MIDWEST FISHING REPORT
LAKEFRONT SALMON/ TROUT: CHICAGO: Salmon spotted in harbors, rare catches. Park Bait: A few steelhead at Diversey. IND.: Slez’s Bait: A few coho and a king or steelhead now and then on the upper stretches of the tributaries on spawn sacks and spinners. SW MICH.: Tackle Haven: A few steelhead in the river. ILLINOIS’ FALL TROUT: Trout still being caught over weekend, multiple reports of golden trout. Nearby sites include in Cook County ( Axehead, Belleau, Busse North, Green, Horsetail, Wolf); DuPage ( Silver, Pickerel, Grove); Kankakee ( Bird Park Quarry, Rock Creek in Kankakee River SP); Kendall ( Big Lake at Silver Springs SFWA); Lake ( Banana, Sand at Illinois Beach SP); McHenry ( Spring Grove Hatchery Pond); Will ( Lake Strini, Van Horn Woods).
SNAGGING: Legal spots are Jackson Park inner and outer harbors; Lincoln Park Lagoon south of Fullerton; Winnetka power plant discharge area and Waukegan Harbor North Basin.
AREA LAKES: Trout biggest focus, but crappie picking up.
AREA RIVERS: FOX: Pete Lamar: Found active rock bass and one smallmouth in tributaries southwest of Aurora. ILLINOIS: Illinois Valley Outdoors: More of a jig and minnow bite for sauger and walleye; good crappie ( pilings and barge tieups); white bass picking up at the dam, mouth of Vermilion and inside, and opening of Spring Lake. KANKAKEE: Jeff Humenik ( Zara Spooks and white Rouges) and Kyle Danhausen both reported excellent smallmouth action in lower end of the river. Danhausen reminded river remains high for waders.
CHAIN: Arden Katz: Water cooled to 50s, good white bass ( to 14 inches) rip jigging/ drifting at 1/ 2 mph, some crappie and lots of yellow bass, too, Bluff and Marie best. Triangle: Crappie are beginning to bite steadily; walleye going on most main lake flats; muskie improved ( see FOTW) and bluegill good.
LAKEFRONT: Capt. Bob Poteshman: Excellent fishing out of North Point for 2- and 3- year- old kings in 120- 150 ft., and lakers in 180- 200; mostly flasher and flies. From Chicago ( and Waukegan), it is lakers around Julian’s and Gumby’s Reef ( east, slightly north of R4 2 miles).
N. WIS.: EAGLE RIVER: Chamber of Commerce: Muskie bite is going sucker, walleye continue on deep mud flats and rock humps. MINOCQUA: Kurt Justice: Muskie ( suckers), crappie ( best on lakes in weeds in 10- 14 ft.) and pike ( shallow weeds) are good. SHABBONA: Lakeside: Crappie ( cribs and brush piles), muskie ( multiple fish days) and bass are the top bites; water is 60 degrees, dropping. WOLF RIVER, WIS.: FREMONT: Arden Katz: Cold front slowed white bass and walleye last week.