INLAND TROUT:
Expect more trout than usual for the second weekend, considering the cold on opening day Saturday. Daily bag is five. Those 16 and older need a fishing license and an inland- trout stamp. Nearby sites include Wolf, Green, Axehead, Belleau, Sag Quarry East and Horsetail in Cook County; Silver, Pickerel and Grove in DuPage; Bird Park Quarry and Rock Creek in Kankakee; Banana and Sand in Lake; Lake Atwood and Piscasaw Creek in McHenry; and Milliken in Will.
SMELT: Jef Walczak reported one Saturday night at Montrose. Park District rules are no open fires, no enclosed tents, no alcoholic beverages, no parking or driving on grass or sidewalks and no destruction of property. Also, dump hot coals in appropriate receptacles. Netting begins at 7 p. m. Must be out of park by 1 a. m.
AREA LAKES: Most effort on inland trout, but weather shift will bring fishermen out the next few days for crappie and bass. Until then, Ken ‘‘ Husker’’ O’Malley suggested ‘‘ slow- dragging a jig with a Berkley chigger craw’’ for bass.
COOLING LAKES/ STRIP PITS: All are open from 6 a. m. to sunset. BRAIDWOOD: Rob Abouchar: Bite improves with sun. Flipping and pitching jigs and Texas- rigged plastics is good bet for bass; work slowly around newly emerging grass points and tips. Big bass at Happy Hookers tournament was 3.95 pounds.
CHAIN O’LAKES: Triangle: Water is coming up slightly and navigable. As it warms, crappie move back toward the channels; try glow ice jigs ( pink or chartreuse) or Rat Finkees. Walleye are fair ( moving up late in the day, deeper earlier). Pike should be strong coming off spawn. Try deeper for bluegills. Few muskie reports.
LAKEFRONT: Park Bait: More with a few browns ( key has been using bait) at Montrose. Capt. Scott Wolfe: Charters catching some browns, coho and lakers in 20 to 25 feet south of Waukegan Harbor.
NORTHERN WISCONSIN: MINOCQUA: Kurt Justice: Ice averages 24 to 36 inches, and snow needs to melt before ice melts. Panfish fair.
NORTHWEST INDIANA: Slez’s: Boaters continue doing well in 20 to 40 feet from Hammond to St. Joseph, Michigan; Brads ThinFish best. Some kings showing up, too ( see FOTW). Shore fishing for coho continues spotty on squid, shrimp or crawlers.
ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN: Tackle Haven: Northwest winds dirtied water and slowed good coho fishing.
SHABBONA: Water should warm toward 50 by weekend. Lakeside is open from 6 a. m. to 7 p. m. Park hours are 6 a. m. to 10 p. m.
WOLF RIVER, WISCONSIN: FREMONT: Bill Stoeger: Walleye are going in the river ( as shallow as 6 feet to middle) and should hold with the weather. One of the top bites.