MIDWEST FISHING REPORT
SPRING TROUT: Season opens Saturday. Those 16 and older need a fishing license and inland trout stamp. Daily bag is five. Nearby sites are Axehead, Belleau, Green, Horsetail ( new for spring), Sag Quarry East and Wolf in Cook County; Grove, Pickerel and Silver in DuPage; Bird Park Quarry and Rock Creek at Kankakee River SP in Kankakee; Big Lake at Silver Springs SFWA in Kendall; Sand at Illinois Beach SP and Banana in Lake; Atwood and Piscasaw Creek in McHenry; and Milliken in Will.
SMELT: Season opens Saturday in Chicago. Chicago Park District rules: No open fires, no enclosed tents, no alcoholic beverages, park only in designated areas, do not destroy property, dispose of all coals in appropriate trash receptacles, must out of park by 1 a. m.
HEIDECKE: Reopens Saturday ( launch, 6 a. m.; shore, 6: 30 a. m.). Close is sunset. Site staff: Water levels good at launch Monday. About 36 inches of clearance at the bridge.
AREA LAKES: Crappie most consistent of inconsistent bite, including a 17- inch, 2.9- pounder caught by Joseph Christopher Alfe with a jerkbait. Ken ‘‘ Husker’’ O’Malley: Bass best on lipless crankbaits on wind- blown shorelines.
BRAIDWOOD: Adam Gundlach: Lots of 14- to 16- inch bass on assorted lures. Water is 68 to 72 degrees on north end. Rob Abouchar: He and Joe Schatz did best Saturday with square bill crankbaits ( chartreuse or craw colors). Some on wacky- rigged stick worms in riprap. O’Malley: Water ranged from 70 to 75 degrees. Pitch shoreline cover with ‘‘ a multitude of plastics.’’
CHAIN O’LAKES: Triangle: Low water conditions, so use caution when launching. Most chasing crappie in deeper backwaters or walleye on south Chain.
LAKEFRONT: CHICAGO: Park Bait: Powerliners taking lots of coho Monday and Tuesday; best spot varied ( Horseshoe on Monday, jetty Tuesday), depending on wind, minnows or crawlers. Arden Katz: Excellent perch Sunday at Navy Pier on jigging spoons tight to wall. Move to find active perch.
WAUKEGAN: Salmon Stop: No boat reports. From piers, browns and coho picking up.
NORTHERN WISCONSIN: MINOCQUA: Kurt Justice: Likely will be last weekend of ice fishing in most areas. Crappie, bluegills and yellow perch ( shallow weeds) are very good.
NORTHWEST INDIANA: Slez’s: Coho good for boaters when weather allows; shore not as good. A few on squid, shrimp on skein at Portage Lakefront Park or Washington Park in Michigan City. ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN: Tackle Haven: Weekend good for coho ( boaters and some off pier). Some steelhead at Berrien Springs. SHABBONA: Lakeside: Muskie, walleye and catfish are the best bites. Bass and crappie are slow. Water is 46 degrees with good clarity. Park hours go to 6 a. m. to 10 p. m. Saturday.
WOLF RIVER, WISCONSIN: FREMONT: Jim Popek: ‘‘ Walleye run is on.’’ Limits from Fremont to New London; best on quarter- ounce jigs in 9 to 10 feet.