A dusk run on the walleye capital of Wisconsin.
If you want to catch a walleye worth bragging about in Wisconsin, you learn to fish Winnebago at night. The lake is vast, shallow, and windswept, and the biggest fish move onto the reefs after the sun goes down.
Reading the Reefs
Winnebago's walleye relate to the rocky reefs that rise out of the flat mud bottom. A slip-bobber rig with a leech, set just above the rocks, is the classic nighttime presentation. Use your electronics to find the crown of the reef, set the bobber stop, and wait. The bite, when it comes, is a slow pull — not a tick.
“Winnebago doesn't give up her walleyes easy. But the ones that come at night are the ones you tell stories about.”
Bring a headlamp with a red light, a calm night, and the patience to sit on one reef for an hour. The lake will tell you when to move. And when a six-pound walleye eats your leech in the dark, you'll understand why Wisconsin anglers drive three hours to fish here on a weeknight.
