Winnebago County, WI · Lake
Lake Winnebago (Menominee Park, Oshkosh)
Wisconsin’s largest inland lake — a 130,000-acre walleye and white-bass factory famous for its winter sturgeon-spearing season. Open-water anglers troll and jig for walleye, chase white bass and crappie, and target trophy muskellunge. Menominee Park and High Cliff State Park offer public ramps.
Live · updated
Top picks today
Walleye, White Bass, Muskellunge & Crappie — tied at the top (23/100)
4 species tied for best of 5 tracked at Lake Winnebago (Menominee Park, Oshkosh).
Atmosphere
Water
Sun & Moon
Species at Lake Winnebago (Menominee Park, Oshkosh)
5 species tracked, ranked by today's conditions. The top 4 (tied) are open below — tap any species to expand it, or a chip to focus.
#1 Walleye Check local Walleye regulations before you keep one. Regs unverified 23/100
We don't have confirmed size, creel, or season rules for Walleye in WI on file yet. The live conditions score still applies — but confirm the current regulations with your state agency before keeping any fish.
What's helping
- 7 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed
What's hurting
- Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach
About. Sander vitreus — Maryland's premier cool-water gamefish. Deep Creek Lake is the flagship fishery; also found in the non-tidal Potomac and the Youghiogheny River. Low-light feeder — dusk, dawn, and overcast/windy days are prime. Jigs, crankbaits, and nightcrawler harnesses are standard.
Prefers. Water 50–72°F (ideal 62°F) · either tide · depth 10–40 ft.
No regulations on file for Wisconsin non-tidal / non-tidal. Check the appropriate state agency directly before fishing.
#1 White Bass Check local White Bass regulations before you keep one. Regs unverified 23/100
We don't have confirmed size, creel, or season rules for White Bass in WI on file yet. The live conditions score still applies — but confirm the current regulations with your state agency before keeping any fish.
What's helping
- 7 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed
What's hurting
- Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach
About. Morone chrysops — A hard-fighting open-water schooling bass of big reservoirs and their feeder rivers across the Plains and Midwest. White bass run up tributaries by the thousands to spawn in spring — the run is a calendar event on waters like McConaughy and the Missouri reservoirs — then chase shad in surface-busting "jumps" through summer. Often hybridized with striped bass to make the "wiper." Abundant and lightly regulated, so creel limits are generous or absent.
Prefers. Water 55–80°F (ideal 68°F) · either tide · depth 4–30 ft.
No regulations on file for Wisconsin non-tidal / non-tidal. Check the appropriate state agency directly before fishing.
#1 Muskellunge Skip the Muskellunge trip today. In season 23/100
What's helping
- 7 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed
What's hurting
- Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach
About. Esox masquinongy — The "fish of 10,000 casts." MD's primary fisheries are Deep Creek Lake and the upper non-tidal Potomac. Apex freshwater predator that hits oversize glide baits, bucktails, and live suckers. Tiger muskie (musky × northern pike hybrid) regulated identically.
Prefers. Water 55–78°F (ideal 68°F) · either tide · depth 10–40 ft.
- Min size
- 40"
- Daily creel
- 1
Wisconsin inland: 1 muskellunge/day, 40" minimum (higher on designated trophy waters).
Source: Wisconsin non-tidal regulations · verified 2026-06-03.
#1 Crappie Skip the Crappie trip today. In season 23/100
What's helping
- 7 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed
What's hurting
- Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach
About. Pomoxis spp. — Covers both black crappie (P. nigromaculatus) and white crappie (P. annularis). Schooling panfish around brush, docks, and submerged timber. Spring pre-spawn is the prime season — small minnows and 1/16-oz jigs are the go-to.
Prefers. Water 50–80°F (ideal 65°F) · either tide · depth 3–20 ft.
- Daily creel
- 25
Wisconsin inland: 25 panfish/day (crappie included) on most waters.
Source: Wisconsin non-tidal regulations · verified 2026-06-03.
#5 Yellow Perch Check local Yellow Perch regulations before you keep one. Regs unverified 17/100
We don't have confirmed size, creel, or season rules for Yellow Perch in WI on file yet. The live conditions score still applies — but confirm the current regulations with your state agency before keeping any fish.
What's helping
- 7 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed
What's hurting
- incoming tide — yellow perch prefers slack tide
- Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach
About. Perca flavescens — Late-winter and early-spring favorite. Schools up in tidal tributaries for the pre-spawn run in February and March, taking small minnows, shad darts, and small jigs. A classic Eastern Shore "neds" fishery.
Prefers. Water 45–70°F (ideal 58°F) · slack tide · depth 5–30 ft.
No regulations on file for Wisconsin non-tidal / non-tidal. Check the appropriate state agency directly before fishing.
Location Info
Water Body
Lake
Access
Pier, shore, and ramp
Jurisdiction
Wisconsin non-tidal
Coordinates
Notes
Lake Winnebago System: reduced walleye limit of 3/day (effective 2026). Sturgeon is spearing-only by lottery — a separate season.
Local reports & rules for Lake Winnebago (Menominee Park, Oshkosh): Wisconsin DNR fishing & regulations → · fish-consumption advisory →
Nearby Access Points
Frequently Asked
Do I need a fishing license to fish at Lake Winnebago (Menominee Park, Oshkosh)?
Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Lake Winnebago (Menominee Park, Oshkosh) you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website
What fish are commonly targeted at Lake Winnebago (Menominee Park, Oshkosh)?
Lake Winnebago (Menominee Park, Oshkosh) is listed on this site for 5 commonly-targeted species: Walleye, White Bass, Muskellunge, Crappie, and 1 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.
When is the best time to fish at Lake Winnebago (Menominee Park, Oshkosh)?
It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Lake Winnebago (Menominee Park, Oshkosh) against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.
What kind of access does Lake Winnebago (Menominee Park, Oshkosh) have?
Lake Winnebago (Menominee Park, Oshkosh) has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Lake Winnebago System: reduced walleye limit of 3/day (effective 2026). Sturgeon is spearing-only by lottery — a separate season.
Which state's fishing regulations apply at Lake Winnebago (Menominee Park, Oshkosh)?
state agency regulations apply at Lake Winnebago (Menominee Park, Oshkosh). Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.
Is Lake Winnebago (Menominee Park, Oshkosh) tidal water?
No. Lake Winnebago (Menominee Park, Oshkosh) is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.