Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin Fishing Report Today

Lake Winnebago sunrise this morning came at 6:41 AM, with sunset due at 7:05 PM, giving us a healthy chunk of light to work with. We're sitting in that *September sweet spot*—surface temps are cooling, fall turnover's begun, and that means fish are getting active and moving shallow. Weather-wise, this Friday’s starting off with patchy fog and calm winds, but expect it to shape up into a mild, partly cloudy day with highs flirting with 73°F. No tidal report for us inlanders, but current lake levels are stable and water clarity is decent after recent rains pushed through earlier in the week, so you can spot those fish movement patterns if you pay attention early.

Recent catch reports around Winnebago are positive. According to Wisconsin DNR updates, yellow perch action has been fantastic, especially in 15–20 feet of water—fish are taking live nightcrawlers and small minnows on slip bobber rigs, with some anglers pulling limits and sorting through a mix of sizes. Walleye bite’s been average but improving; locals are running crankbaits and three-way crawler rigs along rocky structure and breaklines, particularly around the north-west shore and the mouth of the Fox River. While you won’t see summer numbers, mornings and just before sundown have rewarded patient folks with keeper ‘eyes in the low 20-inch range.

White bass are making their September move—inline spinners and small spoons cast along current breaks in the river mouths are drawing strikes, especially when you see bait schools popping on the surface. Some good numbers of drum have shown up between Oshkosh and Fond du Lac, caught by folks bottom bouncing worm rigs. Catfish bite is still strong too—channel cats are hitting dip baits and cut nightcrawlers fished off bottom near Bowen Street Pier and just outside the river entries after dark.

Bluegills and crappie are biting for those willing to poke around the weed beds and brush piles on the west shore, particularly in front of Lakeside Park and south toward Black Wolf. Use tiny jigs tipped with waxies or a small piece of crawler; keep moving until you find an active school.

For bass, both largemouth and smallmouth are getting frisky as the water cools: plastics pitched to docks, rock points, and boat hoists have worked best. Smallmouth are stacking up on rocky shoals and points (try Jerabek’s Landing), hitting spinners early and crankbaits as the sun climbs higher.

Best lures for today:

- **Perch/Crappie:** Small jigs with chartreuse plastics, slip bobbers with minnows

- **Walleye:** Shad-pattern crankbaits, crawler harnesses, and three-way rigs with floating stickbaits

- **White Bass:** Inline spinners, blade baits, small silver spoons

- **Catfish:** Dip baits, cut nightcrawler on a weighted rig

- **Bluegill:** Tiny ice jigs tipped with wax worms

- **Bass:** Texas-rigged plastics (watermelon/red flake), shallow-running crankbaits, white spinnerbaits

Live bait’s always key for Winnebago’s panfish and walleye, but don’t overlook the effe

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Good morning anglers, Artificial Lure here with your September 17th, 2025 fishing report for Lake Winnebago and nearby waters. We’re easing into that classic fall transition now and the fish are taking notice. Let’s get right into what’s biting, what’s working, and where to wet a line today.

Today the weather’s shaping up steady, with light winds and mostly overcast skies dominating the region. The surface water temperature on Winnebago right now is 63.9°F according to seatemperature.info, which is right in the sweet spot as those cool autumn nights push fish into mode for more aggressive feeding sprees. Expect air temps this afternoon to top out in the upper 60s to low 70s with a calm breeze—perfect conditions for being on the water. Sunrise was at 6:37 AM and sunset arrives at 7:06 PM, giving you plenty of daylight to chase that bite.

Now, Lake Winnebago doesn’t have true tides, but minor surface fluctuations can happen from wind. No worry for us anglers: the most important thing is fish activity, and this week it’s on the uptick.

Walleye are starting to shuffle into fall patterns, heading toward shoreline breaks and wind-blown points. A lot of reports, both from guides and local groups, are confirming the magic is with a classic jig-and-minnow combo or a crawler on a three-way rig. During calm or sunny spurts, your daytime action can slow, but as cloud cover rolls and evenings approach, that jig bite heats right back up. For those who like it old-school, trolling perch-colored crankbaits or pulling spinners with a minnow on sandy flats around 15 to 20 feet should bring in fish, especially on the lake’s west side and the midlake humps.

Perch are biting well, especially with the water temps dropping into the lower 60s. Jumbo perch have been showing up in the shallower flats and rock piles around Lakeside Park and Garlic Island. Minnows and worms are working great, fished either on a slip bobber or a small jig. If you want a limit, move frequently until you find an active pod. A local tip: don’t forget to bring live bait—these perch are wise and sometimes nothing but the real thing fools them.

