Species Guide
Cisco Fishing: Seasonal Patterns & Bite Windows
Cisco feed most actively in water between 54-63°F. Depth shifts with the season — anywhere from 5 ft to 60 ft deep depending on where they are in the yearly cycle. Cisco feed most actively at Daytime, when activity runs about 18% above the daily average across all four light windows.
See today's Cisco conditions →Natural history
How big do cisco get, and when do they spawn?
The cited facts behind the cisco — when they spawn, how big they run, what they eat, and how to tell them apart from look-alikes.
- Spawn
- November to December, when water reaches 34-43°F
- Typical size
- 10.5-15.7 in
- Trophy size
- 18-22.4 in
- Lifespan
- 6-10 yr
- Diet
- A plankton feeder — water fleas, copepods and opossum shrimp taken by sight in open water, with insect larvae and the occasional small fish.
- Habitat
- Open water in cold, clear, deep lakes — Minnesota holds about 650 of them, more than any other state in the lower 48. Through summer it is pinned below the thermocline, between water too warm above and water too oxygen-poor below.
- How to identify
- A slim, silvery salmonid with a small fleshy adipose fin ahead of a deeply forked tail. Its lower jaw reaches at least as far forward as the upper one — a lake whitefish's blunt snout overhangs its mouth instead.
- Notable record
- Minnesota state record 5 lb 13 oz, 20.75 in, Sybil Lake, caught through the ice (2015)
Seasonal patterns
What depth do cisco hold, season by season?
Cisco feed most consistently in water between 54-63°F. Depth below is where the fish typically hold at each stage of the year.
| Season | Depth |
|---|---|
| Pre-Spawn | 5-25 ft |
| Spawn | 10-35 ft |
| Post-Spawn | 15-40 ft |
| Summer | 25-60 ft |
| Fall | 5-35 ft |
| Winter | 15-45 ft |
Best times
When do cisco feed during the day?
Cisco feed most actively at Daytime, when activity runs about 18% above the daily average across all four light windows.
- Dawn1.10x
Boosts feeding activity by about 10%.
- Daytime1.30x
Boosts feeding activity by about 30%.
- Dusk1.10x
Boosts feeding activity by about 10%.
- Night0.90x
Suppresses feeding activity by about 10%.
Conditions
How do barometric pressure and wind affect the cisco bite?
How far the model moves a cisco score away from this fish's baseline for each pressure trend and wind band. These are modeled multipliers, not a measured feeding response — the evidence behind each input is graded below.
Barometric pressure
- Falling1.00x
- Modeled flat — no change from this fish's baseline.
- Stable1.00x
- Modeled flat — no change from this fish's baseline.
- Rising1.00x
- Modeled flat — no change from this fish's baseline.
Barometric pressure is graded "Contested" in every report we produce: The barometric effect is real to most anglers but small and contested in the literature — several of the species studies cited in this model report null results — so it carries one of the smallest weights here.
Wind
- Calm (0-5 mph)0.95x
- Modeled about 5% below this fish's baseline.
- Light (5-10 mph)1.10x
- Modeled about 10% above this fish's baseline.
- Moderate (10-20 mph)1.05x
- Modeled about 5% above this fish's baseline.
- Strong (20+ mph)0.95x
- Modeled about 5% below this fish's baseline.
Wind is graded "Moderately supported" in every report we produce: Wind stacks forage on windward structure, but both the size and the direction of the effect depend on the species and the water, so it carries a modest weight.
Structure
What cover and structure do cisco prefer?
Cisco carry the heaviest modeled preference for open sand & gravel. Each figure below is a 0-1 preference weight from this fish's own cited data, strongest first — not a measured catch rate.
- 01Open sand & gravel
- 02Rock & rubble
FAQ
Common questions
What depth do cisco hold in pre-spawn?
In pre-spawn, cisco typically hold 5-25 ft deep.
What depth do cisco hold in spawn?
In spawn, cisco typically hold 10-35 ft deep.
What depth do cisco hold in post-spawn?
In post-spawn, cisco typically hold 15-40 ft deep.
What depth do cisco hold in summer?
In summer, cisco typically hold 25-60 ft deep.
What depth do cisco hold in fall?
In fall, cisco typically hold 5-35 ft deep.
What depth do cisco hold in winter?
In winter, cisco typically hold 15-45 ft deep.
What water temperature do cisco prefer?
Cisco are most active in water between 54-63°F.
What time of day are cisco most active?
Cisco feed most actively at Daytime, when activity runs about 18% above the daily average across all four light windows.
How does barometric pressure affect the cisco bite?
Falling pressure modeled flat — no change from this fish's baseline. Stable pressure modeled flat — no change from this fish's baseline. Rising pressure modeled flat — no change from this fish's baseline. These are modeled multipliers, not a measured feeding response. Barometric pressure is graded "Contested" in every report we produce: The barometric effect is real to most anglers but small and contested in the literature — several of the species studies cited in this model report null results — so it carries one of the smallest weights here.
How does wind affect cisco fishing?
Calm wind modeled about 5% below this fish's baseline. Light wind modeled about 10% above this fish's baseline. Moderate wind modeled about 5% above this fish's baseline. Strong wind modeled about 5% below this fish's baseline. These are modeled multipliers, not a measured feeding response. Wind is graded "Moderately supported" in every report we produce: Wind stacks forage on windward structure, but both the size and the direction of the effect depend on the species and the water, so it carries a modest weight.
When do cisco spawn?
Cisco spawn November to December, triggered when water temperatures reach 34-43°F. The exact weeks shift with latitude, but the temperature cue holds.
How big do cisco get?
A typical cisco runs 10.5-15.7 in; a trophy is 18-22.4 in. Notable record: Minnesota state record 5 lb 13 oz, 20.75 in, Sybil Lake, caught through the ice (2015).
What do cisco eat?
A plankton feeder — water fleas, copepods and opossum shrimp taken by sight in open water, with insect larvae and the occasional small fish.