MIDWEST FISHING REPORT
CHICAGO LAKEFRONT: Officially closed east of Lake Shore Drive, but many are walking or biking in. Passes for the fishermen’s parking lots aren’t being sold while the lakefront is officially closed.
AREA LAKES: Bluegills and largemouth, especially early and late or in the shaded areas, are most targeted in the heat. Ken ‘‘Husker’’ O’Malley: Evening bass bite better. Work a Baby 1-Minus along outside weed lines or slowly over thickest weeds.
AREA RIVERS: CHICAGO: Capt. Pat Harrison: Picked up some quality crappie (12 inches) this week. FOX: Readers finding good flatheads. Pete Lamar: Good action in tributaries for smaller smallmouth on flies. ILLINOIS: Mike Hanson caught good sauger and walleye around Spring Valley. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has temporary closures for the Dresden Island, Marseilles, Starved Rock, Peoria and LaGrange locks for repairs.
CHAIN: Triangle: Bedding bluegills top bite. Walleye (some big fish) are active on the flats; try dragging crawlers or jigging. Catfish, including some big ones, are good. For bass, try lake points in the heat. DELAVAN/GENEVA, WISCONSIN: DELAVAN: Dave Duwe: Despite boat traffic and heavy fishing, fishing remains excellent. Bluegills in 17 to 18 feet on weed lines. Walleye on weed lines in 15 to 19 feet. Largemouth on docks or on deep weed lines in 16 to 18 feet. Pike ‘‘plain easy.’’ GENEVA: Arden Katz: Decent bass fishing at night in 20 feet with natural-color worms on drop-shots. Duwe: Pike excellen. Walleye starting; troll shallow weed flats at night.
GREEN LAKE, WISCONSIN: Mike Norris: Largemouth and smallmouth aggressively pursuing topwaters early and late on Big Green. On Fox Lake, tremendous action concentrated around weedy areas (two 51inch muskie caught last week).
HENNEPIN-HOPPER: Open Tuesday-Sunday.
LaSALLE: Pete Riedesel reported a fish kill underway Tuesday. Thomas Jones and grandson Dashun caught good blues (4 to 22 pounds) on cut carp last week.
NORTHERN WISCONSIN: Kurt Justice: Largemouth bass (cabbagebed action mornings, then topwaters evenings) and bluegills (many presentations) are very good. Smallmouth, walleye, pike, perch and muskie are good. Careful with fish with water into the 80s. NORTHWEST INDIANA: Mark Starcevich: Pablo LeBron caught a 25-inch steelhead at Portage Marina. Bruce Zolna with Capt. Eddie Landmichl: Found good lake trout on Illinois/Indiana state line out of Portage. Slez’s: Decent steelhead for trollers early and late outside of the Ditch. Perch ‘‘pretty good’’ at mouth of the Ditch and the Donut east toward Michigan City in 15 to 30 feet. Salmon trout in 70 to 100 feet straight out of the Ditch and east to Michigan City.
SHABBONA: Lakeside: A few hybrid stripers caught on the bottom. Bass on dam face and weed line. Catfish in the no-motor zone. Bluegills are along weeds from shore. Water heated into 90s.
SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN: Slez’s: Really good perch at New Buffalo. Tackle Haven: At St. Joseph, perch going north and south in 20 to 25 feet. Some kings, coho, steelhead and lakers in 160 to 180 feet. Smallmouth and catfish biting in river. A few skamania and drum off the pier early.
WAUKEGAN: Capt. Scott Wolfe: Working deeper water (100 to 140 feet) with warmup. Coho dominate the catch, but more steelhead and lakers and the occasional king being caught in deeper water.