A period of alternating warm and cold fronts has prepared Lake Winnebago for the next seasonal phase, winter. Water temps have remained around 40 degrees, and some of the back water has iced over for short periods of time.
Fishing has been almost nonexistent. Boats are rarely seen on the main lake. The majority of action is occurring in the rivers and along the shorelines.
Many of the walleyes have moved shallow, looking for baitfish which are seeking warmer water. The same is true for perch and bluegills, as they move into the remaining weeds in search of food sources and the additional oxygen being provided by remaining weeds.
Male walleyes continue to migrate up the Fox and Wolf rivers. This is actually an early staging for the spring spawn. These fish will continue to move between the upper lakes and the rivers, based on food, water temperatures, and current. I would expect the heavy rain (Sunday 11/17) might have been a trigger to move some of the walleyes up the river toward New London.
Crappies continue to be found along wood, especially in the Wolf River. These fish are using the heating properties of the wood to warm themselves. The older the wood, the quicker the wood will heat up. Therefore, target the oldest downed wood first during cold days.
Bass remain active in all lakes. These fish are stacked along any green weed beds remaining, where in coming water flow can be found.
There has been some outstanding action near Green Bay for monster walleyes, mainly from shore. Try a slow rolling husky jerk to attract the gourging walleyes.
Next report after first ice, which looks to be relative soon based on the 10 day forecast. In the meantime, enjoy Thanksgiving. Stay safe during the current and upcoming gun deer seasons. Lots of new features will be rolled out for My Fishing Partner in the next few months. Stay Tuned.
As always we appreciate your support of our site! mark@myfishingpartner is my email for comments, questions, or to leave a fishing report.
