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Reports Lake Winnebago, WI

Winnebago Fishing Report 4-12-11

Very dynamic elements are at play on the Winnebago system currently.  Lake Winnebago has seen a mass erosion of the ice sheet, and an ice free system can be expected at any time. The river systems related to the Wolf and lower Fox Rivers have high water conditions along with warming waters.  The annual walleye run is occurring and the fishing trends vary by the hour and the day.  Water temperatures on the Fox River in Oshkosh peaked on Sunday at 51 degrees, with air temperatures reaching nearly 80 degrees.  Heavy boat traffic is common throughout all river areas, but especially in Shiocton, Fremont, Eureka and Oshkosh.

Many of the walleyes have moved through the upper lakes and into the Wolf River.  Some fish remain scattered all the way from Lake Poygan to north of Fremont.  Larger concentrations of ready to spawn walleyes are in the New London and Shiocton areas.  As the warming trend continues to engulf the region, the marshes will become home to the spawning walleyes, especially after water temps reach 45 degrees on a consistent basis.

Given the current weather forecast, it is likely select female fish could complete their spawning rituals, and start heading back down river.   The males will trail in the following days or weeks, depending on the forage available.  The Wolf River Cam (on the main page) is a good way to determine the movement and directions of the fish.  Heading from right to left on the screen means they are heading upstream.  From left to right means they are heading back to their Late-Spring haunts down river.  Typically the returning fish will be higher in the water column, and may not be visible on the camera.  This week should have fish in all phases of reproduction.  Some fish will be pre-spawn, some will be spawning, and a small number will be post spawn by week’s end.

I fished the Fox River on Sunday out of Rainbow Park in Oshkosh.  The stretch in front of the launch has been producing walleyes, typically from 13-19 inches.  In almost all cases, the fish are being caught drifting vertically, with a jig.  The T-docks (from shore) are also giving up walleyes and perch.  Sawyer Creek is loaded with small perch currently.  I worked downstream from the park, and caught several catfish, broke off twice with either large catfish or sturgeon, and had a couple of walleyes come unbuttoned near the boat.  The 41 bridge looked void of fish marks on the Lowrance, and was vacant by fishermen.

River fishing is ok currently in both the Fox and Wolf.  The walleyes are “busy” with other things on their mind.  Feeding is not at a premium.  There are active feeders throughout the entire system (like the 24 hour restaurant --there is always someone having a bite to eat).  Of course, given the predatory nature of these fish, a reaction bite is always a possibility.  Fremont has been solid for walleyes, especially on the edges of slack water and the deep water holes.

During the next few days and weeks, the Fremont area will become red-hot with returning walleyes, followed by Lake Poygan, Lake Winneconne, and the Winneconne Bridge.  A trolling bite on small style crank baits will develop on Lake Poygan and Winneconne.  Small Salmo’s,  #5 Flicker shads and Rapala shad baits can be spectacular.  Parts of Lake Buttes des Mortes will also heat up from fish returning from the Eureka area.

Perch and catfish are also active.  The next few weeks will be excellent until the “post spawn blues” arrive.

Please stop by Wal-Mart in Fond du Lac, WI on Friday Night from 5-7 pm.  I will be doing a store appearance for the FLW Tour.  I would love to talk spring fishing tactics or trolling methods.  Currently, there is no seminar planned. In the mean time, drop me a note with your questions.  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  The Live-from-the-boat Twitter feed is back and active on our main page.  Next week’s report may be delayed, as I will be fishing the AIM Tournament out of Winneconne.  I need to respect the tournament rules regarding sharing information, thus creating a delay in the information.  Have a great week!

Winnebago Weekly 4-5-11

Last Updated on Tuesday, 05 April 2011 00:40

The Winnebago system is open for boat traffic on the Wolf and Fox Rivers.  Most of the lakes and backwater areas still have an ice sheet.  The Wolf and Fox Rivers have occasional ice flows moving down the river, and this trend should continue until the marshes, backwaters and the main lakes completely break down from the remaining ice.  Lake Winnebago is looking as if it will have a late “ice out” date this year.  In some areas, Ice fishing is still occurring on the main lake.

