VHS Found In The Winnebago System

52 degree surface water
2 Ft of visibility
Bass are spawning in the backwaters

• Bluegills are active in the shallow bays and backwaters. Waxworms and small worms are working on a black ant or an ice jig. The east side of the inlet was really good last week and should continue to produce fish through out the month.
• Largemouth bass continue to provide great action in the canals, backwaters, and Beyer's Cove. These fish are starting to spawn. Remember the male guards the nest in all the sunfish species (Largemouth, Smallmouth, Bluegill,etc), so you must practice catch and release when these fish are spawning or the nest will be lost. Bass tournaments this time of year are not a good idea because the fish are transported away from their nests and if they return the nest will have been raided.
• Smallmouth have started to move shallow this week and it will only get better as we go. The fish I saw today were not spawning but I anticipate it will start this next week.
• Walleyes have been showing up on the east end shallows this week. Not big numbers but some very nice fish. I weighed a fish just shy of 10# at the store Saturday and it was still full of eggs.
• Lake Trout have been biting very well in 30-70 Ft of water on the bottom. Shiners or Sutton spoons have been producing some nice fish.
• Northern pike are up in the weeds chasing the small perch and small bluegills.
• White Bass should be spawning on the east shore this week. I saw a small number of fish caught off the inlet bridge this week.
• VHS was found in the Winnebago system this week. Big Green flows into the Winnebago system. The virus will not make its way to Big Green by itself due to the dams. The virus will arrive in some one's boat or bait. The virus can kill between 20 and 80 percent of the fish depending on the time of year and health of the fish. It does not appear to wipe out total fish populations. The virus can affect fish in different ways, not always killing the fish. The reports out on the web, state that the virus is not harmful to people.
• The Green Lake Sanitary District and the DNR will plant the Brown Trout tomorrow. I will be working with Charlie Marks and fish manager Dave Bartz on a local organization which raises funds for Big Green and its fishery. All aspects of the fishery will be addressed and all funds will stay on Big Green.