Unstable summer weather dominated the landscape of the Lake Winnebago region this past week. As a result water clarity on Lake Winnebago has become very stained, with visibility at less than a foot. The south shore has clearer water, but is still fairly murky. Water temps have stabilized at around 74-76 degrees, with a hint of an algae bloom present when the waters are calm.
Weed growth continues to thickening, especially along the shallow shore lines and bays. Floating weed debris is an issue in some locations, especially in the southern portions of Lake Winnebago.
The past week had some of the lowest volumes of boat traffic in recent memory (see photo from Sunday at Menomonie Park). Many of the anglers either stayed home, or headed to the Bay of Green Bay and Lake Michigan. Unusually warm temperatures were a contributing factor, along with an inconsistent bite on the lake.
Overall, the peak of the walleye season harvest may have passed. Walleyes continue to be caught, but the techniques and locations have changed. Casual and experienced anglers often get frustrated during this period as the traditional tactics are no longer as effective as a month ago.
For the most part, walleyes tend to be staged either in the weeds or deep in the mud this time of year on Lake Winnebago. This has been especially true this year. This past week we found very few walleyes on the reef tops and in the 6-12 foot ranges. Even the river mouth showed small schools of fish, which traditional supports large schools of fish (many of which are white bass and catfish).
In the mud, the fish are scattered and roaming. This makes targeting specific areas of the lake difficult, and makes long runs the norm. On the north shore, the Waverly Beach area and the High Cliff areas have pods of active fish. On the central basin, a few walleyes have been taken outside the Big Island at Wendt’s. Overall, trolling will net a few fish, but generally trolling tactics have been marginal at best.
Many of the larger walleyes have moved into the weed beds. These fish can be targeted by flipping jigs and plastics into the weed pockets in the shallow water. Look for open pockets in the thickest weeds for opportunities. Largemouth bass will also be common in these areas along with sheephead.
Shallow water trolling with crawler harnesses is another option. This technique is very hands on, and requires a ton of work to keep the lines free of weeds. Cane pole trolling is an option. The best areas tend to be in Asylum Bay and south of Wendt’s along the western shore. Targeting speeds between 1.0-1.2 mphs is most productive.
Perch fishing has been solid, but not great. Key locations are the Fisherman’s Road area, Black Bird Island area, and Abraham’s reef complex. Average bags are about 5 perch per angler per trip this week, with some anglers reporting larger catches.
The Bay of Green Bay continues to produce enormous walleyes. The main school of fish is headed north from the Shark Fin towards Pensaukee Shoal. Crawler harnesses remain the favorite of these hungry walleyes. Please consider releasing these larger fish, so the system can maintain the population for future days.
AIM Walleye Tournament held their 3rd event of the year on Lake Winnebago out of Jefferson Park (Neenah) on Sunday. 26.53 pounds was the winning weight based on 5 fish, with the winner fishing in the south end of the lake. This is one of the biggest tournament bags of the season that I have seen. Over 25% of the field had baskets under 5 pounds; however, 8 teams pulled in over 20 pounds.
Shane, from the myfishingpartner.com Pro Team, is putting together a series on how to fish Great Lakes salmon on walleye gear from shore. It will be an excellent segment, so be sure to watch for it on the main page. Also be sure to like the myfishingpartner Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/myfishingpartner?ref=hl for some daily good humor and fishing tips.
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