MIDWEST FISHING REPORT
AREA LAKES: Crappie and leftover trout are the prime targets; should see even more effort and catching with stable warmth. TROUT: Chicago-area sites: Axehead, Belleau, Busse North, Green, Horsetail, Sag Quarry East and Wolf (Cook County); Rock Creek and Bird Park Quarry (Kankakee); Big Lake (Kendall); Sand Lake (Lake); Spring Grove Hatchery Pond (McHenry); Lake Strini and Van Horn Woods (Will). CHAIN: Arden Katz: When winds allow, white bass good rip-jigging with minnows. Triangle: Enough water to navigate, but use caution and bring long rope to launch. Crappie good but hanging back toward 8 to 12 feet, same as white bass. Walleye good on small or medium roaches on main-lake points; Marie, Bluff and Petite best. Muskie on suckers or jerkbaits; Fox and Pistakee best. Catfish being caught best on crawlers.
CHICAGO RIVER: As FOTW showed, some nice night crappie. Jeffrey Williams: Carp surprisingly active for this late.
GREEN LAKE, WISCONSIN: Mike Norris: Smallmouth on fall feeding binge on rocky points in 14 to 25 feet; try swim baits, drop shots and live bait along weed edges and near drop-offs. Big bluegills on small jigs and waxies near remaining green weeds in Dartmouth Bay. Walleye night-trolling deep edges of weed beds.
LAKEFRONT: People biking or walking in to fish. Fishermen’s parking passes are not being sold while the lakefront remains officially closed. Park Bait: Nice steelhead in harbors on live bait, tinsel jigs with wax worms or spawn. A few browns. Smallmouth active in harbors. Bluegills at Diversey. Salmon Stop: At Waukegan, some browns and steelies off the bottom. SNAGGING: Snagging for coho and Chinook permitted only at inner and outer harbors at Jackson Park, Lincoln Park Lagoon south of Fullerton, Winnetka power-plant discharge and Waukegan North Harbor basin. Waukegan most active.
NORTHERN WISCONSIN: Island Sport Shop: Tuesday warmed into 60s. Ice should be gone from smaller lakes by today. Muskie are the main target, primarily with suckers or trout in 14 to 22 feet.
NORTHWEST INDIANA: Slez’s: Few fresh salmon in tributaries; best on spawn sacs or Voodoo jigs tipped with beemoths. Some lakers at Michigan City.
SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN: Slez’s: Some lakers at New Buffalo. Tackle Haven: Some steelhead at Berrien Springs. Pier very quiet. SHABBONA: Site hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Lakeside, Pokanoka’s Cafe and camp store closed for the season. Lakeside plans to reopen when ice fishing comes.
WOLF LAKE: On Illinois side, trout winding down or done. Others trying for crappie and a few for walleye.