MIDWEST FISHING REPORT
AREA LAKES: Dave’s Bait: Bluegills in full-blown spawn. Largemouth outside of bluegill beds on Senkos or topwaters. Ken ‘‘Husker’’ O’Malley: Largemouth in spawn or post-spawn; try weedless Ned rig or wacky-worming. Long, stealthy casts important with dryness.
AREA RIVERS: DES PLAINES: David Gullo: Andrew Gullo caught 14-inch sauger near 22nd Street on spinner. Peter Starshak: Largemouth and smallmouth starting on topwaters near Romeoville. FOX: Dave’s Bait: Catfish ‘‘on fire’’ with drum mixed in. KANKAKEE: O’Malley: Wading nearly everywhere. Work plastics around current seams. A few walleye on crankbaits. BRAIDWOOD: Fishing for a Cure is Saturday.
CHAIN: Salmon Stop: Good drum near Blarney’s over weekend. Triangle: Walleye good in river on bladebaits, minnows or jigs. White bass in river on bladebaits or spinners, Big walleye shallow on Channel, Catherine and Marie. Muskie active, including multifish days, on jerkbaits, bucktails or topwaters. Bass in various stages of spawn on frogs or Senkos. Crappie and white bass in 12 to 15 feet on Fox or Pistakee. Bluegills good on red worms or waxies near docks. Big channel catfish in 3 to 5 feet. Flatheads starting.
DELAVAN/GENEVA, WISCONSIN: DELAVAN: Arden Katz: Bluegills near spawn; target docks with spikes and small white or chartreuse jigs. For largemouth (to 21 inches), trying Neko rigs or wacky-worming Senkos. Capt. Dave Duwe: Walleye throughout water column on crawlers or fatheads. Crappie improving on weed lines in 10 to 12 feet. GENEVA: Duwe: Fishing ‘‘fantastic’’ in 10 to 15 feet. Rock bass ‘‘everywhere.’’ Smallmouth on spawning flats. Largemouth aggressive shallow. Bluegills starting to spawn. HEIDECKE: Larry Jennings: Multi-fish day: walleye to 20 inches, bluegills to 9 inches, hybrids and smallmouth.
LAKEFRONT: Jason ‘‘Special One’’ Le: Good drum Memorial Day at Montrose Horseshoe. Park Bait: Drum on crayfish. Smallmouth here and there. JP Ferrer: Finding kings to 24 pounds on Dodger and fly out of Crowley’s. Andrew Fedor: Dr. Lindsay McCullough caught 17-pound king on black-and-white spoon in 60 to 80 feet over weekend. Tom Riordan: Best king so far — 23 1/4 pounds — near Wilmette on mag-size orange glow spoon off downrigger. Capt. Bob Poteshman: Out of Chicago from McCormick to Wilmette, coho (various depths), a few kings (varied spoons deeper) and some lakers (slower than usual) in 45 to 85 feet. Out of North Point, coho, bigger lakers and a few kings and steelhead in 120 to 170 feet. If you find active fish, stay. Salmon Stop: Coho, steelhead, kings and lakers scattered throughout in 50 to 300 feet. Bloody Nose hot over weekend. At least one steelhead caught off pier. PERCH: Season closed through June 15. NORTHERN WISCONSIN: Kurt Justice: Crappie ‘‘excellent (OFF THE CHART!)’’ on small jigs and plastic or float and minnow. Smallmouth (catch-and-release only) excellent, both staging and bedding, on all kinds of lures. Walleye (weed bite beginning, leeches best), pike (find weeds), largemouth (staging shallow) and bluegills (staging shallow) very good. First three days of muskie season; smaller bucktails best.
NORTHWEST INDIANA: Slez’s: Trollers working in 60 to 80 feet for lakers, coho and a few kings and steelhead. Some steelhead at Portage Riverwalk and Michigan City piers on crawlers or shrimp under a float.
ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN: Tackle Haven: Kings and lakers in 90 to 120 feet in river. Smallmouth going. A few walleye by Berrien Springs dam.
SHABBONA: Boondocks: Bass ‘‘outstanding’’ near weed lines on spinner baits. Bluegills in evening near shore. Crappie off and on. WOLF RIVER, WISCONSIN: White bass run near end. Water into