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!

Vacant boat launch parking lots were common around the East Central Wisconsin the past several weeks.  Many outdoor enthusiasts have traded in their fishing rods for hunting gear temporarily.  Weather conditions have provided area fishermen with a smorgasbord of temperature extremes.  As a result, the water column is deeply stained with water temps in the low to mid 50’s.

Perch action remains strong system wide.  This continues to be one of the best perch years in recent memory, and the prospects for long term success look to be grandiose based on the sheer numbers of small perch being caught.   There are several thought processes as to why these conditions exist, but the increase in aquatic rooted vegetation seems to be the main factor as it provides places for the young of the year to thrive.

The best perch action remains in the transition zones from 8-11 feet, where a gravel/sand bottom exists.  Most types of worms or crawlers have been productive.  A few anglers have tried minnows with some success.  Areas around wed beds should not be over looked, especially where the weed line is along a break leading to deeper water.

The entire season, perch have been thick in and around Fisherman’s road.  This trend continues, but has slightly slowed from past weeks.  The west shore has had some improved action from Fraction Island all the way north to Oshkosh.  The reefs in and along Neenah have been producing well also.  Don’t overlook the Brothertown area or the Fond du Lac River either.  I’ve witnessed some nice perch coming out of the FDL River this week. 

The Department of Natural Resources is conducting their fall “census” of the fish populations.  They have been seeing large numbers of walleyes and small mouths in the shallows at dusk along the east shore.  The good news is the walleye population is strong, even if fishermen cannot catch any currently.

Bluegills have been taken with more regularity, especially in some of the bays along the weed edges.  Pike are also active in these same areas. 

I made a trolling run last week, with limited success.  Crawler harnesses out produced cranks on the Off Shore planner boards.  White Bass were the most common fish, followed by sheephead.  No walleyes were caught during the trip.

The Wolf River is starting to have walleyes showing up in good numbers.  Check shallow water (low current) with jigs and a minnow or Gulp.  White bass are present, but not in huge numbers.  Water temperatures are in the low 50’s and the water levels remain high in the river.  Check submerged wood for crappies. 

The Winnebago Fishing League is coming together well.  You can now access the website of www.winnebagofishingleague.com for further details.  We will start accepting participants in approximately 45 days.  Should you have questions related to the league starting in 2011, please feel free to contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Next fishing report as conditions change, and more current updates can be found on the Twitter feed on the main page or at the Facebook fan page located at http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Fond-Du-Lac-WI/My-Fishing-Partner/222624783318.  Happy Hunting and fishing to all!