Artificial Lure here, bringing you today's boots-on-the-ground fishing report from Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin. November’s settling in, with morning air crisp but not biting. At sunrise—right around 6:53 AM—patchy fog rolled off the lake and lingered until the sun burned through. Sunset will fall early, about 4:28 PM, so plan your outings accordingly.

Today’s weather’s on the mild side for late November. The National Weather Service forecasts early clouds breaking for partial sun by late morning. Highs will hold steady in the mid-40s, with a gentle northwest wind at 5–10 mph. That means comfortable hours for both boat and shore anglers, but expect the bite to start slow with fog and pick up as the lake warms. No tidal action to speak of—Winnebago’s a freshwater glacial lake, so focus on wind and weather instead.

The bite’s been decent this week, with a fair mix of **walleye, perch, and smallmouth bass** coming from the reefs, mud flats, and those classic Winnebago canals. Local anglers have reported that **walleye numbers have ticked up**, especially at dawn and dusk, as fish chase shiners toward shore. Smallmouth are in the shallow, rocky stretches, with a few catch-and-release largemouth popping up in remaining weeds.

Best action lately has been on **squarebill crankbaits** in red craw and black/blue patterns, according to coverage from Major League Fishing's Bass Pro Tour finals held recently. Several pros hammered home the effectiveness of **1/2 oz. and lighter jigs**—especially black and blue swim jigs and flipping jigs tipped with a Berkley Pit Boss or Zoom Z-Hog, working through matted grass in the backs of bays. When the sun’s out, a **wacky-rigged Senko worm** in green pumpkin is a top choice for skipping under docks or tossing in manmade canals. If you’re chasing smallmouth, a **drop-shot with shad-shaped worms** or a Ned rig in green pumpkin goby has been reliable all week. Topwater baits like a Berkley Choppo and black frogs are catching the last of the season’s active fish in canals and grassy pockets.

Live bait isn’t off the table this late in the season. A fathead minnow on a slip bobber will still pull perch and walleye, especially over mud flats or near the mouth of the Fox River. If you’re after a mixed bag, toss some nightcrawlers on the edge of rocky shorelines or below bridges where the current’s rolling.

For hot spots, locals will tell you the east shore reefs—especially around Fond du Lac—are gold for walleye at first light. Don’t skip the area around Oshkosh where the Fox River dumps in, as baitfish are pushed in and predatory fish stack up. Canals on the west and bays up near High Cliff State Park are still giving up bass and some bonus crappie, too.

Solunar tables from regional forecast sites suggest the best fishing times hit mid-morning (around 9:00–10:00 AM) and early afternoon (1:00–2:00 PM) today, with a second pulse at dusk. The lake’s water temps are dropping, so fish will be sluggish outside those windows—bring your patience and be ready to work finesse baits once the midday lull hits.

If you’re out this weekend, bundle up and keep those hands dry. Always check up-to-date local conditions, especially if you’re launching a smaller craft as fog can be thick and winds pick up fast over open water. Above all, respect the lake and her changing moods as we settle into Wisconsin’s longest stretch of cold.

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