Water levels are high on the area rivers, and some minor flooding is expected within the next week.  Although there are many factors which are needed to create a successful spawning season, two key elements are already in place….high water and decent water current.

Fremont Wi has shown some signs of life with male walleyes starting to move through the area.  The fish are not thick as of yet, but have made their presence known with a decent bite occurring.  The best method has been vertical jigging, followed by pumping moderate sized jigs on the current break lines.  Orange and yellow are the dominant colors currently.

The Eureka Dam has some minor activity on the Fox River for walleyes.  Again, these are the first arriving fish, mainly males.  Shocking efforts by the DNR early last week, only netted limited quantities of fish in the area.

The system is very dynamic right now.  Things are changing by the day, and at times by the hour.  What worked yesterday, may not work today.  Be prepared to change tactics, locations and presentations possibly within the same fishing trip.

The Upper Fox River at De Pere has been very fickle.  Water temps are nearing the ideal spawning mark, and larger females are being caught with more regularity.  Friday featured walleye bags in the 100 fish ranges, yet during Saturday and Sunday it was hard work to pull five fish.   Given the current weather forecast, this week may be the peak of the spawning season at De Pere.  Purple is a dominant color in this stretch of the river.  Males can be found in the deeper water (20 foot) and a few can be found along the shallow water areas (under 5 feet) in the afternoon.  Females tend to be concentrated near the dam.  Sturgeons have been very common also.

The Wolf River cam is loaded on the main page for your enjoyment.  Thanks for visiting the site, and be sure to head out to Fremont, De pere or Eureka for some hot walleye action this week.  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it is how I can be reached.

Winnebago Fishing Report 3-24-11

Last Updated on Thursday, 24 March 2011 00:17

Seasonable March weather engulfed Eastern Wisconsin this past week.  Lake Winnebago continues to see light fishing traffic as the late ice season continues.  Ice depths have remained solid, and in many places depths of 20 or more inches of ice are present.  Area launches or access points are in tough shape.  With the exception of the Merritt Street area in Oshkosh, no car or truck travel on the ice is occurring.

There are limited reports available currently, due to fewer fishermen on the lake.  But the reports which have been coming in are suggesting a strong bite on staging walleyes.  Both the area near the mouth of Wolf River (Lake Poygan) and the Mouth of the Fox River in Oshkosh have aggressive walleyes pounding jigging raps, especially in the fire tiger colors.  No meat is required on the lure.  Many of the walleyes are in the mid water column, rather than tight to the bottom.  The same can be said for large white bass.  Merritt Street has a group of anglers at about 2.5 to 3 miles out of the launch.  The walleyes are on the move within the system, triggered by the warm water runoff from the melting snow.

The pan fish (perch and bluegills) continue to move shallow in preparation for ice out.  Shallow reefs and bays are ideal this time of year.  Locating old weed beds is vital to finding these fish.  These fish also remain aggressive, so be ready for some hard hitting action.    Yellow, Pink and orange are the dominant colors currently.  Eelpout are also active currently.

Ice conditions remain dicey overall.  Extreme caution must be used anytime you are on the move, even if by 4 wheeler.  Car and truck travel is dangerous and not advised.

With some warm weather, Depere (Upper Fox River) should be boat ready.  The ice had moved away from the dam, but the launches were still ice locked as of Sunday.

If you are looking for jigging raps, be sure to stop by River Haus in Fond du Lac.  Don just got another order in this week.  The jigging Raps are getting hard to find at many retailers because they are the bait of choice currently by anglers.  Drop me a line with your questions or fishing reports.  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Winnebago Weekly 3-24-11

Last Updated on Thursday, 24 March 2011 00:25

Lake Winnebago continues to receive only minor attention by area anglers.  Ice conditions are breaking down, especially in and around the access points and the shore lines.   In some areas the ice is nearly shot for this season, while other portions of the ice sheet features over 30 inches of ice.  There is absolutely no consistency to the ice.  Reports have the upper lakes season as nearly over, with fishermen who are trying to walk out onto the ice breaking through on Lake Poygan.  There are still solid numbers of walleyes being caught on slender spoons out of Oshkosh - if you can get to the fish.

