MIDWEST FISHING REPORT
LAKEFRONT PERCH: Boaters around 95th have been doing best in part because they can move around to find fish. Shore fishermen should move around, too. Dirty water has made many slips and harbors tough, so move around, try the main stem of the Chicago River. Over the weekend, at some harbors, such as DuSable and Burnham, ice had to be broken. Weather should help bite this week.
LAKEFRONT NOTES: PARKING: Readers suggest SpotHero app downtown. Montrose (free parking); Navy Pier (check in parking office in east lot, be out by 10 a.m. for $6 parking); DuSable Harbor (fisherman’s lot); Burnham (meters or fisherman’s lot); Steelworkers Park (free street parking). PASSES: Pier passes ($6) for selected piers in Chicago harbors — Montrose, Belmont, Diversey, DuSable, Burnham, Jackson — and $10 parking passes (DuSable, Burnham fisherman’s lots) are available at both Henry’s or Northerly Island (business hours).
PUBLIC SITE ICE-FISHING REGULATIONS: Ice fish at your own risk, unless noted. FP COOK: Lakes for ice fishing are Arrowhead, Axehead, Beck, Belleau, Big Bend, Bode South only, Bullfrog, Busse main and south, Flatfoot, Green, Horsetail, Ida, Maple, Papoose, Powderhorn, Saganashkee Slough, Sag Quarry, Tampier, Turtlehead, Wampum.
FPD DuPAGE: Allowed most sites. Spring Creek Reservoir closed to ice fishing. Late-night fishing allowed at Deep Quarry, must be out of preserve by 11 p.m. FPD KANE: Ice fishing permitted at Burnidge FP/ Paul Wolff Campground and Oakhurst FP. LAKE FP: When conditions allow, ice fishing permitted 6:30 a.m. to sunset at Banana and Independence Grove south bay; 6:30 a.m. to one hour after sunset at Sterling. MAZONIA: Monster open year-round; other lakes open after hunting seasons. McHENRY CCD: Ice fishing at Hollows (Lake Atwood and West) only. SILVER SPRINGS: Use east entrance. WOLF LAKE:
Allowed.
AREA LAKES: Some areas have fishable ice, but, as Ken “Husker’’ O’Malley noted, only an inch or so over the weekend on south suburban lakes.
CHAIN/FOX RIVER: Triangle: Ice fishing began on the some back channels, but use caution, main lakes are not ready. It is usual early spots, such as Nielsen’s and T-Channel. Bluegill are active on small jigs, waxies and spikes. Some crappie mixed in bluegill shallow. Arden Katz: Some good crappie and lots of bluegills, they take sorting, at Nielsen’s, about 4 inches of ice.
DeLAVAN: Tim Baker: Main lake not fishable yet, but ice fishermen are on back bays catching crappie, bluegill and occasional pike and walleye.
LAKEFRONT: Still an occasional laker (especially South Side) or trout on the Chicago lakefronts; some harbors have thin ice.
N. WIS.: MINOCQUA: Kurt Justice: “Good ice conditions, NOT great,’’ most lakes with 6-8 inches, but some larger lakes only 3-6 inches, but “most lakes good for walking, ATV and some snowmobile use.’’ Fishing only fair with high pressure.
NW IND.: Slez’s: Steelhead decent in Little Cal and Salt on Voodoo jigs with butterworms or waxies, or on spawn sacs; ice not recommended.
SHABBONA: Lakeside reopens when ice fishing comes; lake was 95 percent frozen Monday, not ready yet.