MIDWEST FISHING REPORT
CHAIN O’LAKES OPEN: After weeks of being closed to boating because of historic flooding, all zones of the Chain completely reopened Monday and the fishing has been good. Triangle staff said white bass are going on the main lake. Bass are on weed lines of northern lakes. Bluegills are good. Catfish are being caught. AREA LAKES: Bluegills in weed pockets or by weed lines. Ken ‘‘ Husker’’ O’Malley: Bass are ‘‘ very good on clearer lakes during morning hours’’ on weed lines. AREA RIVERS: CHICAGO: Capt. Pat Harrison: Up- and- down weather has made fishing tougher; best remains a white jig and twister tipped with a wax worm, worked slowly, ticking the bottom. Water in the low 70s. DES PLAINES: Jason Norris: Buzzbaits, spinner baits and crankbaits taking pike and bass as water recedes. FOX: No- boating restrictions were lifted. I fished St. Charles with Adam Carlson and Marty Jandura on Monday. Levels were slightly above normal but wadeable. Smallmouth active. Pete Lamar: In tribs, mixed bag being caught in shaded areas. Henry’s: Catfishing good from McHenry on down. KANKAKEE: River fluctuated again in levels. Norm Minas: In rising water, he did best with single-spin on edges of water- willow beds. DELAVAN/ GENEVA, WISCONSIN: GENEVA: Dave Duwe: Bluegills ‘‘ fantastic’’ by Elgin Club and Gage Marine. Walleye excellent at night, trolling in Trinkes Bay or by Abbey Springs. Lakers hot in main- lake basin, down 69 to 70 feet. Nice largemouth in 21 to 22 feet. DELAVAN: Arden Katz: Good bluegills with some crappie in 17 to 18 feet on weed line; hellgrammites best bait. Duwe: Crappie suspending in main lake. Largemouth steady in 15 to 17 feet. LAKEFRONT: Waiting on cooler water and fall shoreline salmon. CHICAGO: Park Bait: At Montrose, a few small perch and rock bass. Henry’s: Drum and spotty smallmouth around harbors. Capt. Bob Poteshman: A few nice kings around, but mainly lakers by The Wreck and some steelhead out to 200 feet. WAUKEGAN: Salmon Stop: No shoreline kings yet. A few steelhead and a few perch from shore. Capt. Scott Wolfe: Deep- water ( deeper than 220) fishing is good for mix of coho, kings and steelhead with a few lakers. NORTH POINT: Poteshman: A few nice 4- year- old kings in the mornings, scattered in 90 to 200 feet. NORTHERN WISCONSIN: MINOCQUA: Kurt Justice: Bluegills are good to very good, suspending along coontail edges in 14 to 18 feet. Crappie ( tall narrow- leaf cabbage patches), largemouth ( topwaters) and pike are good. NORTHWEST INDIANA: Slez’s: Salmon/ trout in 110 to 130 feet straight out of the Ditch and West to Michigan City. Steelhead decent in Trail Creek on shrimp and spawn sacs. ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN: Tackle Haven: Salmon and trout in 200 feet. SHABBONA: Lakeside: Walleye ( mostly 16 to 24 inches, but a 27.5- incher was caught Monday) are excellent on crawlers or leeches in 10 feet on weed edges. Topwaters taking some bass. Catfish decent. Some smaller crappie. Muskie slowed.