MIDWEST FISHING REPORT

AREA LAKES: Get out the rubber boots for the slop on top. But there’s plenty of ice, and the warmup should jump-start the bite, especially for pike.

CHAIN O’LAKES AREA: Triangle reported pike picking up; try large roaches on tip-ups shallow. Walleye have picked up steadily with melting snow; look in current areas but use caution because ice deteriorates quickly there. Crappie are good; look in 8 to 13 feet on Petite and Marie. Bluegills remains solid; look deeper (9 to 12 feet).

COOLING LAKES/STRIP PITS: MAZONIA: Few trying with heavy snow cover. BRAIDWOOD: Reopens March 1. LaSALLE: Reopens March 15. HEIDECKE: Reopens April 1.

DELAVAN/GENEVA LAKES, WIS.: Brian Gates at Geneva Lake Bait & Tackle reported lake trout and ciscoes going good on Geneva. He called the pike action on Como ‘‘dynamite.’’ Pike are picking up on Delavan. Bluegills are fair, and crappie are going in the last hour of the day.

DOWNSTATE: POWERTON: Boat fishing reopened Saturday. LAKEFRONT: Harbors have as much as 2 feet of ice. Ice fishing has picked up for some better perch at Montrose. Other areas producing include DuSable, Navy Pier (you need special auger extensions to make holes from above) and 87th (park on the street). Arden Katz has been doing best fishing silver or gold spoons with spikes.

MADISON LAKES, WIS.: Gene Dellinger at D&S Bait said perch have slowed but remain the top bite; best in 70 feet on Mendota off Picnic Point. Perch improving on Monona.

NORTHERN WISCONSIN: EAGLE RIVER: Chamber of Commerce reported panfish are good to excellent and pike are fair to good. Ice is good with 22-plus inches. MINOCQUA: Kurt Justice of Kurt’s Island Sport Shop reported pike are good (best on large shiners around any green weeds) and bluegills and perch are fair to good. Some lakes have slush, making tough travel.

NORTHWEST INDIANA: Mik-Lurch reported Willow Slough remains best for bluegills. A few are trying for steelhead in the streams with b-moths and spawn sacs.

SHABBONA LAKE: Ken ‘‘Husker’’ O’Malley of Water Werks Fishing Team reported ice near 2 feet. Crappie and bluegills are very good. ‘‘Key was staying mobile [and] fishing brush piles and cribs,’’ he emailed. For crappie, he jigged tungsten jigs tipped with Maki Plastics; for bluegills, tungsten jigs tipped with multiple spikes. NOTE: Rescheduled Shabbona Lake Rockfest is Saturday. Contact Rich McElligott at (815) 824-2523 or at mclgot1@aol.com.