Fishing Reports

July 2nd Fishing Report

Walleye fishing has remained steady. It’s that time of year where multiple approaches are starting to work well consistently. Spinners, bobbers, jigs with live bait are all producing during the day. Mid lake bars and humps have plenty of schools of fish while traditional shoreline areas are still holding good numbers. Photo courtesy Captain Jeff Johnson of Northern Drift Outfitters.

June 27th Fishing Report

Walleye fishing has remained steady. It’s that time of year where multiple approaches are starting to work well consistently. Spinners, bobbers, jigs with live bait are all producing during the day. Mid lake bars and humps have plenty of schools of fish while traditional shoreline areas are still holding good numbers. Photo courtesy Captain Jeff Johnson of Northern Drift Outfitters.

June 19th Fishing Report

Walleyes are being caught from 4ft-30ft all across the lake. Lots of big fish and eater size walleyes are showing up in good numbers. Most reliable bite with the wind has been the humps. Lots of anglers reporting the Lindy rig with a leech or crawler to producing well while a jig and shiner has still been producing great results. Photo courtesy Captain Jeff Johnson of Northern Drift Outfitters.

June 13th Fishing Report

Windy days on Winnie equal walleyes. Shoreline bites are still holding in certain locations around prominent points on the lake while the first set of humps off of main lake breaks have been getting more and more attention. Large schools are being seen in 22-35 ft of water. Photo courtesy Captain Jeff Johnson of Northern Drift Outfitters.

June 6th Fishing Report

Typical walleye spots across Lake Winnibigoshish are producing well, especially along the south, west, and north shores.

May 29th Fishing Report

Tamarack Bay and the Third River area have been receiving plenty of attention over the past week. With temperatures stabilizing, the walleye bite has picked up. Anglers are finding success in dirtier water, and traditional methods are producing some results. Reports are coming in of keeper walleyes being caught while long lining spinners. Larger schools of fish are commonly being found in 14 to 17 feet of water. Report courtesy of Lake Winnie fishing guide Captain Jeff Johnson of Northern Drift Outfitters.

May 23rd Fishing Report

Temperatures are starting to stabilize after a wild turn of events last weekend, and the bite is picking back up. Third River is drawing plenty of attention thanks to its darker, stained water, which seems to be making the fish a little less spooky. Anglers consistently landing good limits are still pitching to the larger schools.

May 12th Fishing Report

Walleye Opener on Lake Winnie Was a Hit. The walleye opener on Lake Winnie didn’t disappoint!

April 21st Fishing Report

Ice-out on Lake Winnie is approaching quickly. Warmer temperatures this week will help break up the main ice pack, and with a little help from the wind, we should see significant progress. Expect some big changes by next weekend.

March 18th Fishing Report

Ice Fishing has wrapped up for the year.

March 4th Fishing Report

Perch are firing all across the north. Leech, Winnie, Cass are all producing good numbers of fish and quality. Shallow flats with deep water adjacent is the pattern. Looking for the largest shoreline flats is key right now. Photo courtesy of Captain Jeff Johnson of Northern Drift Outfitters, your Lake Winnie fishing guide. We have the perch!

February 24th Fishing Report

Perch are firing on Lake Winnie. Being mobile is key to staying on active schools. The sit and wait game hasn’t been all that beneficial. Big perch on Winnie require a mobile approach.

February 14th Fishing Report

Perch fishing on Lake Winnie in February is always a reliable choice. Fish are active and becoming more aggressive as they prepare for the spring spawn, which typically occurs from April to early May. Anglers can begin to target specific locations in February by focusing on on typical spawning grounds that the fish will start using in the spring. The migration is underway, so do not overlook shallow flats and I mean shallow, 5-8 ft. Spearing like locations. Generally, the perch. In shallower waters tend to be larger and more aggressive.

