East Central Wisconsin endured another week of inconsistent springtime weather. Prior to the rain which fell over the weekend, The Wolf River hit a 90 year plus record for lowest water level in April. The rain was a welcome friend; however the 40 mph winds kept many fishermen at home over the weekend. Water clarity conditions have been reduced with the wind and rain, and the water temperatures have remained steady in the mid 50 degree range. Temperatures had spiked to near 60 degrees earlier in the week.
White bass have become the favorite target of area fishermen. The run has “almost” started. The fish are staged in the rivers and lakes, and the first few days of consistent warm weather should send these fish into a feeding frenzy. Some reports have indicated spawning fish caught as early as last week. The best locations currently run from Lake Winneconne up to Fremont on the Wolf River. A variety of methods are working including flies, spinner baits and trolling. Size has been excellent this year, and this could be an above average year for white bass.
Walleyes are in their post spawn stages on all parts of the system. This tends to be a very tough couple of weeks as the walleyes recuperate from spawning. Look for warm water and areas just out of the major flows in the river. Downed wood will heat up quickly (the older the wood, the easier to heat), and the surrounding water from the downed tree limbs will create a mini warm spot. Walleyes are still being caught on the northern reaches of the Wolf River, so there are still more fish to move down the system.
Lake Winnebago has seen a nice influx of walleyes moving into shallow rocky points in the last hour of daylight. This has been on the western shore south of Oshkosh. Some nights were netting 40-60 walleyes in just less than two hours. A jig with minnow or gulp was the most productive method. The size of these fish tended to run in the medium ranges from 12-17 inches in length.
Backwater areas are still producing pan fish, but the water remains a little on the cold side yet to produce big numbers of fish.
Catfish are in the rivers and doing well on stink baits and crawler globs. The mouth of the Fox River seems to be a hot spot right now. Smallmouth Bass have had increased action over the past week in all the rivers. They should be the next major fish (along with Musky) to start spawning on the system, usually around 60 degree water temperature.
Carp are being found in bigger numbers, especially on Lake Poygan. It is a little early for them to be spawning, but when they do, be sure to check for walleyes hanging around the carp spawning areas. Walleyes love carp eggs! The sturgeons are concluding their spawning time currently.
This weekend (May 1st) will mark the opening season of Inland trout, northern zone bass (catch and release), and most game species (walleyes, Musky, pike, bass etc) in the southern zones for harvest. This may drive some of the boat traffic on the Winnebago system to other bodies of water. Happy fishing opener!
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