Green Bay, WI Fishing Report & Live Conditions

Green Bay, WI fishing report

Green Bay offers a diverse fishery that shifts dramatically with the calendar. Walleye are the marquee species, running hard through the shallower northern reaches in spring as water temps climb into the low 50s, then pushing deeper and scattering across the mid-bay flats through summer. Smallmouth bass stack on the rocky shoreline structure along both the Door Peninsula and the western shore once temps hit the mid-60s and stay active well into fall. Musky roam the weedy bays and transition zones throughout summer and peak in activity during the cooler weeks of September and October when big females feed aggressively before winter.

For walleye, work bottom bouncers with crawler harnesses over sandy and gravel transitions, or cast jig-and-minnow combos near current seams where tributary rivers meet the bay. Smallmouth respond well to tubes, drop-shots, and crayfish-imitating crankbaits fished tight to submerged rock and riprap. Musky demand patience here — large glidebaits, bucktail spinners, and topwater lures worked over weedbed edges during low-light periods produce the best shots. Pay attention to water clarity, which fluctuates with wind and wave action on this shallow lake; dirty water pushes fish shallower and makes them less spooky, while a clear, calm bay rewards finesse presentations.