February 7th Fishing Report

Crappies and bluegills have been hitting the fishing cleaning tables all over the Lake Winnie region. Numbers are great, and it’s offering anglers some great daytime fishing opportunities. Lake conditions have changed across the area with the recent wind and snowfall. Drifts have made vehicle travel a little more challenging when trying to navigate off the beaten path. Photo courtesy Guided Ice Fishing MN. Captains Lyle Unger and Jeff Johnson.

January 24th Fishing Report

Walleyes, perch, and pike are all biting on Lake Winnie, offering a mixed bag for anglers willing to stay a bit shallower than usual for this time of year. Small rock structures off the north shore have been productive. Ice castle groups staying on the lake are taking advantage of prime walleye fishing during both morning and evening hours. Perch fishing, however, often requires anglers to get out and explore a bit more during the day. Best of luck to everyone this weekend! Be sure to check in with local resorts for the latest updates on current road conditions.

January 17th Fishing Report

Fishing in the lake Winnie region has been steady. Anglers are reporting good success on the big pond and other smaller area lakes.

January 10th Fishing Report

Prime-time walleyes on Lake Winnie remain a staple in our area. Be sure to check with one of our local resorts for information on their established road systems. Photo courtesy of Guided Ice Fishing MN.

January 3rd Fishing Report

Crappie fishing in the lake Winnie region has been fantastic this year. Anglers are reporting great success across many different bodies of water.

December 24th Fishing Report

Walleye fishing on the main lake has primarily been a late afternoon to evening activity. Ice conditions remain solid, with 13 inches of ice measured on Moses Bar. Always check with local resorts for the most current ice conditions.

December 20th Fishing Report

Anglers are finding a decent walleye bite during early mornings and evenings, particularly around primary structures. Focus on breaklines in the 12-16 ft range and humps adjacent to deeper water.

December 16th Fishing Report

Today’s report comes from the Tamarack Bay area, where large schools of perch are being found in depths of 8-12 feet. There’s plenty of action, with a good number of larger perch in the 10-12 inch range.

October 25th Fishing Report

Temperatures in the north country are definitely dropping. Fishing on Lake Winnie has remained steady, with anglers reporting great days still.

October 18th Fishing Report

Fall crappies and walleyes are really firing. The big lake has been producing along with Cutfoot Sioux.

October 11th Fishing Report

Walleye fishing on the big pond is still producing well, as water temperatures drop and fish start to feed heavily. Many bites are happening across the lake, with most activity concentrated on typical fall shoreline structures.

October 4th Fishing Report

The Lake Winnie region has been battered by wind for about a week now. Shoreline fish should be set up and ready to feed for the upcoming weekend; however, it doesn't look like we'll catch a break this weekend either. With strong winds on the horizon, anglers should remember that the south shore of Winnie often fishes better in a heavy south wind, which may be counterintuitive. In contrast, the north shore seems to perform better when the wind is pushing in.

September 20th Fishing Report

Water temperatures on Lake Winnie are ranging from 65 to 70 degrees. Most of the walleye, perch, and pike fishing has been taking place along shoreline structures in 7 to 10 feet of water. Key areas to focus on include the south shoreline, stretching from Richards Townsite to the west. The east shore, from Highbanks down into Musky Bay, is also holding good numbers of fish.

September 20th Fishing Report

Prime fall fishing is still a couple of weeks away, but Little Cutfoot has been producing good numbers of panfish, with crappies getting significantly larger over the past week. As for the big lake, anglers should be prepared to adapt. Reports indicate a solid spinner bite, while others are having success with jigging techniques, whether trolling or casting.

September 13 Fishing Report

Anglers seeking multi species action are targeting depths of 9-11 feet with spinner rigs. Jig and minnow techniques are also effective for these fish.

September 6 Fishing Report

Fall fishing has arrived, and for those who anticipate fall jig fishing, it's also underway.

August 30th Fishing Report

Walleyes, perch, and pike are transitioning back to shoreline structures across Lake Winnibigoshish.