White bass action is still going strong. Look for schools busting shad near current breaks or rocky points. Inline spinners, small crankbaits, and jigging spoons are the local favorites this week.

Catfish, both channel and flathead, are still very active around river mouths and the deeper holes near the mouths of the Fond du Lac and Fox rivers. Best bet for them is a fresh nightcrawler or cut bait weighted down in the current.

Bluegill and panfish are moving deeper but can be found around submerged wood in the channels and along the rocks by Black Wolf Point. Small plastics or worms will entice them. Largemouth and smallmouth bass action is consistent these days—throw plastics or smaller crankbaits along rocky shorelines and any remaining green weed beds.

Two hot spots for today:

- High Cliff State Park area—target the rock reefs and nearby drop-o

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Artificial Lure here, bringing you the Sunday morning fishing report for Lake Winnebago and the surrounding Fox Valley as of September 14, 2025.

We’ve got another beautiful, mild almost-autumn morning underway: Stockbridge weather is mainly clear with air temps hovering around 64°F at dawn and just a touch of southeast wind at 2 mph. Barometric pressure is steady at 1018 mb with 55% humidity, making for a perfect day to get out on the big lake or test a nearby river.

Sunrise came at about 6:35 AM, and you’ll have sunlight until sunset near 7:10 PM. There’s no tidal influence on Winnebago, of course, but light winds—forecast from the southeast at 5–10 knots—mean smooth water, with waves staying at 2 feet or less all day, according to the National Weather Service. Visibility will be excellent once the early fog burns off.

Fish activity is definitely on the upswing with the cooling nights. Anglers have had decent success chasing a range of species, especially in the early morning and just before dusk. Per recent reports:

- **Walleye** action has picked up on the reefs and along the rock bars near Black Wolf and off the west shore. Stable late-summer water temps have the fish holding around 14–20 feet. Folks are doing well on three-way rigs tipped with nightcrawlers or trolling with Shad Rap crankbaits. Don’t be afraid to swap in a jig and crawler if you’re marking fish that won’t commit.

- **White bass** are busting balls of shiners near the mouth of the Fox River and along current breaks—look for gull activity to help you locate schools. Inline spinners and small, white twister tails have been hot, with some anglers reporting 15+ fish mornings.

- **Perch** are in tighter schools now, especially around gravel and weed patches on the east side near Quinney and Stockbridge. Try a slip bobber and half a crawler just off bottom for some chunky keepers.

- **Catfish**, both channel and flatheads, are still biting, especially by the mouths of inflows or in deeper holes. Weighted crawlers or cut gobies on the bottom have been the go-to.

- **Northern Pike** are sliding into deeper, cooler water but you can still ambush them near the river mouths and bay weed beds—cast bright spoons or jerkbaits.

Largemouth and smallmouth bass are also staging along rocky shorelines and around structure—work plastics or jigs slowly in the shade, especially where water runs a little deeper near docks and reefs.

For lures and bait, you can’t go wrong right now with:

- **Best Lure:** Crankbaits in perch or natural shad patterns for walleye and bass. Inline spinners or white twister tails for white bass. Spoons and jerkbaits for northern pike. Cast Again Tackle’s locally made bass jigs have been getting solid results, especially with a chunk trailer.

- **Best Live Bait:** Nightcrawlers remain the universal ticket—on jigs, slip bobbers, or rigged for trolling. Fathead minnows and shiners are excellent for white bass and perch.

For those new to the area or looking to try som

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Artificial Lure here with your Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin, fishing report for Saturday, September 13, 2025. Early risers saw a sunrise around 6:35 AM with a light haze on the water, and you can expect sunset close to 7:11 PM. No tides to watch out here, and the water temp sits right at a comfortable 70°F according to SeaTemperature.info—great news for both anglers and the fish.

Weatherwise, the National Weather Service is calling for mostly sunny skies, with a slight chance of an isolated shower in the early afternoon. Winds are light and variable, bouncing between south and east at 5–10 knots, with waves steady around a foot. That means it’ll be easy for boaters to stay on the bite without getting knocked around. The steady cooling trend that started after last week’s front is helping push fish out of their deep summer patterns and into productive fall feeding.

