Size
153ac
Boat Launch
Carry-in Launch
Toilet
No
Boat Dock
Species in Unnamed
Perch
Northern pike
Pumpkinseed
Crappie
Bluegill
Rock bass
Walleye
Largemouth bass
Smallmouth bass
Channel catfish
White bass
Overview
The upriver lakes of the vast Winnebago system. The annual spring runs of walleye and white bass are particularly famous and attract thousands of anglers each year. Fishery boasts nearly 20 species of gamefish and panfish. Featured species include, walleye, white bass, channel catfish. 27,466 acres
Unnamed Map
Fishing Regulations
Special Fishing Regulations: This lake has special fishing regulations that differ from statewide or border water regulations for those species identified below and take precedence. Regulations listed below are currently in place. Visit the fishing regulations page for links to upcoming regulations for specific lakes.
Special Species Regulations
- Bullheads: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited.
- Catfish: Open All Year: See specific species regulations in this group.
- Channel Catfish: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25 in total, but only 24 if one flathead catfish is included.
- Cisco And Whitefish: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10.
- Flathead Catfish: May 2, 2026 to September 30, 2026: The minimum length is 30, but flathead catfish from 36” to 42” may not be kept.The daily bag limit is 1.
- Lake Sturgeon: Closed: No fishing allowed.
- Largemouth Bass And Smallmouth Bass: Open All Year: The minimum length limit is 14” and the daily bag limit is 5.
- Muskellunge And Hybrids: May 2, 2026 to December 31, 2026 on open water: The minimum length limit is 50” and the daily bag limit is 1.
- Northern Pike: May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027: The minimum length limit is 26” and the daily bag limit is 2.
- Paddlefish: Closed: No fishing allowed.
- Panfish: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25.
- Rock, Yellow, And White Bass: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited.
- Rough Fish: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited.
- Round Goby: Open All Year: The daily bag limit is 0. One may be killed and transported to a WDNR Office.
- Ruffe: Open All Year: The daily bag limit is 0. One may be killed and transported to a WDNR Office.
- Sauger And Hybrids: Open All Year: The daily bag limit is 1.
- Shovelnose Sturgeon: Closed: No fishing allowed.
- Trout: See specific regulations: See Trout Regulations
- Walleye, Sauger, And Hybrids: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag is 3, only one of which may be a sauger or hybrid.
- White Perch: Open All Year: The daily bag limit is 0. One may be killed and transported to a WDNR Office.
Features
Lakes Poygan, Winneconne, and Butte des Morts are the “upriver lakes” of the vast Winnebago system. These “upriver lakes” cover 27,466 acres. The annual spring runs of walleye and white bass are infamous nationwide and draw thousands of anglers.
These large, shallow lakes can become quite rough in windy conditions. Constant monitoring of weather conditions is advisable for anglers especially those with small boats.
Navigation in off-channel areas of Lake Butte des Morts can be hazardous for larger boats due to shallow water areas and unmarked rock piles. Pay close attention to marker buoys which point out navigational routes.
Forage
Juvenile carp, redhorse, white sucker, golden shiner, emerald shiner, spottail shiner, log perch, trout perch and juvenile panfish are key species in an abundant forage base. Gizzard shad are significant although they tend to cyclically die-off and reemerge. Crayfish are also present. Aquatic insect hatches also have a great impact on the forage base.
Seasonal Movements
Lake Butte des Morts receives the entire run of Lake Winnebago walleye as they migrate up the Fox or Wolf Rivers. There is a tendency for spawning walleye to return to the same area, or at least their natal river, year after year.
Lake Poygan walleye begin their upstream movement approximately one to two weeks before walleye move up from Lake Winnebago. In an average year, the walleye migration will be completed during the month of April.
The Winneconne walleye movement up the Wolf River occurs after the Poygan movement because Winneconne lacks tributary streams flowing into it. Winneconne harbors a tremendous influx of walleye as they move up from Lake Winnebago.
A significant number of white bass move through Lake Winneconne during the months of April and May. From June through August, white bass are loosely schooled in the open-water basins of the lake. Tighter schools are formed in the fall. The white bass migration through Poygan lasts the entire month of May.
Weather
65°Feels like 65°
--
56°
--56°--
--
0 mph
South
0 in
Rain
30.03 inHg
Rising
MondayMo
-- / 56°
TuesdayTu
81° / 64°
WednesdayWe
80° / 60°
ThursdayTh
80° / 56°
FridayFr
79° / 61°
SaturdaySa
80° / 65°
Moon Phase
August 25, 2026
93% Illumination
waxing gibbous, getting brighter
TuesdayTu08/25
WednesdayWe08/26
ThursdayTh08/27
FridayFr08/28
SaturdaySa08/29
SundaySu08/30
MondayMo08/31
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Top Fish Species
Perch
5-11 in
Length Range
7 in
Length Range
2022
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
Understanding Abundance
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Species Lengths
