Size
4,530ac
Boat Launch
Carry-in Launch
Toilet
No
Boat Dock
Species in Lake Winneconne
Northern pike
Smallmouth bass
Rock bass
Walleye
Largemouth bass
Bluegill
Pumpkinseed
Crappie
Perch
Muskellunge
Channel catfish
Flathead catfish
White bass
Yellow 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
Lake Winneconne 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 WINNEBAGO, 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
- Crappies: See Panfish.
- 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
- 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
- Shovelnose sturgeon: Closed. No fishing allowed.
- Trout and salmon: See Trout regulations layer.
- 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
- 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.
- White perch: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 0. One may be killed and transported to a WDNR Office
- Bluegill: 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.
- Urban waters gamefish: This waterbody is not considered an urban water, Urban Waters Gamefish regulations do not apply.
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.
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Top Fish Species
Northern pike
22-26 in
Length Range
24 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
2022
May
2024
May
