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Wolf River Fishing Report

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

Wisconsin's spring highway: the walleye run that feeds a whole region's tradition.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Water temp
~66 F est.
Air / High
90 / 90 F
Wind
WNW 5 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.

Wolf River sits in the sweet spot of the season: active fish and workable weather. Today brings clear skies, wind WNW around 5 mph, steady pressure near 1010 hPa and a high of 90. 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

Smallmouth bassGood

Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Brown troutGood

Terrestrials tight to the bank; streamers through the deeper runs on cloudy days.

SteelheadSlow

First fall runs after rain: fresh chrome in the lower pools on spawn bags and beads.

Tomorrow: Similar at 86 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 temp90 F
High / Low90 / 70 F
WindWNW 5-8 mph
Pressure1009.8 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain19% cloud, 28%
Sunrise / Sunset06:30 / 19:35
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, 90/70 F, wind 9 mph, rain 28%

Fair or better. A 9 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

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

Steelhead illustration

Steelhead

Best: Oct-Apr

Lake-run rainbows that turn tributaries into winter fisheries. First fall runs after rain: fresh chrome in the lower pools on spawn bags and beads.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: May-Oct

Current and rock. Finds gravel flats, boulders and drop-offs, and fights far above its weight. Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Best: Sep-Nov

Wary, predatory and nocturnal by preference. The big ones eat streamers. Terrestrials tight to the bank; streamers through the deeper runs on cloudy days.

When to come: the Wolf River 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
Steelhead
Smallmouth bass
Brown trout
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 Wolf River 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. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 78 F, wind to 9 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 86 F, wind to 7 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 89 F, wind to 7 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

River walleye rules differ from lakes (check bag/size); sturgeon season separate lottery. Confirm with WDNR.

Access

Fremont, Gill's Landing, New London launches; bank access at bridges and parks.

About this water

Winnebago system artery, Waupaca/Outagamie counties, WI: the spring run that feeds a region.

Fishing Wolf River: the full guide

River of runs

Each April the Wolf carries Winnebago's walleye upstream in one of the Midwest's great migrations: bank anglers line Fremont and New London, boats drift wigglers through the holes, and the white bass follow by May. Fall brings a quieter run: sturgeon patience and autumn walleye.

Run timing

Ice-out starts the clock: walleye push upstream late March-April (water 38-45F), whites follow in May. Fremont, Partridge and New London's bends stack fish; wigglers and jigs take them. The run compresses everything: a week early is scouting, a week late is stories.

Beyond the spring circus

Summer Wolf fishing turns local: channel cats in the holes, smallmouth on rocky stretches, white bass reruns on cool snaps. Fall walleye drop back through October: the quiet second season regulars keep polite about.

The running seasons

The Wolf is Wisconsin's migration highway: April walleye pour upstream from Winnebago (bank casters line New London and Fremont), followed by white bass in May crowds, then sturgeon rolling all summer. Fall reverses the flow with a second walleye push. Between runs, the river's deadfalls and bends serve smallmouth and cats to jon-boat drifters: a current-driven calendar where timing beats tackle.

Common questions

When exactly is the Wolf run?

Watch water temperature past 40F and rising: typically the first half of April. Our river-temp estimate plus WDNR reports call it within days.

When is the Wolf River walleye run?

Ice-out to late April usually: water temperature in the low 40s triggers the main push. River towns post daily reports: when the bite is on, shoulder room at dawn is the real challenge.

Is fishing good at Wolf River 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

Lake Wissota20 miChippewa River23 miLake Pepin65 miLake Onalaska66 miPetenwell Lake72 miWhitewater River75 mi
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