MIDWEST FISHING REPORT
TROUT: Illinois’ early catch-and-release season opens Saturday. Nearby sites: Rock Creek, Kankakee River SP; Pine Creek, White Pines Forest SP; Apple River, Apple River Canyon SP . . . . Regular season opens April 3, except Forest Preserves of Cook County sites, which open April 7.
PARKING PASSES: Chicago Park District’s parking passes for fishermen’s parking lots (DuSable and Burnham) are on sale at Henry’s and Park Bait.
AREA LAKES: Most open water or about to be. Ken ‘‘Husker’’ O’Malley: Decent largemouth on lipless crankbaits midafternoons on sunny days; fish warmer north shorelines. Bluegills active on sunny days in shallow bays with wood.
AREA RIVERS: FOX: Dicky’s: Water up and dirty, and current is strong. Good walleye below the Montgomery dam Monday. Catfish are a little slow, but some good ones on cut-up muskie suckers in North Aurora. A few nice smallmouth, especially downstream. ILLINOIS: Masters Walleye Circuit tournament Friday and Saturday out of Spring Valley. KANKAKEE: Good action in good weather last week. Victor Blackful: At Des Plaines SFWA, good largemouth and crappie to 12 inches. Larry Green: In Kankakee River SP, some smallmouth going.
CHAIN: Triangle: Ice is out and crappie are going areawide. Walleye (with perch mixed in) are fair on large fatheads or roaches on slip-bobber rigs.
COOLING LAKES: Weather slowed effort, but Braidwood and LaSalle are open 6 a.m. to sunset daily. Heidecke reopens April 1. Both Mazonia units open.
FOX RIVER, WISCONSIN: Mike Norris: At De Pere, good walleye (to trophy) vertical-jigging or snap-jigging Rapala Rippin Rap or blade baits. Through May 1, daily bag is one 28 inches or longer. LAKEFRONT: Blackful, Arden Katz and Ken Schneider reported outstanding perch at South Side slips before the blow Sunday. Wayne Hankins: Brown first spring action. Park Bait: Powerliners taking some coho and browns. Afternoon bite better last week. Some good pike action last week. Salmon Stop: At Waukegan, powerliners getting browns. Boaters just starting.
NORTHERN WISCONSIN: Kurt Justice: Most anglers using foot travel. Expect ice fishing for a couple of weeks more. Bluegills (best size in weeds in 6 to 10 feet on small jigs tipped with waxies or spikes) and perch (on mud flats in 20 feet) are very good. Crappie are good.
NORTHWEST INDIANA: Slez’s: Decent bluegills and crappie at Willow Slough. Coho hit-and-miss for shore anglers, better for boaters. Crappie should improve with weekend warmth.
ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN: Tackle Haven: Coho being caught at Cook Plant, water plant, front of harbor and slightly north in 8 to 20 feet. Some whitefish off the pier. Lots of steelhead running up the river, but not many biting.
WISCONSIN RIVER: Erik Brztowski: Bigger walleye are coming up to spawn. Water warmed into the 30s. Norris: At Dells, drifting on current seas with split-shot and minnow producing walleye. WOLF RIVER, WISCONSIN: Bill Stoeger: Walleye good on river rigs or jigs. Water in mid-30s.