MIDWEST FISHING REPORT
NEAR-SHORE SALMON: BoRabb Williams: At least six kings caught Monday at 63rd, mostly on spoons (Moonshine). Park Bait: Salmon continue at Montrose, including several Monday night and a couple in the daylight Tuesday. Capt. Scott Wolfe: Fish inside Waukegan harbor, but water is dirty. Slez’s: Some kings and coho jumping at Michigan City, a few caught on glow spoons or crankbaits; a few flopping at Portage Riverwalk, too. Tackle Haven: Some kings in front of the St. Joseph-area pierheads in Michigan, by boat or pier. AREA LAKES: Ken “Husker’’ O’Malley: Senkos along outside weed lines taking largemouth; crappie in same location on twitched Maki plastics.
CHAIN: Triangle: Look for crappie around lighted areas with small minnows or spikes; walleye continue good with high water, focus on Petite or Marie; catfish continue good all over; muskie are fair on bucktails and small jerkbaits. NOTE: No-wake will be lifted on the Chain portion (Zone C) at 8 a.m. Wednesday, will remain in effect for the upper and lower river sections (Zones A and B). Check foxwaterway.com.
COOLING LAKES/STRIP PITS: Last day of fishing at Heidecke is Oct. 9; at LaSalle is Oct. 15; at Braidwood/Mazonia (Monster stays open year-round) is Oct. 16.
DELAVAN/GENEVA LAKES, WIS.: DELAVAN: Dave Duwe: Largemouth (15-17 ft. on outside weed line) and bluegill (west of Willow Point or Assembly Park weed line point) are most consistent. GENEVA: Bluegill are good in 16-18; largemouth on drop-shots in same range; walleye good at night.
KANKAKEE RIVER: Kyle Lund: Water levels fairly steady, but temperature cooled to mid-60s and fall feeding frenzy is on; bite spread throughout the day, have topwater, jerkbait and lipless are top three baits.
LAKEFRONT: Shoreline salmon at top. Park Bait: A few perch reported Tuesday morning. Capt. Bob Poteshman: Tuesday was first boaters fished in days; North Point slow, some in 180-200 ft.; out of Chicago, slow but mostly lakers in 130-140.
MILWAUKEE HARBOR: Arden Katz: Good kings over the weekend from boat on 3/4-ounce Rat-L-Traps.
N. WIS.: Kurt Justice: Muskie (topwaters or small to medium suckers) and pike are good to very good; smallmouth are good on gravel humps or sandgrass flats.
NW IND.: Shoreline salmon at top. Slez’s: Salt and Trail have some fish, best on spinners or floating spawn.
SHABBONA: Lakeside: Muskie picking up, topwaters and bucktails; catfish continue good, especially on crawlers; largemouth active; crappie good but take sorting; fishing improved as water cooled to 65. WISCONSIN DELLS: River’s Edge: Lots of sturgeon, no legal-sized reported yet. Sturgeon season (60-inch minimum) runs through Sept. 30. Tag required, if keeping.