MIDWEST FISHING REPORT
LAKEFRONT KINGS: Capt. A.J. Cwiok caught a pair of shoreline kings, including a 24-pounder, over the weekend. There have been reports of a couple on the Chicago lakefront, which officially remains closed. The Chicago Park District hasn’t responded to questions about when the lakefront officially will reopen for anglers.
DERBY: The Northern Illinois Anglers Association’s 37th Kankakee River Fishing Derby begins Friday. Go to kankakeefishingderby.com. STURGEON: Hook-and-line sturgeon season in Wisconsin opens Saturday below the Dells dam (and other spots). Permit required if hoping to keep fish. Minimum length is 60 inches. Details at wisconsin.gov/topic/Fishing/sturgeon/SturgeonInlandFishery.html.
AREA LAKES: Rain would help. If trying for bluegills over the Labor Day weekend, focus on outside weed edges or weed holes. For bass, Ken ‘‘Husker’’ O’Malley emailed evenings are best with Texas-rigged plastics along outside weed lines. Shorelines adjacent to deeper water holding active fish.
AREA RIVERS: ILLINOIS: Dresden Island, Marseilles, Starved Rock, Peoria and LaGrange locks remain closed for repairs. Pete Riedesel: Continue to find bass with topwaters. KANKAKEE: Derby begins Friday. George Peters: Water nearly low as 1988; use care with catch-and-release. O’Malley: Focus on faster water with riffles and current breaks.
CHAIN: Water is extremely low, so use caution. Triangle: More white bass on Bluff and Petite. Catfish good on cutbait and stinkbait. Low water makes walleye tough.
DELAVAN/GENEVA, WISCONSIN: DELAVAN: Dave Duwe: Go early or late to avoid boat traffic. Bluegills and pike ‘‘awesome.’’ Largemouth ‘‘outstanding’’ on weed lines in 15 to 18 feet. Perch in 17 to 19 feet. GENEVA: Arden Katz: Smallmouth with a few largemouth and a couple of walleye on drop-shot rigs in 18 to 25 feet at night. Duwe: Pike on the thermocline. Bluegills in 20 to 25 feet. Largemouth on topwaters over shallow weeds in 10 to 12 feet. Walleye consistent at night on weed lines in 15 to 17 feet.
DOWNSTATE: HENNEPIN-HOPPER: Final day Monday. POWERTON: Closed through Sept. 15. SHELBYVILLE: Ken Wilson: Crappie biting; best longlining a two-jig rig in 10 to 12 feet at 1 mph. Largemouth active shallow early, then go deeper. REND: Jason Johns: Catfish good (drifting or sitting) on Triple S, shrimp or shad. Crappie scattered at every depth. LAKE OF EGYPT: Johns: Bass schooling. Use topwaters early, then Ned rigs later. GREEN LAKE, WISCONSIN: Mike Norris: PUCKAWAY: Bluegills (to
9 inches) and perch (to 11) very good. BEAVER DAM: Shore anglers picking up crappie and a few walleye. Some walleye below dam. LAKEFRONT: See king note at top. Chicago lakefront officially remains closed, but people are doing a lot of things on the lakefront, including fishing by walking or biking in. Fishermen’s parking passes are not being sold while the lakefront officially remains closed. Also hearing reports of good drum. Capt. Bob Poteshman: Good lake trout continue off Chicago in 100 to 130 feet; mornings best. Out of North Point, mainly lakers with a few steelhead, coho and an occasional king; best in 130 to 200 feet between North Point and Waukegan. Also some good lakers outside of Julian’s Reef.
NORTHWEST INDIANA: Stan’s: Catfish (liver, crawlers) and panfish (red worms, beemoths) decent to good on area lakes. Trollers working in 120 to 170 feet.
ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN: Tackle Haven: Drum, smallmouth, flatheads and catfish going in river. On Lake Michigan, mainly lakers in 160 feet. Perch spotty; try around 40 feet.
SHABBONA: Lakeside: A few muskies on bucktails over the weekend. Crappie mainly on minnows down 5 to 10 feet in the cribs. Walleye and hybrids slow.
WOLF RIVER, WISCONSIN: FREMONT: Bill Stoeger: Walleye fair on jigs tipped with crawlers. Good perch in bayous and river. Bluegills on wood along shore.