Lake Winnebago
Wisconsin's largest inland lake at about 30 miles long, with 20 public boat landings. It's shallow and fertile, with a huge walleye and panfish fishery, and it's famous for its winter lake sturgeon spearing season.
Species
Fishery rating out of 5.
Walleye
Abundant. Rock reefs and mud flats. Troll crawler harnesses and crankbaits in summer.
Panfish
Abundant. Perch, white bass and crappie. Reefs and harbors.
Catfish
Cut bait and nightcrawlers on flats and river mouths in the evening.
Smallmouth Bass
Rock reefs along the east shore.
Largemouth Bass
Weeds, docks and wood in the shallows.
Lake Sturgeon
Abundant. Hook-and-line harvest is closed. The spearing season runs in February (licensed).
Musky
Big baits along weed edges, rock bars and channel breaks, best in fall.
Northern Pike
Weed edges and bays. Spoons, spinnerbaits and tip-ups through the ice.
When they bite
Month-by-month activity for each target species.
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | ||||||||||||
| Panfish | ||||||||||||
| Catfish | ||||||||||||
| Smallmouth Bass |
Boat launches
3 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.
- 1Stockbridge Harbor Boat LaunchPublicEast shore, StockbridgeDirections ↗
- 2Black Wolf Boat LandingPublicWest shore, south of OshkoshDirections ↗
- 20 public landings in totalPublicSee the WDNR lake page for all locationsDirections ↗
Size & creel limits
Special rules for this lake, confirmed from official state regulations. Minimum size and daily limit.
| Species | Min size | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye Walleye, sauger and hybrids combined; only one may be a sauger or hybrid; open all year | See Wisconsin rules book ↗ | 3 / day |
| Largemouth/Smallmouth Bass Open all year | 14 in | 5 / day |
| Northern Pike May 2, 2026 - Mar 7, 2027 | 26 in | 2 / day |
| Muskellunge May 2 - Dec 31, 2026; open water only | 50 in | 1 / day |
| Panfish Open all year | See Wisconsin rules book ↗ | 25 / day |
| Channel Catfish 24 if a flathead is included; open all year | See Wisconsin rules book ↗ | 25 / day |
| Flathead Catfish May 2 - Sept 30, 2026; flathead 36 in to 42 in may not be kept | 30 in | 1 / day |
Other species in this lake: look up the limits at Wisconsin DNR ↗
Bait & tackle nearby
Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.
- River Haus Bait, Tackle & Gifts8.4 mi440 N Brooke St, Fond du Lac · closest to Black Wolf Boat Landing(920) 322-9412Directions ↗
- Dutch's Trading Post8.8 mi258 N Main St, Fond du Lac · closest to Black Wolf Boat Landing(920) 922-0311Directions ↗
- Fish Tales9.7 mi4050 County Rd A, Oshkosh · closest to Stockbridge Harbor Boat Launch(920) 385-1154Directions ↗
Local tips
- The walleye run up the Fox and Wolf Rivers in early spring draws anglers from all over.
- It's shallow and wind-exposed. Waves build fast, so watch the forecast.
- The February sturgeon spearing season needs a separate license bought well ahead of time.
Angler reports
Water temp, what's biting, and anything else other anglers should know about Lake Winnebago.
View on interactive map
Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches; blue pins are bait shops nearby.