relatively unaffected by the storms.  The entire lake has refrozen, but ice thickness varies greatly across the entire system.  Long term, Lake Winnebago took a hard hit from the storm, and travel conditions could be challenging for a good chunk of the season due to ice heaves.

Overall, fishing has been decent for perch and other pan fish.  Millers Bay, Asylum Bay, Wendt’s and the big hole in Fondy have large number of perch present and are easily caught on waxies and small jigs.  The size of the perch has been unimpressive, but an occasional keeper is common.  This weekend will most likely be the first true weekend of activity, outside of the bays and harbors.

Lake Poygan has had solid ice over the entire lake.  A few white bass are being reported, along with pan fish in some of the channels.  No significant walleye activity is being reported just yet.

Northern pike activity has been strong in the New London area on the Wolf River and back waters.  The big news on the Wolf system is a strong walleye bite.  Deep water holes are holding active walleyes.  The majority of these fish are mid-sized males in the 13-17 inch class.  Small jigs are working best, followed by blade baits and spoons.  Traditional Wolf River colors of orange, yellow and blue are producing the best currently.  Metallic baits are slow currently.

Some other lakes of interest:  Mud Lake (Waucousta, WI) and Round Lake (Dundee) have only small pan fish biting currently.  Fox Lake has some active walleyes.  Lake Emily (Waupun) is giving up solid numbers of decent pike.  Little Green Lake has small perch biting in limited numbers.

Be safe on and off the ice.  Have a Happy Holiday season!  If you wish to leave a report, please do so at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Winnebago Fishing Report 11-7-10

Winnebago Fishing Report

11-7-10

The first ice on the system was seen Saturday when Lakeside Park in Fond du Lac had the channels freeze over with a thin layer of ice.  Just hundreds of yards to the north of the park, fishermen were targeting perch on the main lake from their boats.  Water temps have now declined steadily to the mid 40 degree range, with a current reading of 42 degrees. 

There is very little fishing activity currently occurring on the main lake-- partly due to the cooler temperatures plus a redirected focus by sportsmen onto many of the hunting seasons currently in progress.  Perch fishing remains a solid choice when fishing Lake Winnebago.  Traditional methods (slip bobbers and dead sticks) are catching the majority of fish over the past two weeks.  The size of the perch reported has been a mixed bag, but some jumbo perch are still active.  The number of fish being caught is down from past weeks, but still is very solid, especially for the time of year.

The rivers are offering the best opportunities currently, especially the Wolf River.  The sloughs are giving up Northern Pike, Crappies, Bluegills and Bass.  Walleyes are in the main river.  The bite continues to be solid from New London down to Lake Poygan.  Minnows are the preferred bait, presented on a 3/8 ounce florescent jig.  Dragging the jig or a vertical presentation is equally productive.  Pumping flies is also an excellent tactics.  The bite is similar to an early spring bite, so it is suggested to have stinger hooks handy should you need them.

The Winnebago fishing League has started taking names of interested candidates for 2011.  Just drop me a line at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or stop by www.winnebagofishingleague.com for more league details. 

We also would like to welcome the Boat Doc in Lomira WI as one of our featured sponsored of both myfishingpartner.com and the Winnebago Fishing League.  Boat Doc offers a full line of boats (Triton, Mirrocraft, Cypress Cay, Weere's, and Caravelle dealer), outstanding service, and all the accessories to make your days on the water perfect.  Be sure to stop in to check out the showroom or drop your boat off for winterization.

The ice season is right around the corner.  This will conclude the open water reports for 2010, and the first ice reports will begin once the ice forms, probably after Thanksgiving.  Thank you for your support of the site!

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