Size
131,987ac
Boat Launch
Carry-in Launch
Toilet
No
Boat Dock
Species in Lake Winnebago
Bluegill
Perch
Walleye
Crappie
Yellow Bass
Largemouth bass
Northern pike
Rock bass
White bass
Muskellunge
Sauger
Sturgeon
Pumpkinseed
Smallmouth bass
Channel catfish
Overview
This water boasts a large population of walleye, mostly in the 12-to 23-inch range. Northern pike, largemouth bass, perch and bluegill are present in good numbers. Winnebago is known throughout the country for its lake sturgeon spearing season. 137,708 acres
Lake Winnebago 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 Waterbody Regulations
- Bag limits are for fish caught in all lakes in the WINNEBAGO CHAIN including CINCOE LAKE, LAKE BUTTE DES MORTS, LAKE POYGAN, LAKE WINNECONNE, PARTRIDGE CROP LAKE, PARTRIDGE LAKE Catch and release fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass is open year round unless otherwise noted. Motor Trolling is allowed with up to 3 hooks, baits, or lures, per angler. Open all year for all species except muskellunge, northern pike, flathead catfish and lake sturgeon.
Special Species Regulations
- Shortnose gar: See Rough Fish.
- Sauger and hybrids: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 1
- Longnose gar: See Rough Fish.
- Hybrid, Striped, Yellow, and White Bass: See Rock, Yellow and White Bass.
- Flathead catfish: May 3, 2025 to September 30, 2025: The minimum length is 30, but flathead catfish from 36” to 42” may not be kept.The daily bag limit is 1
- Crappies: See Panfish.
- 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
- Bowfin: See Rough Fish.
- Bluegill: See Panfish.
- White perch: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 0. One may be killed and transported to a WDNR Office
- Trout and salmon: See Trout regulations layer.
- Shovelnose sturgeon: Closed. No fishing allowed.
- Ruffe: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 0. One may be killed and transported to a WDNR Office
- Round goby: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 0. One may be killed and transported to a WDNR Office
- Rough fish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited
- Rock, Yellow, and White Bass: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited
- Paddlefish: Closed. No fishing allowed.
- Smallmouth bass: See Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass.
- Largemouth bass: See Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass.
- Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass: Open all year: The minimum length limit is 14” and the daily bag limit is 5
- Northern pike: May 3, 2025 to March 1, 2026: The minimum length limit is 26” and the daily bag limit is 2
- Muskellunge and hybrids: May 3, 2025 to December 31, 2025: The minimum length limit is 50” and the daily bag limit is 1
- Lake sturgeon: Closed. No fishing allowed.
- Cisco and whitefish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10
- Catfish: Open all year: See specific species regulations in this group
- Bullheads: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited
- Walleye, Saugers, 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
- Panfish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25
- Walleye: See Walleye, Sauger, and Hybrids.
- Urban waters gamefish: This waterbody is not considered an urban water, Urban Waters Gamefish regulations do not apply.
Features
Lake Winnebago, the largest inland lake in Wisconsin, allows navigation through the Fox River inlet to lakes Butte des Morts, Winneconne and Poygan. The Lake Winnebago system leads to the inlet of the Wolf River.
Lake Winnebago’s self-sustaining lake sturgeon population is rated as one of the finest in North America. The traditional winter spearing season in 2004 produced a sturgeon weighing in at 188 lbs!
Ice fishing Lake Winnebago for walleye, perch, white bass and sturgeon is popular with anglers throughout the nation. Check with local fishing guides and marinas regarding pressure cracks or areas of weak ice around currents.
Careful navigation close to shore and near islands is urged. Shallow unmarked reefs and sand bars can be hazardous. Rapidly changing weather should also be observed.
Special fishing regulations apply to Lake Winnebago and connecting waters. Consult the Wisconsin fishing regulations for details.
Forage
Trout perch, emerald shiner, young-of-the-year freshwater drum (sheepshead) and carp are the most abundant forage. Lake fly larvae (red worms) provide an important food source for sturgeon. The bottom-dwelling red worms hatch into lake flies in mid-May. Gizzard shad can be significant although they tend to cyclically die-off and reemerge. Crayfish are also present.
Seasonal Movements
Studies indicate that the older, larger walleye move upstream to spawn in the marshes along the Wolf River, while young walleye tend to spawn in the Fox River and along the west shore of Lake Winnebago. The spawning run usually lasts 7 to 10 days and generally occurs between April 8 and 18. Most fish are caught after spawning as they return downstream.
The white bass run usually lasts from early-to-mid May. The largest concentrations of fish are found in the Fox and Wolf Rivers, up to New London.
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Top Fish Species
Bluegill
2-10 in
Length Range
6 in
Length Range
2024
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
2023
May
2024
May
