Wisconsin Walleye Fishing

The Walleye is the most sought after fish in Wisconsin Lakes and they can be found in waters throughout the State. Walleye spawn in the spring when the water reaches a temperature of 45-50 F. In river mouths, bays, and along reefs where there is rock rubble or gravel on the bottom is where the female typically lays her eggs. Generally, Walleye can be found in shallow water during the post-spawn period and they migrate gradually into deeper water as the water warms. By late June they are established in their summer habitat, and anglers look for Walleyes around reefs, islands, deep-water weedbeds, narrow channels between islands, and underwater humps. The best structure for Walleye offers deep water for midday shelter, with a gradual slope leading to shallow flats or weedbeds, where Walleye can hunt perch and other forage fish at night. A basic primer for successful Walleye fishing on Wisconsin Lakes includes the following points:

1. Walleye travel in schools. An angler who catches one should persist in that area because more Walleye are usually nearby.

2. Walleye are usually on or close to the bottom. Bait anglers should check their line regularly to ensure that their bait is just touching the bottom or a few inches above it. Anglers trolling for Walleye should feel their lure bumping the bottom regularly. If a Walleye is caught in 23 feet of water, it's very likely that most of the school are resting on the structure at that depth.

3. Walleye eat fish almost exclusively. Anglers can't go wrong with presenting lures that closely resemble baitfish. Crankbaits like the Rapala are good traditional Walleye lures.

4. A slow presentation usually catches Walleye more effectively than a quick one. Walleye are slow, deliberate feeders, particularly since they are usually dormant in daylight hours, so anglers should work their bait gently across the bottom.

5. Studies have shown that Walleye have two peak feeding hours: one just after dark, and another that begins about 3 a.m. and lasts until daylight. Daytime Walleyes can be coaxed into biting but the brighter the day, the slower the Walleye fishing. Wind, overcast, and the onset of dusk all serve to diminish sunlight penetration into the water, and anything that diminishes sunlight helps put the Walleye in a more favorable mood for feeding. Weeds also provide Walleye with shelter from the sun, and in recent years anglers have discovered that some Walleyes inhabit thick beds of pondweed and coontail throughout the summer.

Top Wisconsin Walleye Fishing Lakes

Castle Rock Lake

Chippewa Flowage

Lake Koshkonong

Lake Mendota

Petenwell Lake

Shawano Lake

Turtle Flambeau Flowage

Lake Winnebago

Lake Wisconsin

Lake Wissota

Yellow Lake

Wisconsin Musky Fishing

The Musky is the most difficult fish to catch in Wisconsin Lakes and is the king of the water. Fishing season begins in May and during the spring you can typically find them in the warmer shallow bays using live bait. As the water warms by late June the musky fishing picks up in Wisconsin Lakes. They will lurk around the weeds and cabbage beds searching for food and cover. Troll or cast the outside weed edges during the day and the inside edges in the evenings. You can also fish the bays with a growth of milfoil or coontail weeds. If there are stumps or logs in these weedy bays, fish around them. As summer progresses some of the best musky waters are deep along the edges of weeds and dropoffs to deeper water. Other summer hangouts for musky in Wisconsin Lakes include: over sunken islands and rocky or sandy bars adjacent to deep water, long points extending into the lake, rocky points off islands, at the inlets or outlets of a lake, and along lily pad beds near deep water.

Top Wisconsin Musky Fishing Lakes

Chippewa Flowage

Lake Wisconsin

Lac Courte Oreilles

Yellow Lake

Lac Vieux Desert

Lake Dubay

Pewaukee Lake

Wisconsin Northern Pike Fishing

Northern Pike in Wisconsin Lakes grow to huge sizes and a trophy catch is possible with every cast. In spring and fall, fishing for Northern Pike is best early in the morning. Unlike Walleye, Northern Pike do not feed at night and in the morning these fish wake to an empty stomach. Lures are a matter of personal preference, with flashy spoons, wobbling shallow-running plugs, and feathered spinners being popular choices on Wisconsin Lakes. While Northern Pike will strike at anything, timing and approach can lead to a more successful day on the water and here are a few basic tips:

1. Choose a lure that will perform well in the given situation. In heavy weeds use a spoon or plug that will swim just above the weed tops.

2. Go to a smaller lure if Northern Pike are striking short or missing your lure. Don't be afraid to use a light, small spoon. Even large Northern Pike will strike a small lure.

3. Always use a wire leader. Walleye anglers using jigs will testify to the fact that Northern Pike will snip off a lure instantly if it is tied onto monofilament line.

4. Fish early and fish deep in hot summer weather. Large Northern Pike spend the entire summer in deep water, foraging on ciscoes and other baitfish.

Top Wisconsin Pike Fishing Lakes

Delavan Lake

Fox Lake

Geneva Lake

Lake Mendota

Lake Puckaway

Shawano Lake

Lake Winnebago

Yellow Lake

Top Wisconsin Bass Fishing Lakes

Big Green Lake

Castle Rock Lake

Lake Koshkonong

Lake Mendota

Lake Puckaway

Shawano Lake

Lake Tomahawk

Lake Winnebago

Lake Wissota

Wisconsin Angling Techniques

In order to consistently catch fish in Wisconsin Lakes, there are two very important basic rules that an angler should apply as a guideline:

1. Fish on or very near the bottom.

2. Fish a structure edge adjacent to deep water.

These rules should be applied as one. If one rule is applied and not the other, the chances of successful fishing are greatly reduced. Big fish have their home on the bottom. Therefore when either casting or trolling you should get your lure down deep. You should feel your lure bump or scrape the bottom at frequent intervals. It is always a good idea to fish a structure edge adjacent to deep water. Dropoffs, shoals, sand bars, weed beds or a change in bottom texture are hot spots in Wisconsin Lakes.

Fishing Dropoffs

Fish in Wisconsin Lakes are most apt to be located along a dropoff that contains cover. This will not always be true but it will apply most of the time. The cover could be weeds, boulders, stumps or sunken logs. The cover should, if possible, extend to the edge of the dropoff. Fish will relate to break lines during their migration from the deep water to the shallows to feed. The evenings and cloudy days are always best for walleye fishing in Wisconsin Lakes.