Winnebago System Fishing Update

Walleye fishing throughout the Winnebago System seems to be at or near its annual peak, as limits of fish are being caught from Shiocton to Menasha, and everywhere in between.  Now is the time to get out with your family and friends to get in on the action!

The Wolf River is still holding good numbers of male Walleyes as well as some larger females that have stayed put after spawning in locations with an ample food supply.  Casting crankbaits and dragging jigs along the bottom tipped with crawlers have been the most productive tactics here.

Lakes Poygan, Winneconne, and Butte des Morts have also had a solid Walleye bite happening recently.  There are fish in the bays, deep main lake basins, and even fish residing in the shallow cane beds and weeds.  Trolling with Salmos, Shad Raps, and Flicker Shads will yield Walleyes right now, as will trolling spinners.  As for fishing the cane beds, jig and leech or crawler combinations have been working best, but slip bobbers will also yield fish, especially on those windy days.

The Fox River in Oshkosh has been holding Walleyes recently, with guys pulling flies having the best success.  There are lots of rough fish in this river, so live bait has been tough to get in front of the Walleyes before it is grabbed by something else.

Lake Winnebago is currently in transition, as the Lake Fly has is winding down and the fish continue to leave the shallow shoreline areas for the mud flats.  During windy conditions Walleyes have been moving shallow onto the reefs to feed, but during calm conditions the water is too clear for the Walleyes in shallow.  There is also an algae blooms that is beginning on the lake, which has brought those pesky little gnats out also.  Be prepared for these buggers if you plan to troll the mud during flat calm conditions as they will drive you nuts!  Overall the water clarity on the lake is still really clear, but finding areas of dirty water in shallow will almost always lead you to Walleyes! 

Crappies continue to be caught in great numbers around the lake, many of them even being caught by trollers pulling #4 Salmos and #5 Flicker Shads!  Crappies have completed their spawn and will continue to spread back out which will slow the bite some.

There are also several big tournaments on Lake Winnebago over the next few weekends, so remember to be safe and courteous to one another out there as we are all out there to enjoy a day on the lake!