MIDWEST FISHING REPORT
SHORELINE SALMON/ TROUT: WAUKEGAN: The top shore/ nearshore bite in Illinois. Capt. Scott Wolfe: Hot lure is custom- painted glow wonderbread Flicker Shad. CHICAGO: Park Bait: Some kings every day at Montrose, early and late, the usual lures and spoons. Henry’s: Some at south harbors, too. NW IND. CREEKS: Slez’s: Spinners and spawn sacs are best baits, mainly Trail and Salt. Tackle Haven: Some kings and steelhead up to near Johnson Road on Trail, spooky with low, clear water. SW MICH.: Tackle Haven: A few off piers before blow.
MILWAUKEE: Arden Katz: Over weekend, 2- for- 4 in five hours on Rat- LTraps inside the harbor from boat. ROOT RIVER, WIS.: Wisconsin DNR: Very low, clear, no reports.
AREA LAKES: Henry’s: Some crappie reports on forest preserves. Ken “Husker’’ O’Malley: Evening best; cast topwaters parallel to outside weed lines. AREA RIVERS: CHICAGO: Capt. Pat Harrison: Water cooling; some bass on small crankbaits or wacky worming; crappie tough to pattern, bluegills come and go. KANKAKEE: Trading Post: Lowest and clearest of the year, so fish faster current and current breaks; smallmouth top bite, some walleye and catfish. CHAIN: Triangle: White bass are good; try shallower toward 8 feet; crappie much improved, moving shallower toward evening; muskie picking up; walleye feeding heavily; bluegill slow. COOLING LAKES/ STRIP PITS: HEIDECKE: Final day is Oct. 10. LaSALLE: Final day is Oct. 15. MAZONIA/ BRAIDWOOD: Final day is Oct. 17. Monster Lake at Mazonia South is open year- round. DELAVAN/ GENEVA, WIS.: DELAVAN: Dave Duwe: Smallmouth showing, mixed with walleye ( improving daily) in 18- 20 feet; crappie are good in 13- 14 in weed. GENEVA: Duwe: Bluegill steady in 18- 20; largemouth much shallower than usual ( 8- 10); walleye are excellent on nights with wind, trolling large Rapalas in 12- 15; rock bass moving shallower. DOWNSTATE: HENNEPIN- HOPPER: Closed for the season. EVERGREEN: Bait shop open 8 a. m.- 4 p. m. daily, boat rental on weekends only. LAKEFRONT: Shoreline salmon at top. CHICAGO: Capt. Bob Poteshman: Mornings good for lakers, afternoons slower, R4 and deeper. WAUKEGAN: Capt. Scott Wolfe: Trollers working lakers in 130- 170 feet when weather allows; some bonus coho and steelhead. NORTH POINT: Poteshman: Steelhead and coho are picking up, also some lakers and kings, between hill and deeper ( 200- 250), scattered. N. WIS.: MINOCQUA: Kurt Justice: Water cooled into 60s; muskie ( bucktails and big spinner baits) largemouth, bluegill ( suspended) and pike are good. SHABBONA: Lakeside: Muskie remain good; crappie good numbers but take sorting for keepers; topwaters still taking largemouth; walleye and hybrids are average; water cools through 70s. WISCONSIN DELLS: Sturgeon season runs through Sept. 30. No legals through Tuesday morning, per River’s Edge.