Big morel, smallmouth bass, IHSA bass fishing: Notes, Chicago outdoors

By Dale Bowman

Notes from around Chicago outdoors.

FIELD NOTES

MOREL OF THE WEEK

Greg Starrett found a large morel mushroom (5¼ inches, 4 ounces) on Monday — late for this year — in Hanover, Illinois.

We are near the end, but Morel of the Week, a celebration of morel mushrooms around Chicago outdoors in the spring, runs on Sundays on the Sun-Times outdoors page as warranted. Send nominations by Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside) or email (straycasts@sbcglobal.net).

DALE’S MAILBAG

Q: ‘‘It’s that time to chase that [6-pound, 7-ounce] record. Just put bicycle in back of pickup, driving to Burnham and riding to Monroe. No parking anywhere there.’’

— Nick Leno, midday Wednesday

A: Wednesday night was full moon. If Mark Samp’s Illinois record for smallmouth bass (6-7 on March 26, 1985, from a Fulton County strip pit) is to fall, this is the time.

BIG NUMBER

Consecutive years fishing license sales have increased in the United States, as reported by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Outdoor Foundation.

LAST WORD

‘‘This is a unique tournament with unique obstacles. Carlyle Lake has begun to release water to lower its levels, so we think we will have a new date scheduled soon. We have navigated similar situations in the past and managed to conduct great state final tournaments. I have no doubt that will happen again in the coming weeks.’’

— Kurt Gibson, IHSA associate executive director and bass-fishing administrator, on the postponement of the state finals for bass fishing, originally scheduled for Friday and Saturday

WILD TIMES

HUNTER SAFETY

(Click here for full package of northeast Illinois hunter safety classes)

May 18 and 20: Newark, (815) 210-4995

May 30-31: Chicago, carryinillinois.com/hunter-safety-course.html

FISH GATHERINGS

Tuesday: Bob Bobic, Arlington Anglers, 6 p.m., Cabela’s, Hoffman Estates, arlingtonanglers.com.

Thursday: Bob Babbich, Fish Tales Fishing Club, 7 p.m., Oak Forest Community Center, fishtalesfishingclub.com.

ILLINOIS PERMITS/SEASONS

Through June 30:Applications may be made for second lottery, firearm and muzzleloader-only deer permits. Click here for details

WINGSHOOTING

May 20-21: Des Plaines Conservation Area; Saturday is youth (10-18); Sunday, girls or women, 10 and older; (217) 785-8129;