Good morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure with your Lake Winnebago fishing report for May 2, 2025.We are heading into early May with open water and spring patterns setting in. Sunrise today was around 5:45 AM and sunset will come just after 8:00 PM, so there’s plenty of daylight to get your lines wet. Weather-wise, expect cool mornings with temps in the upper 40s climbing to the mid-60s by afternoon. Winds are light, a bit of cloud cover expected, but no heavy rain in the forecast, making for comfortable conditions on the water. Lake Winnebago doesn’t have tides, but water temp is on the rise—prime time for gamefish activation[1][5].Bass fishing is especially hot right now. Both Smallmouth and Largemouth are active and hungry. Local anglers have been pulling good numbers working the shallow shorelines, especially where there’s hard bottom or early weed growth. Six feet or less is the magic depth for now, and don’t overlook the docks—bass are stacking up around those structures. Tried-and-true baits include soft plastics like worms and craws, as well as spinnerbaits and shallow-running crankbaits for covering water fast. Live bait lovers are having success with nightcrawlers and minnows, especially rigged under slip bobbers[5].Walleye are moving out of their spawning areas and starting to scatter across the lake. Trolling crankbaits or drifting with slip-bobber rigs tipped with leeches or fatheads is producing steady action, especially along windblown shorelines and rocky reefs. Early mornings and evenings are giving up the best catches.Crappie and bluegill action is picking up in the warmer shallows and backwater bays. Small hair jigs and plastics are the go-tos, but don’t underestimate the classic crappie minnow under a bobber. Perch reports are fair, with anglers finding pods in 8 to 10 feet of water, using pieces of crawler or small minnows.A few pike are showing up for anglers tossing larger spinners and swimbaits in the northern bays and river mouths where water is a touch warmer[5].Hot spots this week include the reefs just off Oshkosh for walleyes and the west shoreline weed beds south of Fond du Lac for panfish. For bass, check around the docks in Menasha or the shallow gravel bars by Black Wolf Point[5].That’s all for today. Get out there and enjoy Wisconsin’s biggest lake while spring fishing is at its best. Tight lines!