Wide-open Walleyes On Koshkonong, Wisconsin's Eighth Largest Lake

by Jeff Brown, staff writer for the Edgerton Reporter

One hundred and sixty-nine years ago Lake Koshkonong was a vast marsh. sac, Fox, Potawatomi and Winnebago (Ho-chunk) tribes lived along its' shores and paddled along meadows of wild rice in birch-bark canoes to harvest rice, lake fish, ducks, and clams. The water level rose significantly after the first dam was installed along the Rock River at Indianford in 1846, and the marsh became Wisconsin's eighth largest lake and a prime fishery, with walleye its' bread-and-butter. You probably have to catch a few sub-legal walleyes before you get a keeper, minimum legal size is 15 inches. Once you do however, its' common to land fish in the 18- to 22-inch range.

There are a few big walleyes here, but you'll really have to work the lake to catch them. Trolling with plugs and spinners works best for walleyes in summertime. Northerns also prowl the shallow waters here, if you work the lake you will come away with a few over the 25-inch legal limit.

Look for their fiercer cousins too. The Department of Natural Resources stocks 2,000 muskies here each year. Since 2012, the size limit for muskies is 40 inches. On a good day you'll also find largemouth bass among the weeds back in the bay and smallies near the river mouths at the northest and southwest exits of the lake. Panfish call Lake Koshkonong home as well, many anglers found success targeting crappies and there are lots of perch too, especially in the spring. Summer usually sees schools of white bass running the river channel into the lake. The river channel also houses channel and flathead catfish some in the 10- to 12 pound range some even larger.

Lake Koshkonong is flat-bottomed and shallow and lacks natural structure for fish to hang around. Your best bet is to fish the points where gently sloping rock piles and shoals concentrate fish and the river mouths where fish are attracted to food pushed by the current.

Directions: From Edgerton take Highway 59 east to Newville. You can put in at the Anchor a for a fee You can also put in at the public boat launch by Norm's Hideaway. Go north on Highway 51 until it joins Highway 73 by the truck stop continue north over Interstate 90 until you come to the intersection with Highway 106, turn right to head east on Highway 106. After 4.3 miles turn right to go south on Loga Road: take the second right on Carcajou Road, then take the first left onto Kuehn Road.

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