The Winnebago System is easily one of my favorites to fish throughout the whole summer. Walleye, Bass, Panfish, and Pike are some of the most popular fish to catch on this system, and they’re easy to catch in the summer if you know where to look and the techniques to use. I hope the info I’ve provided below helps you catch a big one!
Panfish
Most anglers on the Winnebago system love targeting Yellow Perch once they begin to school up on shallow and mid-depth structures like reefs and points. These locations are popular because of their reliability for holding schools of Perch in the late summer, unlike when Perch are out in the deep mud of Lake Winnebago, as they roam freely and require more effort to track down. Small pieces of nightcrawlers on a slip bobber rig might be my favorite way to catch Perch in the summer since they imitate the small snails that Perch often feed on this time of year.
A majority of anglers almost forget about Bluegill once the hot spring bite in the shallows cools down. Despite the Bluegill not being quite as packed in the shallows as they were in the spring, you can still find big Bluegill in the shallows throughout the summer if you know where to look. Shaded areas from overhanging trees or docks, as well as patches of weeds, can all provide a sense of security from predators to Bluegill. The shade these areas provide helps keep fish cool in the warm water during the hottest parts of the summer. Fly fishing is one of my favorite ways to catch big Bluegill in the summer, using flies that float on the surface effectively imitates lake flies.
Walleye and Smallmouth Bass
My favorite way to catch summertime Walleye is by casting wind-blown shorelines. While the waves can be rough, waves push all sorts of bait up along the shallow shorelines such as crayfish, minnows, and leeches. Casting BMF Ned Rigs in the color Midnight Leech that imitate crayfish and leeches, or number 5 and 6 Rapala Rippin’ Raps that imitate small fish are both effective baits to catch Walleye in these areas. When the wind is blowing away from the shoreline you’re launching from, trolling is an effective way to quickly fill your Walleye limit for the day. To see how Walleye trolling the deep-water mud on the Winnebago System works, check out this video of local guide Chad Burns and myself as we troll for Walleye. If trolling isn’t your thing, casting larger Rippin’ Rap number 6’s or 7’s on deep humps and reefs is another way to catch Walleye when they’re out in deeper water.
Smallmouth Bass are another fun target in the summer. Typically, they follow a simple movement pattern, feeding in the shallows in the cool mornings and evenings, and moving out to deeper water during the hottest parts of the day. Rocky shorelines and reefs will be your most likely shallow areas to hold Smallmouth in the summer, as crayfish, a favorite food of Smallmouth Bass, hide under rocks. I use the same baits for Smallmouth here as I do when casting shorelines for Walleye.
Largemouth Bass and Pike
I chose to put Bass and Pike in the same section because they can be found together in the same locations for most of the summer. Shallow to mid-depth (2-8ft) patches of weeds are the best place to look for these fish, and accurate casts are key when casting at gaps in surface weeds or cane beds. My favorite baits for fish in these situations are soft swimbaits, topwater frogs, and spinnerbaits. A slow retrieve of your bait is key, especially on hot days. Despite their aggressive nature, these fish don’t want to put in extra effort to chase down a fast-moving meal. I love catching Bass and Pike for their size and aggressive strikes, and some anglers claim that Pike is their favorite fish to eat, even over Walleye and Perch.
Catfish
Catfish are a popular target on the Fox River in Oshkosh due to their density and size. I have great success in the river every year for both Channel and Flathead Catfish. My favorite catfish rig involves a lead sinker connected to a 3-way swivel, with a jighead or circle hook attached to the other end. Nightcrawlers are my favorite bait to put on the hook for catfish, specifically garlic-scented crawlers from DMF Bait Co. The garlic scent helps fish track down your bait much faster than unscented crawlers, which leads to a much better day of fishing for catfish. While the river is great for catfish, I also do well on Lake Winnebago catching Channel Catfish all throughout the summer. It’s almost a guarantee that Catfish will be nearby if you fish a shallow shoreline in the evening, and I use the same techniques to catch them there as I do in the river.
To End The Day
Once you’ve had your fill of fishing for the day on this incredible fishery, visit Becket’s at City Center for a delicious lunch or dinner. This riverfront restaurant with public boat access means you can fish on the river for a while and dock your boat there while you stop for a meal.
Good luck fishing!