The Lower Fox and Wolf Rivers have stretches of open water where a boat can now navigate.  Area launches are nearly ice free without exception.  There is still a lot of ice coming down the river, and this can be potentially dangerous to boats in the river.  The anglers which have tried their luck in Oshkosh report no fish catching activity to date.

The Upper Fox River in De Pere is the current area hot spot.  Conditions are changing daily, especially the volume of water flow.  The water temps remain in the upper 30 degree range, and occasionally 40 degree water temps will be observed.  Solid numbers of walleyes are present.  The majority of these fish are males, whom are waiting for the females to show up.  Water clarity in De Pere is poor, with just a couple of inches of visibility.  If you are seeking good numbers of fish, try vertical jigging the 15-20 foot depths with a small minnow.  Green has been the dominant color followed by orange, yellow and gold.  Thumper jigs add some vibration to the presentation, which is crucial in the dirty water.  Common fish size is in the 15-20 inch size, with bags between 5-25 fish per boat.

27 inch De Pere Walleye

If large females are your targeted choice, check the break lines or deeper holes adjacent to the shallow water.  A large presentation is required to get the females attention.  Adding multiple minnows or gulp products is a solid presentation.  The 27” walleye I caught this week came on a 3/8 ounce Fuzzy Grub with a glitter tale, tipped with a 4” gulp shad and a live minnow.  The big girls have not shown up in large numbers as of yet.  Water temperatures need to rise about 5 degrees to attract these fish into the area.

Good Luck this week, whether you are fishing by boat or snowmobile.  Feel free to contact me with your questions, or fishing results.  I can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Winnebago Weekly 2-26-11

The last week has not been kind to Lake Winnebago and the surrounding waters.  Initially, unseasonably warm temperatures took its toll on the ice surface, damaging the ice sheet with warm runoff water and direct sunlight.  A substantial snow storm followed, with heavy winds continuing to beat on the ice layer.  Unmarked and abandoned sturgeon holes created problems with vehicles.  By Sunday, most sportsmen had discontinued truck traffic on the lake.

The ice thickness has eroded to about 14-18 inches in most locations.  The old “roads” on the system are dangerous, and several vehicles have fallen through the ice in the last week, killing one Appleton area man.  Overall, the lake is not safe for driving on….and may not be for the rest of the ice season

Fishing reports:  There is nothing to really report currently.  Most fishermen were scrambling to pull their shanties off the lake to avoid them from freezing into the ice surface as temperatures lowered. 

I did hit the water on Saturday for a few hours.  We found a few small perch on pink jigs and waxies, but nothing which was keeper worthy.  The water column was partially stained in Fond du Lac near Schmitty’s Bar and Grill.  4-wheelers have been venturing out of the Oshkosh area in search for staging walleyes.  There have been some excellent sized fish in this area.  Wide spoons worked well this week, with no meat.    The good news is there seemed to be less bait fish.  The shad I watched on the camera were near the end of their life cycle, and struggling for survival. 

The “Battle on ‘Bago event” will still occur this weekend out of Oshkosh.  They have opened the contest to all area lakes, due to the poor conditions on Lake Winnebago.  Personally, my next trip on Lake Winnebago will be in my boat.  Speaking of a boat……the upper Fox River in Depere WI should have open water in the next 10 days, and the annual spring walleye push will begin. 

The next report will be focused on the Depere bite in a week or two. Just a reminder:  Ice Breakers 6 is coming up soon in Fremont WI (March 11-12-13).  Some of the world’s best walleye anglers will be giving seminars over the weekend.  The show is free to the general public.  Please be sure to stop by the My Fishing Partner booth at the show.  I’ll be in the house on Friday night, Saturday all day and briefly on Sunday.  Hope we see you there.  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it is how you can reach me.  I welcome your questions and fishing reports. Thanks for visiting the site!

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