During the months from December to early April, most of the system is covered with a sheet of ice. Panfish like bluegills, perch, and crappies are pretty easy to come by. Lakes Winneconne and Poygan have easy access to the bays where panfish tend to hang out all winter. Unlike most of the state, walleye fishing does not have a closed season. Key spots include the Horseshoe Hole on Lake Poygan and near the moth of the Wolf River on the north side of Lake Poygan. Anglers use light action tip-ups or jig rods with minnows to catch these fish.
Spring time means migrations for fish as the water warms and the current picks up. The annual walleye and whitebass run bring millions of fish under the bridge in Winneconne as they migrate north to their spawning habitat. Because the fish have to pass under the bridge it makes Winneconne one of the hottest places to fish around. The famous Main Street Bridge becomes lined with fishermen who start wetting lines as soon as the ice moves out of the river in late March or early April. If you bring your boat, try fishing south of the bridge towards the cable crossing or down near the gun club on the east shore of the river.
May and June are probably the best time to fish the area, with the greatest amount of action. Walleyes can be caught throughout the system. Try fishing the cane beds with small jigs and leeches or trolling the lakes with crankbaits or crawler harnesses. Catfish are providing action for the late night anglers by the bridge. During the months of July, August, and September, walleyes tend to school up in the deeper holes through the Wolf River where the water is a little cooler. Northern pike can be found at the Horseshoe Hole or in Clarkâs Bay. Perch fishing starts to heat up out over the flats on the lakes. Small jigs tipped with waxworms or minnows are the best choices to use while fishing for summer panfish.
By October, the cooler weather has usually set in and the water temperatures have started to fall into the 50s. The fall whitebass run can actually be better fishing than in the spring; usually bigger fish and the numbers can be double that of the spring. Crappies and bluegills move into the channels. Perch fishing on the lakes is just past the peak, but still in full swing. Walleyes also start showing up in the river late in October and into November.