The first ice on the system was seen Saturday when Lakeside Park in Fond du Lac had the channels freeze over with a thin layer of ice. Just hundreds of yards to the north of the park, fishermen were targeting perch on the main lake from their boats. Water temps have now declined steadily to the mid 40 degree range, with a current reading of 42 degrees.
There is very little fishing activity currently occurring on the main lake– partly due to the cooler temperatures plus a redirected focus by sportsmen onto many of the hunting seasons currently in progress. Perch fishing remains a solid choice when fishing Lake Winnebago. Traditional methods (slip bobbers and dead sticks) are catching the majority of fish over the past two weeks. The size of the perch reported has been a mixed bag, but some jumbo perch are still active. The number of fish being caught is down from past weeks, but still is very solid, especially for the time of year.
The rivers are offering the best opportunities currently, especially the Wolf River. The sloughs are giving up Northern Pike, Crappies, Bluegills and Bass. Walleyes are in the main river. The bite continues to be solid from New London down to Lake Poygan. Minnows are the preferred bait, presented on a 3/8 ounce florescent jig. Dragging the jig or a vertical presentation is equally productive. Pumping flies is also an excellent tactics. The bite is similar to an early spring bite, so it is suggested to have stinger hooks handy should you need them.
The Winnebago fishing League has started taking names of interested candidates for 2011. Just drop me a line at [email protected] or stop by www.winnebagofishingleague.com for more league details.
We also would like to welcome the Boat Doc in Lomira WI as one of our featured sponsored of both myfishingpartner.com and the Winnebago Fishing League. Boat Doc offers a full line of boats (Triton, Mirrocraft, Cypress Cay, Weere’s, and Caravelle dealer), outstanding service, and all the accessories to make your days on the water perfect. Be sure to stop in to check out the showroom or drop your boat off for winterization.
The ice season is right around the corner. This will conclude the open water reports for 2010, and the first ice reports will begin once the ice forms, probably after Thanksgiving. Thank you for your support of the site!
