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Lake Wisconsin Fishing Report

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

A Wisconsin River flowage: Lake Wisconsin holds walleye, catfish and white bass above Prairie du Sac.

4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Flow
3,660 cfs
Air / High
82 / 88 F
Wind
SW 11 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 05407000, 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.

4/5Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Lake Wisconsin sits in the sweet spot of the season: active fish and workable weather. The river is running 3,660 cfs, steady over the week. Today brings cloud cover, wind SW around 11 mph, steady pressure near 1010 hPa and a high of 88. 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

WalleyeExcellent

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

Northern pikeExcellent

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

White bassGood

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

CrappieFair

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

Tomorrow: Cooler at 80 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 from Wisconsin River at Muscoda (regional).

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 05407000.

3,9124,5855,2583,660 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp82 F
High / Low88 / 69 F
WindSW 11-22 mph
Pressure1010.3 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain87% cloud, 29%
Sunrise / Sunset06:26 / 19:28
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 · Showers, 88/69 F, wind 14 mph, rain 29%

Fair or better. A 14 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Lake Wisconsin: 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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

2/5 Slow. The wind owns today. 24 mph gusts make boat control the real battle. Walleye led the card at good. High of 81 F, wind to 24 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 9 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 86 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. Walleye, sauger and bass limits per current WDNR regulations.

Access

Public ramps at Merrimac, Okee, Lodi and other points around the flowage; tailwater access at Prairie du Sac.

About this water

A 9,000-acre flowage on the Wisconsin River behind the Prairie du Sac dam, Columbia and Sauk counties, Wisconsin.

Fishing Lake Wisconsin: the full guide

A river lake

Lake Wisconsin spreads about 9,000 acres behind the Prairie du Sac dam on the Wisconsin River north of Madison, a shallow flowage that fishes like the river it is. Current, wing dams and channel structure define it. Walleye and sauger lead the fishery, joined by white bass, channel and flathead catfish, largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie and northern pike.

Walleye and sauger

Walleye and sauger relate to the current: work the wing dams, channel edges and the areas below the Wisconsin Dells dam upstream with jigs and live bait. Spring is the peak as fish stage below barriers, and fall produces a strong second window. The dam tailwater at Prairie du Sac concentrates fish and is a productive shore fishery.

Cats, whites and bass

Flathead catfish grow large in the flowage, taking live bait in the deeper holes and around wood. Channel cats are abundant. White bass school through the summer, providing fast action. Largemouth and pike hold the backwaters and weedy areas, while smallmouth work the rock and current seams in the river sections.

Columbia County logistics

Public ramps serve the flowage at several points, with Merrimac, Okee and Lodi providing access. The free Merrimac ferry crosses the lake, a local institution. Madison is 30 minutes south. Water levels and current vary with river flow and dam operations, which changes where fish position from day to day.

Common questions

Does current matter?

Yes: it is a river flowage. Fish position on wing dams, channel edges and current seams, and flow changes move them daily.

Are the flatheads big?

They grow large in the flowage, taken on live bait in the deeper holes and around submerged wood.

Where is the best spring fishing?

Below the barriers: fish stage in the tailwaters and current areas as they move upstream in spring.

Is fishing good at Lake Wisconsin right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Nearby waters

Lake Mendota24 miCastle Rock Lake35 miLake Puckaway36 miBig Green Lake42 miPetenwell Lake47 miKickapoo River52 mi
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