MIDWEST FISHING REPORT
LAKEFRONT PERCH: Henry’s ( 6 a. m.- 4: 30 p. m. Christmas Eve; closed Christmas Day): Perch best at Navy Pier and Southeast Side slips. Slez’s ( 5 a. m.- noon Christmas Day): ‘‘ More fish than anyone has seen in their lives.’’ Navy Pier and DuSable good. John McKevitt: ‘‘ This past weekend I split my time between Navy Pier and Montrose. I caught in excess of 60 perch in four hours, of which a dozen ended up in the cooler.’’ Arden Katz: ‘‘ Never seen so many guys perch fishing in my life at Navy Pier.’’
PIER PASSES: Available at Henry’s ($ 6 cash, one per valid fishing license) for legal access to select piers in Chicago harbors. AREA LAKES: Waiting on fishable ice returning.
CHAIN O’LAKES: Triangle: Greg Dickson: ‘‘ We are looking at a little bit of a hiccup in this thing for safety. I am sure we will have people back out [ ice- fishing] over the weekend.’’
CHICAGO LAKEFRONT: Perch at top. Henry’s: Lots of browns ( especially on the South Side) and a few lakers coming mostly on minnows. A few on spoons.
DOWNSTATE: REND: Jason Johns: Limits of crappie in 2 to 14 feet on about anything ( cold front could make things tougher).
SHELBYVILLE: Ken Wilson: ‘‘ Crappie on fire; two- man limits within hours.’’ North end is best. Water is in mid- 30s. Some sauger, too. Boat ramps are full. Be prepared to use alternate launches. Lots of muskie below the dam. POWERTON: Shore fishing reopens Tuesday ( 8 a. m.- 4 p. m. daily). LAKE OF EGYPT: Johns: Crappie schooled in 20 to 30 feet. KINKAID: Johns: Chance for 4- pound- plus crappie. GREEN/ STURGEON BAYS, WISCONSIN: Howie’s Tackle: Smaller bays and protected marinas starting to ice over. Not enough ice for whitefish. MADISON, WISCONSIN: D& S Bait: Ice holding on Cherokee Marsh, Lakefront Park and parts of Monona Bay ( Kegonsa is iced but thin). Next week should be better. NORTHERN WISCONSIN: MINOCQUA: Kurt Justice: Snow slowing ice- making ( ice is 2 to 7 inches). ‘‘ Caution and high, waterproof boots are required for fishing the ice right now.’’ Walleye ( shallow action at dusk), pike ( weedy flats), largemouth and bluegills are very good. SHABBONA: Not close to safe ice. Lakeside ( shabbonalake. com, ( 815) 824- 2581) will reopen when ice fishing comes.