MIDWEST FISHING REPORT
PERCH: Perch fishing on Lake Michigan is closed through June 15. IHSA: Sectionals for high school bass fishing are Thursday statewide. Nearby sites are Braidwood, Busse, Chain O’Lakes, Des Plaines River, Heidecke, Lake Holiday, Shabbona and Skokie Lagoons.
WISCONSIN OPENER: Gamefish opener is Saturday. Northern areas will be on edge of open water. Specific reports below.
AREA LAKES: Bass are going all over. Brothers Tom and Rob Albright landed two 5- pound largemouth at Busse during a 15- fish day. Many others reported good ones Monday.
AREA RIVERS: CALUMET: BoRabb Williams: Large redear being caught. Crappie starting. CHICAGO: Capt. Pat Harrison: Water warming through 40s downtown; best once it hits 54 to 59 degrees.
KANKAKEE: Kyle Lund: Smallmouth are moving toward prespawn areas; try creek mouths. Deeper runs downstream from shallow rocky slow- moving flats. Some decent catfish in 3- to 6- foot holes.
CHAIN O’LAKES: Arden Katz: Crappie ( eggs still hard) and bluegills are in the channelsl best on glow jigs with spikes on white tails. Triangle: Muskie are improving, some shallow. Walleye are coming off spawn.
COOLING LAKES/ STRIP PITS: LaSalle: Darryl Turner: Only caught 61 blues so far, largest being 22 pounds, but weather has been crazy. Braidwood: Rob Abouchar: Squarebill crankbaits working well for numbers and size of bass along warm- side riprap. Mazonia: If this weather keeps going, smaller lakes should be hot.
LAKEFRONT: Park Bait: Through Monday, powerliners catching coho and browns at Montrose. Henry’s: Still coho being caught. Smallmouth are active, but few caught. Capt. Bob Poteshman: Lakers are very good in 40 to 70 feet off Chicago. Coho are shallow but tough with shoreline water. A few coho and lakers off North Point; best in 180 to 250 feet. Capt. Scott Wolfe: When weather allowed at Waukegan, lakers very good south of harbor in 50 to 100 feet. Coho moving in.
MADISON, WISCONSIN: D& S Bait: Should be a good night bite shallow for walleye on all lakes. Panfish are picking up. Bass uncertain with water still in 40s. MENOMINEE RIVER, WISCONSIN: Mike Mladenik: River and flowages are ice- free; best should be on larger flowages with less current.
NORTHERN WISCONSIN: Minocqua: Kurt Justice: There was 22 inches of ‘‘ punky’’ ice Monday, but it’s going fast. Will be on cusp of open water for opener. Check Facebook or kurtsislandsports.com.
NORTHWEST INDIANA: Slez’s: Lakers good in 90 to 100 feet out of Burns Ditch and east. Some decent kings outside of mouth of Port in 35 to 45 feet. Willow Slough OK for bluegills for those who move around.
ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN: Tackle Haven: Coho and a few kings in 40 to 50 feet. A mixed bag off the pier. A few walleye being caught in the river. SHABBONA: Lakeside: Bass fishing is good. Crappie picking up again. Muskie are decent ( tougher in spawn). Water is 54 degrees. Park hours are 6 a. m. to 10 p. m.
WOLF RIVER, WISCONSIN: Winneconne: Gary Bloom: Lots of walleye, including keepers. White bass ( Oly streamers) just started Monday, when water hit 51.