MIDWEST FISHING REPORT

PERCH: Key areas are around 87th, 89th and 95th. Arden Katz: Minnows are a must for keepers. Gary Bloom: Lots of smaller perch, with some 8- inchers mixed in, at Montrose. Cory Gecht, Park Bait: Catching small perch ( some keepers) at Montrose and Diversey. Capt. Rich Sleziak, Slez’s Bait: Fatheads or baby roaches producing for shore fishermen and boaters, mainly around Cal Park and the Calumet system. Lori Ralph, Salmon Stop: Few guys perching off Johnson pier.

AREA LAKES: Ken ‘‘ Husker’’ O’Malley: Live bait still producing bass and crappie. Circle hooks help to not gut- hook.

AREA RIVERS: CALUMET: BoRabb Williams: Crappie still going strong. CHICAGO: Capt. Pat Harrison: Downsizing, slowing down and fishing walls and wood key for a mix of bluegills, crappie, bass, white bass and perch. FOX/ KANKAKEE: High and/ or rising.

ILLINOIS: Projected to crest below flood stage ( 18 feet) Thursday at LaSalle. CHAIN O’LAKES: Triangle: Big thing is guys muskie fishing, especially with suckers. Otherwise, it is crappie fishing ( keep moving until you find them) or white bass in the river. Water levels are low, so use caution navigating or launch on lake you’re fishing.

LAKEFRONT: For perch, see top. Park Bait: A few steelhead starting at Montrose and Diversey. PIER PASSES: Available at Henry’s ($ 6 cash, one per valid fishing license) for legal access to select piers at Jackson, Burnham, DuSable, Diversey, Belmont and Montrose harbors. NORTHERN WISCONSIN: Muskie season ends Wednesday. Waiting on safe first ice. NORTHWEST INDIANA: For perch, see top. Slez’s: Lakers are being caught jigging on the reef or with Spin- N- Glows. Some whitefish and steelhead off the end of the Michigan City pier over the weekend. With the rain, more steelhead trickling into the tributaries. ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN: Tackle Haven: Steelhead ( lower river and up to dam) and walleye are going in the river. There are some steelhead and a few whitefish off the piers. SHABBONA: Lakeside is closed until ice fishing.