On the fishing front, Walleyes are starting to come in shallower, moving off the deeper summer haunts. Most folks are finding schools along drop-offs and the edges of the main lake reefs in 14–22 feet. Jig and minnow combos are working best this week, especially with the stable weather. Color-wise, don’t overlook orange or chartreuse, and if the water gets a little stained after any rain, make the switch to pink or a black/orange jig. Lindy rigs with crawler harnesses are picking up some bonus fish, too, but jigging is outperforming slow-trolling right now—stop and work likely spots rather than dragging spinners all day.

Perch action has been heating up, especially on those overcast mornings. Look for these tasty panfish in the 8–12 foot range near brush piles or isolated weed clumps. A small jig—tip it with a piece of worm or a fathead minnow—will get you into fish, and plenty are running keeper size up to 11 inches. Seasoned locals say the north shore near Stockbridge often produces solid catches.

Catfish fans with a nose for evening action are heading to the mouths of inflow rivers, working stinkbait or nightcrawlers near structure. Channel cats are regulars along the rocks and snags east of Oshkosh—just fish upstream of structure and let the scent do the hard work.

White bass have been popping up well in the main lake chutes and along current seams—especially around the south end of the lake. Toss small crankbaits, inline spinners, or even jigs tipped with plastic. Dawn and dusk are peak hours, and you’ll see the telltale surface boils if they’re feeding aggressively.

A few crappie limits came in midweek off Tundra's edge just north of Fond du Lac; small jigs in 10–15 feet on submerged wood were the ticket. Bluegills are out deeper, around isolated humps—drop a tiny red worm or waxie under a float for a mess of palm-sized slabs.

Hot spots to check today: the reefs off Garlic Island, where a mix of walleyes and white bass have been working, and the weedline just offshore from Bray’s Point, where perch and bluegills are settling in. And don’t pass on the mouth of the Fox River, es

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Good morning, Lake Winnebago anglers—Artificial Lure here with your daily fishing report for Friday, September 12, 2025.

We’re heading into the heart of late summer with a steady early fall transition this week. Weather for today starts cool in the morning, with water temps holding around 68°F. Skies are cloudy, winds light, and the forecast is for continued overcast with highs near 70. That’s prime fishing weather—especially for those early risers. Sunrise hit at 6:32 and sunset comes at 7:19 tonight.

There’s no tide on Winnebago, but barometric pressure has been stable, which always helps. Angler activity is up, especially with the cooling water. White bass, walleye, and smallmouth have been the talk of the docks, and the bite has definitely picked up since Monday’s cold front moved through.

Recent reports from Omnia Fishing show white bass have been boiling on shad schools, with excellent topwater action. The Whopper Plopper is the name of the game—cast it right where you see surface activity and there’s a good chance you’ll draw strikes. The hook-up rate is hit-or-miss, but the excitement is real.

Walleye are moving shallow. Out on rocky points, folks have been casting shallow-diving crankbaits (0–6 ft), especially near shore, and finding bites within 10 feet of the bank. Bright, flashy lures that imitate minnows—think perch pattern cranks—have produced best. Mid-morning and evening are solid bets for walleye activity.

Smallmouth are schooling up around rocky points as well. The topwater bite is happening whenever you get calm spells and a little cloud cover. Again, the Whopper Plopper brought several smallies up yesterday according to angler reports. Try working around the edges of rocky shallows and don’t be shy about varying the retrieve to match the mood.

Quantities? Several boats reported catching "good numbers" of white bass—hard to count with so much surface action, but most anglers landed at least a half dozen keepers in a morning. For walleye, catches have ranged from a couple to a half limit per boat, mostly 15–19 inch eaters. Smallmouth are less plentiful but hitting hard when you find them, with a few in the 2–3 pound range.

Best baits right now:

- For **white bass**: Topwater lures like the Whopper Plopper (shad or chromed colors).

- For **walleye**: Shallow-diving crankbaits in perch or natural minnow patterns; live minnows if you’re going old-school.

- For **smallmouth bass**: Topwater props or poppers; finesse jigs if the bite slows.

- For catfish (if you drift out by Oshkosh or Fond du Lac): Nightcrawlers or cut bait on bottom rigs.

Local favorites for hot spots this week:

- Merritt Point—great for casting at rocky structure near shore, plenty of walleye mixed in with active white bass.

- Garlic Island—especially the upstream side, lots of smallmouth and surface bass when the shad are moving.

