Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Early Ice Window on Lake Winnebago: Subtle Presentations for Walleye, Perch, and White Bass
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Early Ice Window on Lake Winnebago: Subtle Presentations for Walleye, Perch, and White Bass
This is Artificial Lure with your Lake Winnebago report.
We’re sliding into that early-ice window now. According to the National Weather Service for the Fond du Lac/Oshkosh shoreline, temps are hovering in the upper 20s to low 30s with light northwest wind and a mix of clouds and flurries. Sunrise is right around 7:25 a.m., sunset near 4:20 p.m., giving us a short feeding window on both ends of the day. With no real tides here, fish movement is keyed to those light changes and the current in the river mouths.
Ice conditions are still sketchy. Recent state fishing updates out of Wisconsin Outdoor News say anglers are just starting to poke out but more ice is needed on the big basins, so treat Winnebago like it’s half-finished concrete—some spots set up, some spots slush and open pockets. Spud bar every step, and don’t chase crowds blindly.
The bite, though, has been decent where folks can get out safe. Local chatter from Fond du Lac and Oshkosh shops has eater walleyes coming off the first safe shore ice and river mouths: mostly 14–18 inch fish with a few mid-20s mixed in. Perch reports are spotty but promising—packs of 8–11 inchers when you land on them, lots of sorting. A few white bass schools are still hanging near current and deeper breaks, plus the odd pike cruising the remaining weeds.
Best window has been that hour around sunrise and again right before dark, with a softer trickle of bites midday when the wind lays down. On the solunar charts, today’s stronger activity lines up pretty closely with those dawn and dusk periods, so plan your hole‑hopping around that.
Presentation-wise, keep it subtle. For walleyes, a small jigging spoon or slender spoon in gold, perch, or glow tipped with a minnow head has been the ticket. Run a second deadstick with a lively fathead or shiner 6–12 inches off bottom—lots of fish are sliding in to that easy meal. For perch, go tiny: tungsten teardrops or horizontal jigs with spikes, waxies, or a small piece of red larva. White bass are smacking small Rattle Spoons and plain hooks with minnows when they move through.
A couple of hot spots to consider, if and only if ice checks out:
- South end off Fond du Lac: inside turns and subtle breaks in 8–13 feet have kicked out mixed walleyes and perch. Work your way out from the access; don’t be the first one charging to mid‑lake.
- Oshkosh area near the mouth of the Fox: current edges and the first main‑lake breaks are holding walleyes and white bass. Stay on the safer inside areas and watch for pressure cracks.
Live bait is still king: fatheads and shiners for eyes and pike, spikes and waxies for perch. Add just enough jigging to get their attention, then let that bait hang still. In this cold water, they won’t move far, so it’s all about landing right on their nose.
That’s your Lake Winnebago rundown. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report.
This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
We’re sliding into that early-ice window now. According to the National Weather Service for the Fond du Lac/Oshkosh shoreline, temps are hovering in the upper 20s to low 30s with light northwest wind and a mix of clouds and flurries. Sunrise is right around 7:25 a.m., sunset near 4:20 p.m., giving us a short feeding window on both ends of the day. With no real tides here, fish movement is keyed to those light changes and the current in the river mouths.
Ice conditions are still sketchy. Recent state fishing updates out of Wisconsin Outdoor News say anglers are just starting to poke out but more ice is needed on the big basins, so treat Winnebago like it’s half-finished concrete—some spots set up, some spots slush and open pockets. Spud bar every step, and don’t chase crowds blindly.
The bite, though, has been decent where folks can get out safe. Local chatter from Fond du Lac and Oshkosh shops has eater walleyes coming off the first safe shore ice and river mouths: mostly 14–18 inch fish with a few mid-20s mixed in. Perch reports are spotty but promising—packs of 8–11 inchers when you land on them, lots of sorting. A few white bass schools are still hanging near current and deeper breaks, plus the odd pike cruising the remaining weeds.
Best window has been that hour around sunrise and again right before dark, with a softer trickle of bites midday when the wind lays down. On the solunar charts, today’s stronger activity lines up pretty closely with those dawn and dusk periods, so plan your hole‑hopping around that.
Presentation-wise, keep it subtle. For walleyes, a small jigging spoon or slender spoon in gold, perch, or glow tipped with a minnow head has been the ticket. Run a second deadstick with a lively fathead or shiner 6–12 inches off bottom—lots of fish are sliding in to that easy meal. For perch, go tiny: tungsten teardrops or horizontal jigs with spikes, waxies, or a small piece of red larva. White bass are smacking small Rattle Spoons and plain hooks with minnows when they move through.
A couple of hot spots to consider, if and only if ice checks out:
- South end off Fond du Lac: inside turns and subtle breaks in 8–13 feet have kicked out mixed walleyes and perch. Work your way out from the access; don’t be the first one charging to mid‑lake.
- Oshkosh area near the mouth of the Fox: current edges and the first main‑lake breaks are holding walleyes and white bass. Stay on the safer inside areas and watch for pressure cracks.
Live bait is still king: fatheads and shiners for eyes and pike, spikes and waxies for perch. Add just enough jigging to get their attention, then let that bait hang still. In this cold water, they won’t move far, so it’s all about landing right on their nose.
