MIDWEST FISHING REPORT
LOCAL ICE-FISHING REGS: Ice-fish at your own risk. Sunrise to sunset, unless otherwise noted. Not permitted at the Chicago lagoons, FPD of Will County, Kankakee River Valley FPD and Kendall County FPD. FP COOK: Ice-fishing lakes: Arrowhead, Axehead, Beck, Belleau, Big Bend, Bode south, Bullfrog, Busse main and south, Flatfoot, Green, Horsetail, Ida, Maple, Papoose, Powderhorn, Saganashkee Slough, Sag Quarry, Tampier, Turtlehead and Wampum. FPD DuPAGE: Permitted at most sites. No ice fishing at Spring Creek Reservoir. Late-night fishing at Deep Quarry but must be out of preserve by 11 p.m. FPD KANE: Permitted only at Hampshire South FP, Oakhurst FP, Paul Wolff Campground and Grunwald Farms FP. LAKE FP: When conditions allow, ice fishing permitted from 6:30 a.m. to sunset at Hasting, Banana, Independence Grove south bay (catch-and-release) and Carina and from 6:30 a.m. to one hour after sunset at Sterling. MAZONIA SFWA: Both units open to open-water or ice fishing. McHENRY CCD: Ice fishing at The Hollows (West Lake only). SILVER SPRINGS SFWA: Enter through the east entrance, 7 a.m. to sunset. WILLIAM POWERS SRA: When conditions permit. LAKEFRONT PERCH/LAKERS: Perch anglers catching good numbers and good-sized lake trout. See Fish of the Week. Or take Quinn Wunar landing one on an ultralight and 4-pound line in a 40-minute battle. Steve Palmisano/Henry’s: Perch and some trout on spoons or Kastmasters tipped with minnow head. ‘‘Don’t forget to bring a landing net for those trout.’’ Arden Katz: Navy Pier so-so Friday. Didn’t try it after the blow. Slez’s: Perch groups slowing with the cold.
AREA LAKES: Ice fishing begins, should be widespread by weekend.
CHAIN O’LAKES: Greg Dickson/Triangle: ‘‘I saw some people starting [Monday].’’ It’s first ice on shallow bays and back channels. Ice building should be good all week.
GREEN LAKE, WISCONSIN: Mike Norris: Most lakes already have 6 inches of ice. Middle of Big Green open. A few ice-fishing shoreline areas. On Little Green, walleye on outside weed edges with shiners on tip-ups at night.
MADISON, WISCONSIN: D&S: Ice fishing at Cherokee Marsh (smaller fish), Monona Bay and the Triangles (bluegill, a few perch and crappie), Squaw Bay (mainly pike) and Lake Farm Park (bluegills, small pike and walleye at night).
NORTHERN WISCONSIN: Kurt Justice: Tougher fishing during holiday week, but excellent travel via ATVs and snowmobiles. Walleye (move deeper days and explore, a dusk bite otherwise), pike, crappie (try suspended in 15 to 25 feet), perch (shallow weeds) and bluegills (weed beds in 5 to 10 feet) are good. NORTHWEST INDIANA: Slez’s: A few steelhead in tributaries; Voodoo jigs tipped with waxworms best.
POWERTON: Bank fishing from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN: Tackle Haven: Steelhead very good in river last week, packed with boats. A few walleye at Berrien Springs. WOLF RIVER, WISCONSIN: Fremont: Bill Stoeger: Ice averaging 6 inches, travel by four-wheelers and snowmobiles. Poygan best for walleye.