MIDWEST FISHING REPORT
AREA LAKES: Ice fishing may come in spots, north and west this week. ICE FISHING REGS: CHICAGO LAGOONS: No ice fishing. FPCC: Ice fish at your own risk: Arrowhead, Axehead, Beck, Belleau, Big Bend, Bode South only, Bullfrog, Busse main and south ( not north pool), Flatfoot, Green, Horsetail, Ida, Maple, Papoose, Powderhorn, Saganashkee Slough, Sag Quarry east and west, Tampier, Turtlehead and Wampum. FPDDC: Ice fish at your own risk. Spring Creek Reservoir is closed to ice fishing. Latenight fishing is allowed at Deep Quarry, must be out of the preserve by 11 p. m. FPDKC: Ice fish at your own risk: Grunwald Farms FP, Hampshire South FP ( no parking lot), Oakhurst FP and within Paul Wolff Campground. LCFP: When conditions allow, ice fishing is permitted 6: 30 a. m. to sunset at Banana, Independence Grove south bay and Sterling ( extended to one hour after sunset week days).
MAZONIA SFWA: Ice fish at your own risk. Monster Lake is open year- round; Mazonia South reopens Jan. 15, Mazonia North, Feb. 16.
McHENRY CCD: Ice fishing when appropriate ( 4 inches of clear ice required) at the Hollows ( Lake Atwood and West Lake) only.
SILVER SPRINGS SFWA: Ice fish at your own risk. Use east entrance. FPDWC: No ice fishing. WOLF LAKE: Ice fish at your own risk.
CHAIN: Triangle: Ice fishing will go this week on backwaters.
EARLY ACCESS: Nielsen’s: Hermann’s, $ 5 parking, bait, food, drink. T- Channel: Improvise. Channel: Chopper’s Bar, $ 5 parking taken off if food or drink ordered. Spring: Granny’s, $ 5 parking taken off if food ordered.
CHICAGO LAKEFRONT: Henry’s: Perch remains the top story ( Southeast Side slips, Burnham/ Northerly Island, DuSable, Navy Pier, Diversey, Montrose). Bite slowed a bit, but seeing more bigger perch; elbow to elbow at Navy Pier over the weekend, more guys fishing inside the harbors off piers now; sporadically very good lakers at Navy Pier and other spots.
PIER PASSES: Available at Henry’s ($ 6 cash, one per valid fishing license). NOTE: Park Bait at Montrose is closed for the season.
MADISON, WIS.: D& S Bait: Some ice fishing on Cherokee Marsh. N. WIS.: Kurt Justice: Ice building, but still foot travel recommended; very good fishing for walleye ( fairly shallow at dusk and after dark with roaches or jigging lures), pike, yellow perch ( shallow bays) and bluegill ( good numbers and size, shallow). NW IND.: Slez’s: Some steelhead in Salt and Trail. ST. JOSEPH, MICH.: Tackle Haven: Some steelhead in the river. Weather prevented pier fishing. SHABBONA: Lakeside: Skim ice on shorelines of bays, probably another week or two before ice fishing; Lakeside will reopen when ice fishing comes.