MIDWEST FISHING REPORT
LAKEFRONT SALMON: Waiting. But there are signs. Capt. Tim Frey texted that Don Dickover of Wilmington caught a 25-pound, 35-inch king Monday at the R4. Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station, Indiana, had this hope: ‘‘With all the rain, some coho and few kings will show up around pierheads.’’
AREA LAKES: Ken ‘‘Husker’’ O’Malley: Cast crankbaits parallel to flooded shorelines, reeds and cattails; chartreuse best in dirty water.
AREA RIVERS: ILLINOIS: Larry Jennings: ‘‘Great day’’ Saturday at Starved Rock for ‘‘a little bit of everything!’’ KANKAKEE: Kyle Lund: Water likely will remain low, even with the rains, but it will cloud up some. Fish still should move shallow to feed early and late; topwaters good. Lots of weeds making tough presentations.
CHAIN: Triangle: Bluegills are good; best on Channel. For crappie, try in 6 to 8 feet by main-lake points. White and yellow bass in same areas. With increased flow, try for walleye on Petite.
DELAVAN/GENEVA, WISCONSIN: DELAVAN: Dave Duwe: Excellent fishing. Largemouth either off main-lake points in 15 to 17 feet or in slop by launch channel. Bluegills on weed lines in 13 to 15 feet.
GENEVA: Duwe: Midsummer deep-water patterns. Walleye are best bite; try between midnight and 4 a.m.. Bluegills are off weed line in 18 to 20 feet.
LAKEFRONT: Henry’s: Waiting on kings. Otherwise, rock bass and some smallmouth in the harbors. Capt. Bob Poteshman: Best at North Point is 180 to 300 feet for mainly lakers, with occasional coho, king and steelhead. Out of Chicago, best is by R4 for mainly lakers, with occasional kings, coho and steelhead in 120 to 150 feet north of the city. Capt. Scott Wolfe: Out of Waukegan, it’s inconsistent. But quality is good with lakers to 22 pounds, kings in the teens and a few coho heavier than 10 pounds.
NORTHERN WISCONSIN: MINOCQUA: Kurt Justice: Smallmouth (gravel/rock humps in 18 to 28 feet), largemouth (great topwater early and late), pike and bluegills (deepest weeds possible) are very good.
NORTHWEST INDIANA: Slez’s: Lakers good in 90 to 100 feet straight out of Burns Ditch. Perch bigger, but not many trying a mile or two west of Michigan City.
SHABBONA: Lakeside: Bass are best early and late on topwaters. Catfish are good on chicken livers and crawlers. Hybrids hitting chicken liver. Crappie (take sorting) are tight to the cribs. Water is 80 degrees.
SHELBYVILLE: Ken Wilson: Normal summer pool. Tailwaters fair to good for crappie, white bass, catfish and muskie evenings or first light. Good trolling for crappie in 8 to 15 feet.