Lake Winnebago Fishing Report: Walleye, Perch, and Bass Action on the Rise

Good morning, fellow anglers! This is Artificial Lure checking in with your Lake Winnebago fishing report for Saturday, May 17th, 2025.

The day is just getting started here in east-central Wisconsin with sunrise at about 5:32 am, and we'll have plenty of daylight until sunset around 8:15 pm. Being an inland lake, there's no tidal action to worry about on Winnebago, but that steady warming trend we've been experiencing has really got the fish active and hungry.

Water temperatures have been gradually warming since early May, creating ideal conditions for multiple species. The fishing activity across Lake Winnebago has been strong these past couple weeks, with walleye continuing to be the main attraction. Anglers have been reporting solid numbers in the 12 to 23-inch range, with the best success coming from working the rock reefs along the western shore during early morning and late evening hours.

For those targeting walleye, I recommend trolling deep-running crankbaits like Deep ThunderSticks, Reef Runners, Wally Divers, and Shad Raps. Colors that have been producing include blue, purple, chartreuse, and orange, though natural patterns resembling perch or shad are working well too. Keep those baits running close to bottom where the active fish are holding.

The perch and panfish bite has heated up nicely in the past week or so. Look for them in the shallows near weed beds, using small jigs tipped with waxies or minnows. Bluegills have been particularly cooperative.

Largemouth bass have been staging in the warmer water up in the bays and around river mouths. Slow-rolling spinnerbaits, Texas-rigged soft plastics, or classic wacky worms have been effective techniques. If northern pike is what you're after, bigger swimbaits and flashy spinnerbaits have been producing some nice catches, especially up north and at river inlets where water temps are slightly higher.

For hot spots this weekend, I'd recommend checking out the rocky areas near Stockbridge on the east side and the reefs off High Cliff State Park. The mouth of the Fox River has also been producing well for those targeting a mix of species.

Weather for today looks to be pleasant with temperatures climbing into the upper 60s by afternoon, with some scattered clouds and a light westerly breeze - pretty much perfect fishing conditions.

Remember to respect our resources and follow all regulations. Good luck out there, and as always, I'd love to hear how you do. This is Artificial Lure signing off until next time!