MIDWEST FISHING REPORT
PERCH REMINDER: Perch fishing in Illinois waters of Lake Michigan ends Monday. Closure is May 1- June 15. SMELT: Netting ends Monday night.
AREA LAKES: With the weather change, fishermen were out and catching a plethora of fish. Inland trout are winding down.
AREA RIVERS: FOX: Ken Gortowski: He found fish in the creeks running two weeks behind normal. Suckers starting to move in; smallmouth will be next. KANKAKEE: Kyle Danhausen caught a good walleye while fishing smallmouth.
CHAIN O’LAKES: Triangle: Water was 53 degrees Tuesday. Walleye and some smallmouth are going in the river. Crappie and more bluegills are in the channels. Perch moved into the harbors. Yellow and white bass are picking up. Some muskie being caught on Channel and Catherine. Arden Katz: Water levels are good. Crappie are stacked in channels. Lots of perch and bluegills, though many were smaller; best on white tails in general or minnows for crappie.
COOLING LAKES/ STRIP PITS: Open 6 a. m.- sunset. BRAIDWOOD: Rob Abouchar: Water is 67 degrees on hot side, 56 on cold. Angler’s Choice ( three bass) won Sunday by Jerry Sandretto and Jake McNulty with 10.42 pounds; best was flipping and pitching into old grass canes. HEIDECKE: Minooka bass team found water is into the 50s and caught some bass. John Daley caught a good walleye trolling during the weekend.
DOWNSTATE: CLINTON: Libertyville Fishing Club’s weekend outing showed a good variety of fish. HENNEPIN- HOPPER: Reopens May 15. POWERTON: Hours are 8 a. m.- 4 p. m. daily; changes to 6 a. m.- 6 p. m. Tuesday. EVERGREEN: Bait shop is open 8 a. m.- 4 p. m. daily. Boat rental is 8 a. m.- 4 p. m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
LAKEFRONT: Capt. Bob Poteshman: Lakers are going in 35 to 75 feet off Chicago. Mixed bag may include coho, steelhead, browns and Chinook ( 18- pounder Sunday). At North Point, bite is intermittent. Park Bait: Coho very good during the weekend. A few browns too. Montrose bathrooms open. Henry’s: Saturday was phenomenal. Tuesday still going strong for coho and browns. Capt. Scott Wolfe: Excellent lakers off Waukegan in 100 feet during the weekend.
NORTHERN WISCONSIN: Kurt Justice: Still 24 to 30 inches of ice, but fish moving shallow. Stay tuned on gamefish opener May 5. NORTHWEST INDIANA: Slez’s: Lots of kings in 35 to 50 feet. Coho are more scattered. Dale Bowman: Quality browns Saturday at Gary Light.
SHABBONA: Lakeside: Water was 54 degrees Tuesday. Over the weekend, crappie were 15 to 18 feet in the deep trees or cribs. A few good largemouth and walleye were caught over the weekend. Lakeside — ( 815) 824- 2581 — is open 6 a. m. to 7 p. m. Park hours are 6 a. m. to 10 p. m.