- South shore flats, near Fond du Lac—early morning topwater for bass and white bass, plus a deeper walleye bite along the ed

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Good morning from Lake Winnebago—Artificial Lure here, reporting for all you avid anglers. It’s Wednesday, September 10th, and the lake’s waking up to near-perfect conditions. Weather is starting off partly cloudy but clearing quickly, temperature hanging in the mid-60s at sunrise and expected to push into the 70s by midday, with light winds around 2 to 5 mph from the south—just enough breeze to put a ripple on the water, but nothing that’ll keep boats off the main basin. According to Stockbridge local weather, humidity sits comfortably at 66 percent, so it’s feeling pleasant along the shoreline. Water temps lately have been steady, very early fall-like, which means fish metabolism is ticking up after a summer lull.

Sunrise hit at 6:31 a.m. and sunset slides in at 7:17 p.m., giving anglers a generous window to catch the prime bite. Tides, as tracked by sea temperature.info, are low at 2:59 a.m. and hit high at 9:08 a.m.—then drop again about mid-afternoon, so plan for those turns if you’re targeting active feeders in shallow flats or near river mouths.

Fish activity on the lake has been classic September: **walleye** have started staging on the reefs and along the west shore, prepping for their fall feed. Reports from last weekend put numbers steady, with most boats boating 4–8 keepers per outing, best size ranging 16–22 inches. Anglers are trolling crankbaits like Flicker Shads or casting 1/8 oz. jigs tipped with crawler harnesses in 7–13 feet during the mid-morning tide push.

**White bass** have been hot around river discharges and rocky points—more than a dozen landed per hour for those casting inline spinners or twister tails. If you want action and don’t mind some smaller fish mixed in, these schools are easy to locate around Oshkosh’s Fox River mouth and the Fond du Lac River side.

Night bite for **channel cats** picked up with chicken liver and nightcrawlers along rocky shorelines and the fishing jetties. Some heavy cats over 10 pounds were caught last night north of Stockbridge Harbor. Use egg sinkers and work the moderate current areas—dip baits are also turning up channels as the water cools.

**Largemouth bass** are good, especially for shore and dock anglers. Weed bed edges near Calumet County Park and the south shore have produced solid fish on spinnerbaits and frog imitations. Early mornings are best, before the sun clears out the mist.

Crappie and bluegill action is fair according to recent reports, but small jigs under a bobber and plastics seem to be the ticket around brush piles—especially in backwaters and side channels out of the main wind. Not huge numbers, but steady, with bluegills going 7–8 inches and crappie up to 11.

Best lures right now:

- **Jigs with plastics** (chartruese or white) for crappie/bluegill

- **Flicker Shads, Shad Raps, or Lindy Rigged crawlers** for walleye

- **Inline spinners and twister tails** for white bass

- **Spinnerbaits and hollow-bodied frogs** in weed beds for largemouth

- **Chicken liver

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This is Artificial Lure, bringing you your Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin fishing report for Sunday, September 7th, 2025, and let me tell you, conditions are setting up nicely for anglers across the region.

Today’s weather is true toe-in-the-water early fall: **partly sunny skies**, **high near 54°F**, with a gentle **north-northeast breeze around 7 mph**. There’s a hint of crispness in the morning air. You can comfortably expect calm waters throughout the day, perfect for a full fishing session—no big waves, so small craft anglers will be right at home. Sunrise came at **6:23 AM** and the sun’ll set tonight at **7:23 PM**, giving us a solid window for both early bites and late-night trophy-hunting. No tidal action on a freshwater lake, but wind shifts from the northeast in the afternoon suggest active fish moving along deeper weed lines.

Fish activity is on the uptick; fall pattern is just beginning to settle in, with cooling water temperatures waking up the big girls. Recent reports say **walleye** are sliding off the reefs into deeper water, 12 to 20 feet, with the occasional trophy shaking up boat crews around the lake. **Perch** numbers have been especially solid, mixing in with walleye and even showing up as bonus hookups for anglers targeting bottom structure. Folks are finding steady action on **white bass** near the river mouth and sandbars, and those who know are sticking close for some fast runs when these schools move through. Channel catfish are biting strong in the channels—typical late-summer pattern—especially at dusk.

Best lures lately? If you’re chasing walleye, the classic **firetiger and perch-colored crankbaits** fished slow and low are working best. Anglers also having luck with **jig-and-crawler combos** especially chartreuse and orange on 1/8 oz heads. If perch are the target, go simple: slip bobber with a small fathead minnow, and for bonus jumbo perch, try a piece of crawler on a gold Aberdeen hook.

