MIDWEST FISHING REPORT
AREA LAKES: Cooler weather should change weekend fishing. Ken “Husker” O’Malley: Bass slower as water warms through 80s, try deeper ledges with Texas-rigged power worms or Carolina-rigged lizards; best evening into dark. AREA RIVERS: CHICAGO: Jeffrey Williams: Water in 70s, but caught good bluegill, a pumpkinseed and a nice catfish. DuPAGE: Larry Narro catching many smallmouth, best going 19 1/2. FOX: Pete Lamar: Water clear as it gets in summer. ILLINOIS: Remember lock closures for the Dresden Island, Marseilles, Starved Rock, Peoria and LaGrange. KANKAKEE: George Peters: Topwater produced a 19-inch-plus smallmouth; river very low and clear with green moss on rocks, try shallow-running baits.
CHAIN: Don Luptak, 68, caught a 26-pound, 11-ounce catfish on Bluff on a small hook and leech for the biggest thrill he had fishing in Illinois. Triangle: Be aware of low water; channel catfish strong; some good flatheads in the river; bluegill, take sorting, best on weed lines on Channel.
DELAVAN/GENEVA, WISCONSIN: DELAVAN: Dave Duwe: Largemouth “outstanding” on weed lines in 15-18 on crawlers on a split-shot rig; bluegill (20-24 or 15-17) and pike (Lindy-rigging suckers in 20) are “awesome”; walleye on drop in 16-24. GENEVA: Arden Katz: Bluegill and pumpkinseeds best on leaf worms in Geneva Bay; smallmouth good off points at night in 17-20; some walleye with the night smallmouth. Duwe: Pike on thermocline in 35 and deeper; largemouth on surface baits; walleye consistent at night trolling crankbaits or crawler harnesses on weed lines in 15-17.
GREEN LAKE, WISCONSIN: Mike Norris: FOX: Bluegill active on weed lines; largemouth under and between piers. PUCKAWAY: Bluegill excellent where Fox River enters and exits. LITTLE GREEN: Largemouth and bluegill active under and around piers.
LAKEFRONT: Chicago lakefront officially closed, but lots walking or biking in to fish. Capt. Rick Bentley: Caught a good catfish trolling Saturday. Capt. Bob Poteshman: Lakers outstanding out of Chicago in 100-160 and North Point from 160-210, mornings better than afternoons, fish scattered and throughout water column. Capt. Scott Wolfe: Chinook moved out of shallow water; so mainly world-class lake trout in 120-140.
N. WISCONSIN: Kurt Justice: With flying ants all over, bluegills came to the surface, action and good-sized fish; crappie relating to narrow leafed cabbage in 8-12; pike best on bladed baits; walleye fair (no leeches, so crawlers best), deep lakes with humps best; largemouth better size than action; smallmouth best drop-shotting on coontail edges; muskie good on fast jerkbaits. Fish may push deeper with cooldown this weekend.
NW INDIANA: Slez’s: Some salmon/trout in 90-130 out of Burns Ditch; some steelhead in tributaries, but water low and warm.
POWERTON: Closed for levee repairs through Sept. 15.
ST. JOSEPH: A few salmon in 90 early morning, otherwise lakers in 100-120; before Tuesday’s storm, perch in 40-45.
SHABBONA: Lakeside: water warming through 80s; catfish on edges and rock piles; crappie in the cribs and deep trees; walleye best in the east bay or the deep trees.
WOLF: Stan’s: Walleye on crawlers or leeches; catfish good on stinkbait, beemoths or cut bait.