August 23rd Fishing Report

Trolling has been crucial for anglers this week, as fish are scattered in smaller pods and on the move. Walleyes are starting to appear along shoreline transitions on the west shore and the south shore, extending from Richards Townsite Landing towards the river.

August 16 Fishing Report

Good numbers of walleyes are also being found on Winnie’s major bar systems in 13-16 feet of water.

August 9th Fishing Report

Walleye and pike action across Lake Winnie’s major bar systems has been decent!

August 2nd Fishing Report

When visiting the Lake Winnie region, stocking up on 1/8 ounce tungsten jigs is highly recommended. Northland's 1/8 ounce tungsten jigs mimic the profile of a 1/16 ounce lead jig, offering exceptional versatility.

July 26th Fishing Report

NDO 7:35 AM (45 minutes ago) to me Panfish opportunities on Lake Winnie and Cutfoot Sioux continue to expand. Small spinner rigs with chunks of nightcrawler work well for targeting bluegills, while the same rig tipped with a minnow can increase your chances for crappies.

July 19th Fishing Report

Water temperatures on Lake Winnie are currently in the mid-70s. Fishing conditions have been steadily improving following a brief downturn due to a mayfly hatch.

July 10th Fishing Report

Currently, two primary fishing techniques dominate on Lake Winnie: trolling spinners and bobber fishing. Walleyes are spread throughout the system, although the lake is beginning to recover from recent bug hatches. Captain Jeff of Northern Drift Outfitters with a shallow biting Lake Winnie walleye.

June 28th Fishing Report

Recent weeks in the Lake Winnie region have seen challenges from bug hatches, wind, and severe weather. Despite these conditions, fishing has remained steady for dedicated anglers who manage to reach the fish. Walleyes are abundant on main lake bars and humps. Successful anglers are primarily finding their catch offshore.

June 22nd Fishing Report

Large populations of walleye have been consistently found on Winnie’s main lake bars and humps. On calmer days, anglers are catching fish off the edges at depths of up to 35 feet.

June 11th Fishing Report

Fish are beginning to show up on mid lake structures along with keys areas along Moxeys Hole and Ace in the Hole along the east side. Areas such as these provide endless supplies of forage this time of year for hungry walleyes. As walleyes continue to transition to mid lake structures presentations will begin to change as well. Crankbaits have played a huge factor especially for those that are targeting late afternoon and into the evening.

June 4th Fishing Report

Anglers on Lake Winnie should bear in mind that we're roughly three weeks ahead of last year's timeline. Sometimes, fishing memories can leave anglers feeling stuck, repeating phrases like "they should be here" or "I've caught them here before."

May 28th Fishing Report

This week, many fish have been successfully caught using bobber techniques with leeches and minnows, while long-lining lighter weight spinner rigs is also becoming increasingly effective. Remember, if you're in the vicinity of fish but they're not biting, don't hesitate to switch up your approach. Anglers who remain flexible in their techniques are more likely to capitalize on opportunities, especially when they know the fish are present but reluctant to bite.

May 21st Fishing Report

The 2024 open water fishing season is underway! Walleye fishing on Lake Winnie has kicked off to a fantastic start. The early ice-out this spring left many anglers wondering about the stage of the fish and their whereabouts. However, the traditional early-season spots on Lake Winnie have proven reliable once again, with walleyes found exactly where expected.

January 24th Fishing Report

Walleye action has been on and off, and it depends on the day, but when it’s on, anglers are catching big numbers of fish.

January 18th Fishing Report

Walleye action has slowed since the cold front, but some fish continue to be caught during the evening hours and after dark in 18 to 30 feet.

January 11th Fishing Report

There are some ice cracks that you need to be aware of, but 9 to 11 inches of ice is pretty consistent throughout the main lake, and ATVs are being used.

January 4th Fishing Report

Main lake ice has improved after last week’s rain and despite a few active cracks, you’ll find 8 to 10 inches of ice throughout the majority of the lake.

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