White bass are hammering anything flashy—**little Cleos, Kastmasters, and Mepps spinners** are reliable choices. For catfish, local favorites remain cut bait or chicken liver; just enough scent to get ‘em sniffing upstream. Some folks are doing well with stinkbait on circle hooks in the evening.

Now, for hotspots:

- **Oshkosh Flats** is firing with perch and walleye; look for pods of baitfish on your graph and start working the drop-offs.

- **Fond du Lac River Mouth** is giving up nice white bass and the occasional catfish—drift a crawler or cast a blade bait near moving water.

- Don’t overlook the **north shore reefs near Stockbridge** for walleye at first light; work crankbaits along the breaks and you’ll likely put a few eater-size fish in the cooler.

Local chatter, as shared on the Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin Daily Fishing Report podcast, confirms solid limits for small-boat and shore anglers working the main points and bridges around the southern basin. Weekend boat traffic is thinning a touch now that school’s back

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Good morning folks, this is Artificial Lure coming to you with your Lake Winnebago fishing report for Saturday, September 6th, 2025, and what a crisp kickoff to the weekend it’s been already.

Let’s start with the weather. The air is clear, skies showing patchy sun after last night’s cooler front, and there’s a gentle southwest breeze pushing waves to 1-2 feet. Early morning temperatures hovered in the upper 50s, but expect it to climb into the low 70s by midday. Sunrise was right around 6:27 AM, and you’ll want to plan your evening bite wrap-up before sunset at 7:21 PM. Water temps are holding steady—today’s surface reading puts Lake Winnebago at 70 degrees, just nudging down towards typical fall averages according to seatemperature.info.

Tide-wise, it’s freshwater, so no tide chart for us, but wind-driven currents were noticeable along the east shore—good news for drifting.

Let’s talk fish activity. The bite’s picking up as summer wanes, and fall patterns are creeping in. According to recent updates from the Lake Winnebago Daily Fishing Report podcast on Spreaker, walleye, perch, and catfish are biting strong despite this week’s choppier waters. Yesterday, anglers reported steady walleye action drifting harnesses, along with bonus jumbo perch and a smattering of channel cats in deeper holes near the river mouths.

If you’re after bass, recent submissions to Omnia Fishing say largemouth have been lively around submerged vegetation especially near Fond du Lac and along the west shoreline. The key has been casting bladed jigs like a Z-Man Original Chatterbait in green pumpkin or purple—rip it through the grass, and the bites have been coming fast when the bait bogs down. Folks also report good numbers of keepers by following up with a Zoom Magnum Speed Worm in weed edges.

Best lures right now for walleye have been shad-imitating jointed crankbaits trolled over 8-12 feet and crawler harnesses when the breeze sets a good drift. Lindner’s Angling Edge on the World Fishing Network reminds us that jigs tipped with plastics or live crawlers still jig up plenty of marble eyes, especially when worked along gravel or rocky transitions.

For panfish, jumbo perch are mixing in with the walleyes, and small minnows or red worms on slip bobbers have put fish in the livewell, mostly near reefs off Oshkosh and in deeper channels. As for channel cats, cut bait or stinkbait from shore near the mouth of the Fox River has been steady after sunset.

Some hot spots to check: Try the reefs southeast of Oshkosh for both walleye and perch, and don’t overlook the “Horseshoe” near Brothertown—the deeper holes here have been loaded up. Up north, the “Gravel Pit” by Stockbridge has also produced a mixed bag, especially on windblown days.

Bait-wise, you can’t go wrong with fatheads, nightcrawlers, and leeches for multispecies action. Early risers have done best with a subtle presentation—slip bobber setups with plastic grubs or creature baits in watermelon or bluegill colo

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Lake Winnebago anglers, Artificial Lure here with your September 5, 2025, fishing report, dialed in right to the heart of Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, and the east shore. Let’s get started with the conditions folks are facing this morning. Water temp at the surface is reading a balmy 78.3°F according to seatemperature.info, quite a bit warmer than the average for early September. The air is cool and brisk—Green Bay started out cloudy and in the upper 50s, with the high expected to stay in the upper 50s by mid-afternoon, and breezy NW winds settling in. No tides on Lake Winnebago, but this weather’s a firm nudge toward early fall patterns. Sunrise hit at 6:25 a.m., with sunset coming up around 7:23 p.m., and those daylight hours are shrinking fast as September rolls in—Green Bay News reports we’ll lose 88 minutes by month’s end.