That’s your Lake Winnebago rundown. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report.
This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
View all episodes
By Inception Point AiThis is Artificial Lure with your Lake Winnebago report.
We’re sliding into that early-ice window now. According to the National Weather Service for the Fond du Lac/Oshkosh shoreline, temps are hovering in the upper 20s to low 30s with light northwest wind and a mix of clouds and flurries. Sunrise is right around 7:25 a.m., sunset near 4:20 p.m., giving us a short feeding window on both ends of the day. With no real tides here, fish movement is keyed to those light changes and the current in the river mouths.
Ice conditions are still sketchy. Recent state fishing updates out of Wisconsin Outdoor News say anglers are just starting to poke out but more ice is needed on the big basins, so treat Winnebago like it’s half-finished concrete—some spots set up, some spots slush and open pockets. Spud bar every step, and don’t chase crowds blindly.
The bite, though, has been decent where folks can get out safe. Local chatter from Fond du Lac and Oshkosh shops has eater walleyes coming off the first safe shore ice and river mouths: mostly 14–18 inch fish with a few mid-20s mixed in. Perch reports are spotty but promising—packs of 8–11 inchers when you land on them, lots of sorting. A few white bass schools are still hanging near current and deeper breaks, plus the odd pike cruising the remaining weeds.
Best window has been that hour around sunrise and again right before dark, with a softer trickle of bites midday when the wind lays down. On the solunar charts, today’s stronger activity lines up pretty closely with those dawn and dusk periods, so plan your hole‑hopping around that.
Presentation-wise, keep it subtle. For walleyes, a small jigging spoon or slender spoon in gold, perch, or glow tipped with a minnow head has been the ticket. Run a second deadstick with a lively fathead or shiner 6–12 inches off bottom—lots of fish are sliding in to that easy meal. For perch, go tiny: tungsten teardrops or horizontal jigs with spikes, waxies, or a small piece of red larva. White bass are smacking small Rattle Spoons and plain hooks with minnows when they move through.
A couple of hot spots to consider, if and only if ice checks out:
- South end off Fond du Lac: inside turns and subtle breaks in 8–13 feet have kicked out mixed walleyes and perch. Work your way out from the access; don’t be the first one charging to mid‑lake.
- Oshkosh area near the mouth of the Fox: current edges and the first main‑lake breaks are holding walleyes and white bass. Stay on the safer inside areas and watch for pressure cracks.
Live bait is still king: fatheads and shiners for eyes and pike, spikes and waxies for perch. Add just enough jigging to get their attention, then let that bait hang still. In this cold water, they won’t move far, so it’s all about landing right on their nose.
That’s your Lake Winnebago rundown. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report.
This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
We’re sliding into that early-ice window now. According to the National Weather Service for the Fond du Lac/Oshkosh shoreline, temps are hovering in the upper 20s to low 30s with light northwest wind and a mix of clouds and flurries. Sunrise is right around 7:25 a.m., sunset near 4:20 p.m., giving us a short feeding window on both ends of the day. With no real tides here, fish movement is keyed to those light changes and the current in the river mouths.
Ice conditions are still sketchy. Recent state fishing updates out of Wisconsin Outdoor News say anglers are just starting to poke out but more ice is needed on the big basins, so treat Winnebago like it’s half-finished concrete—some spots set up, some spots slush and open pockets. Spud bar every step, and don’t chase crowds blindly.
The bite, though, has been decent where folks can get out safe. Local chatter from Fond du Lac and Oshkosh shops has eater walleyes coming off the first safe shore ice and river mouths: mostly 14–18 inch fish with a few mid-20s mixed in. Perch reports are spotty but promising—packs of 8–11 inchers when you land on them, lots of sorting. A few white bass schools are still hanging near current and deeper breaks, plus the odd pike cruising the remaining weeds.
Best window has been that hour around sunrise and again right before dark, with a softer trickle of bites midday when the wind lays down. On the solunar charts, today’s stronger activity lines up pretty closely with those dawn and dusk periods, so plan your hole‑hopping around that.
Presentation-wise, keep it subtle. For walleyes, a small jigging spoon or slender spoon in gold, perch, or glow tipped with a minnow head has been the ticket. Run a second deadstick with a lively fathead or shiner 6–12 inches off bottom—lots of fish are sliding in to that easy meal. For perch, go tiny: tungsten teardrops or horizontal jigs with spikes, waxies, or a small piece of red larva. White bass are smacking small Rattle Spoons and plain hooks with minnows when they move through.
A couple of hot spots to consider, if and only if ice checks out:
- South end off Fond du Lac: inside turns and subtle breaks in 8–13 feet have kicked out mixed walleyes and perch. Work your way out from the access; don’t be the first one charging to mid‑lake.
- Oshkosh area near the mouth of the Fox: current edges and the first main‑lake breaks are holding walleyes and white bass. Stay on the safer inside areas and watch for pressure cracks.
Live bait is still king: fatheads and shiners for eyes and pike, spikes and waxies for perch. Add just enough jigging to get their attention, then let that bait hang still. In this cold water, they won’t move far, so it’s all about landing right on their nose.
That’s your Lake Winnebago rundown. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report.
This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI