A wonderful fall week of weather greeted anglers this week on the Winnebago system. The water on the system is very dirty, with only about 18 inches of visibility in most parts of the lake. The water temps are in the 71 degree range, and evidence of a large algae bloom is everywhere.
The few anglers still fishing the lake are focused on perch. Due to the poor water conditions, catching these fish are tough. The fish are relying on sound and smell. Red worms have been very productive. A couple of tricks to try to help the fish locate your bait are to place a bright colored bead just above your hook, or pound the bottom to send vibration so the fish can hone in on your presentation. Check out the article under fishing tips/perch on the main page for more specifics.
The hot spot on the lake is the northeast tip of Long Point Reef. There is a nice mix of perch, crappie, bluegills and walleyes. Fisherman’s road has really slowed down, as has the third reef.
I trolled for the majority of the day on Saturday. I may have been the only one doing so. There was a lot of activity on the boards in the 85-100 foot range. The mixed bag included sauger (must be released), white bass, small mouth, and of course sheephead. Bubblegum color produced the majority of the fish in a size #7 Reef Runner. The Columbia Park area netted the most activity in 14-16 foot of water.
Walleyes have been scarce on the system this week. However, there has been some walleye action on the bridges up the Fox and Wolf rivers. This may indicate the start of the migration up river for some select fish.
As the season winds down for many fisherman, this report will be updated only as information warrants. You can always check the Winnebago thread in the forums for up to date information posted by other anglers and myself.