Let’s get to the fishing: The statewide fishing reports from Outdoor News and Wisconsin DNR last week still ring true—walleyes are now shifting to their fall bite, pulling off the main rock humps and spreading out on flats and the edges of deeper reefs. Jumbo perch are starting to mix in, and catfish are keeping night anglers busy from shore. A few bonus white bass have also shown up in the mix on hard bottom and deeper gravel bars.

For lure selection, this time of year is all about versatility. The Berkley Money Badger in Spring Craw has been hot for that 10-12 foot zone walleyes are working, especially if you’re trolling main basin transitions or working over emerging weeds—hard-thumping cranks and spinner rigs tipped with a nightcrawler are still producing, especially on wind-blown shorelines. Don’t ignore the ever-reliable chartreuse jig and minnow combo if you’re vertical jigging in current seams or deeper holes near Oshkosh.

Best natural baits right now are fathead minnows and half-crawlers for perch, while cut bait brings in channel cats after sunset. For perch, work the gravel-to-mud transition near Wendt’s on the Lake or the southwest reefs by Brothertown. Folks are reporting solid buckets of 10-12 inch perch and limit catches when the schools move through. The east shore rocks from Roosevelt Park to Stockbridge harbor are also turning up pike and the odd smallmouth on spinnerbaits and swimbaits.

A couple of hot spots you’ll want to target: the reefs just south of Streich’s, particularly during mid-morning as the sun climbs and pushes baitfish up; and the mouth of the Fox River at Oshkosh for a mixed bag as water cools and fish stage for the coming turnover.

A quick heads-up for you harvesters: while Winnebago isn’t under the recent severe consumption advisories like some Oneida County waters, always check the latest DNR updates if you’re planning on keeping a stringer.

In short, early fall patterns are here—walleyes are moving, perch are hot, and the right presentation on the right structure pays off. Weather might be brisk, but the bite is heating up, and the crowds are thinning just in time to chase those oversi

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This is Artificial Lure coming to you with your Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin fishing report for Wednesday, September 3rd, 2025.

The weather’s been a gift today for lake anglers. The National Weather Service out of Green Bay posted mostly sunny skies this morning, with gentle southwest winds around 5 knots shifting to the south and picking up to 10-15 knots this afternoon. Water remains choppy but manageable, with one to two-foot waves most of today. A southwest wind is usually a winner when targeting active late summer fish—so if you were waiting for the “go” sign, today is it. Sunset tonight is right around 7:25 PM, and sunrise this morning came up just after 6:21 AM, giving you nice long windows at both ends for those dusk and dawn feeding frenzies.

Nobody’s ever looking for a tidal report out here—we’re fresh water all the way—but what really matters is fish activity. And it’s been a solid bite. The Lake Winnebago Daily Fishing Report podcast has been highlighting lots of movement, especially in the mornings and late afternoons. With the season cooling just a touch and the sun angle shifting, the walleye and white bass are shifting shallow, working bait balls along the east and west shorelines. Anglers have been reporting good catches of eater-size walleyes, most ranging from 15 to 19 inches, with the occasional over-slot showing up near the reefs and main lake humps.

Perch anglers are finding active fish around the weed edges and gravel patches in 5 to 9 feet, with a few jumbos showing up midday, especially near Oshkosh and along the rocky points between Quinney and Pipe. According to Outdoor News and local club talk, white bass schools have been popping up hard around the river mouths and out near the bridges. Crappie are still suspending over brush and deeper timber, but some are starting to relate back to weed beds as water clarity improves.

Lure choice has been all about matching the hatch and working a little color—including purple/white swimbaits for white bass, #7 Flicker Shads in chartreuse or firetiger for walleye, and a trusty slip bobber with a half-nightcrawler for perch. Minnows or plastics tipped with a piece of crawler have outperformed plain offerings, and early mornings with glassy water have seen excellent action on blade baits or little spoons.

A couple of hot spots for you:

- First, the Fond du Lac Reef area—just offshore—is loaded with perch and walleye. Try working the edge in about 8 feet early and slide deeper as the day heats up.

- Second, the mouth of the Fox River near Oshkosh, especially in the evenings, has been a white bass magnet, with bonus catfish and sheepshead mixed in for those who drop a bit deeper outside the main current line.

Don’t forget—if you’re looking for numbers, don’t sleep on “the Horseshoe,” that southern mid-lake structure. And keep an eye out for follow-up musky hits in the weedier bays—the season isn’t prime yet, but someone always ends up with a surprise local ‘ski.

A quick heads-

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