Share your catch

Lake Puckaway Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

The Fox River’s shallow bowl: Puckaway grows northern pike, walleye and panfish in a marsh lake.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Water temp
~66 F est.
Air / High
84 / 85 F
Wind
SW 11 mph

Sources: Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Lake Puckaway sits in the sweet spot of the season: active fish and workable weather. Today brings cloud cover, wind SW around 11 mph, steady pressure near 1011 hPa and a high of 85. Water sits around 66 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

WalleyeGood

Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Northern pikeGood

Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

White bassFair

The spring river run: small crankbaits and roadrunners up the tributaries.

CrappieSlow

Spawning shallow around cover in spring; jigs under a float near buck brush and laydowns.

Tomorrow: Cooler at 78 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp84 F
High / Low85 / 66 F
WindSW 11-20 mph
Pressure1010.9 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain100% cloud, 44%
Sunrise / Sunset06:23 / 19:26
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~66 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Rain, 85/66 F, wind 16 mph, rain 44%

Fair or better. Cloud and a rain chance can stretch the morning bite well past breakfast: keep moving baits tied on.

Species guide

The species that matter on Lake Puckaway: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: May-Jun, Oct

The glass-eyed prize of northern lakes. Low light, wind-blown structure and live bait. Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

White bass illustration

White bass

Best: Mar-May run

River-run spawners and open-water schoolers. Fast limits when you find them. The spring river run: small crankbaits and roadrunners up the tributaries.

Northern pike illustration

Northern pike

Best: spring, early winter

The ambush predator of weedbeds and cabbage edges. Aggressive, big and always worth a wire leader. Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Crappie illustration

Crappie

Best: Nov-Mar

Brush piles, bridge pilings and standing timber. The fish fry favorite. Spawning shallow around cover in spring; jigs under a float near buck brush and laydowns.

When to come: the Lake Puckaway calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Walleye
White bass
Northern pike
Crappie
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 66 F (estimated, not a reading).

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Lake Puckaway today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 80 F, wind to 11 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 85 F, wind to 15 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

5/5 Excellent. Go now. Everything lines up: pressure, wind and light are in your favor. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 87 F, wind to 9 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used to send you this water's report each week. No spam, ever.

Before you go

License

Wisconsin requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Wisconsin license. Pike, walleye and panfish limits per current WDNR regulations.

Access

Public ramps at Marquette and other points; Fox River access above and below.

About this water

A 5,000-acre shallow marsh lake on the upper Fox River, Green Lake and Marquette counties, Wisconsin.

Fishing Lake Puckaway: the full guide

A marsh lake on the Fox

Lake Puckaway spreads about 5,000 acres on the upper Fox River in central Wisconsin, a shallow, weedy, marsh-fringed lake averaging only a few feet deep. That character defines the fishing: northern pike thrive, walleye use the river current and weed edges, and crappie, bluegill, perch and white bass fill the vegetation. It is a lake for shallow-water tactics and boats that draft little.

Pike and walleye

Northern pike are abundant and reach good size in the fertile, weedy water: spoons, spinnerbaits and large plastics along the weed edges, with spring and fall the best windows. Walleye relate to the river channel running through the lake and the weed edges, taking jigs and slip bobbers, best at low light in shallow water.

Panfish and the vegetation

Crappie, bluegill and perch hold the vegetation and any structure, providing steady action through the seasons. The lake’s aquatic plants vary year to year with water levels and management, which changes the patterns substantially. Ice fishing is popular given the shallow profile and reliable freeze.

Green Lake County logistics

Public ramps serve the lake at Marquette and other points, with the Fox River providing additional access. The shallow depth demands care with motors, especially away from the channel. Montello and Green Lake are the nearby towns. Wind stirs the shallow water quickly and affects clarity for days.

Common questions

How shallow is it?

Only a few feet on average: shallow-water tactics dominate and prop damage is a real risk away from the channel.

Are the pike big?

Good size and abundant: the fertile, weedy water suits them, with spring and fall the best seasons.

Is ice fishing popular?

Yes: reliable freeze given the shallow profile, with panfish and pike drawing local anglers.

Is fishing good at Lake Puckaway right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Big Green Lake6 miLake Poygan33 miLake Wisconsin36 miLake Winnebago37 miLake Mendota47 miCastle Rock Lake48 mi
Share your catch