Lakefront action most consistent hotspot: Chicago fishing, MFR

Fishing for the lakefront for trout, coho and perch leads this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report, but there is also some cooling lakes action and some beginning bass and crappie in local lakes.

Blake Larsen sent the photo at the top and this note:

German Strain of a Brown Trout, Male,10 lb’s 5 oz in Milwaukee Wi. Rattlin rogue in chrome blue back, Shimano Takota with 17lb leadcore. 33F Air & 33F Water

The MFR for Chicago fishing appears in a condensed form Wednesdays on the Sun-Times newspaper outdoors page. The sprawling raw-file report is posted here online on the Sun-Times outdoors page.

LAKEFRONT COHO/TROUT

INDIANA: Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station, Ind., texted:

Coho action really good in boats from hammond to michigan city 20 to 35ft of water mainly. Most fish in top 10ft of water colum. Brads thinfish and rapala j9s along with a dodger flys and small spoons doing best. Shore action at portage lakefront park and port of indiana amd michigan city lighthouse giving up coho and a few browns mainly squid and skein fished near bottom a few on casting lil cleos and ko wobblers green silver orage and gold and all white have taken fish

CHICAGO:Staff at Henry’s Sports and Bait said, “Coho have started.” Powerliners are doing best for coho with some browns. There’s been a mixed bag around Burnham/Northerly Island/McCormick Place. Boaters are also taking coho, good coho. Cory Gecht at Park Bait said they are catching coho “left and right”; especially powerliners with large minnows or crawlers are doing best, including a tripleheader, at Montrose and some at Belmont. Some browns too on “surf and turf,” shrimp and crawler. Or goby heads.

WAUKEGAN:Lori Ralph at the Salmon Stop texted:

Yes, cohos and browns off gov pier and johnson pier, roaches, live or frozen, and some spoons

SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN:Staff at Tackle Haven in Benton Harbor said coho are very good for boaters (limits) on Sunday and Monday near the Cook plant

COHO DERBY

Henry’s Spring Coho Derby at Navy Pier is Saturday. Registration begins at 6:30 a.m. Event is 7 a.m.-11 a.m. Parking is $6 with prizes for leaders and a free raffle for registered anglers. Call (312) 225-8538 or click here.

FLY FISHING FOR SPRING TROUT IN ILLINOISIllinois’ Spring Catch-and-Release Fly Fishing-only season is now open (regular spring trout season opens April 1). Those 16 and older need a valid fishing license and an inland trout stamp. Fly fishing is available at nine sites: Apple River, Apple River State Park (Jo Daviess County); Rock Creek, Kankakee River SP (Kankakee); Pine Creek, White Pines Forest SP (Ogle); Siloam Springs State Park Lake (Adams); Gridley Lake, Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area (Cass); Horton Lake, Nauvoo SP (Hancock); Morgan Lake at Nichols Park, Jacksonville (Morgan); IDOT Lake, Springfield (Sangamon); and Willow Lake at Peabody River King SFWA (St. Claire)..

AREA LAKES

Weather has been limited effort, but some are chasing crappie.

As to bass, Ken “Husker” O’Malley sent this:

Hey Dale, The bass pattern on area lakes has changed as much as the weather has lately. Focus on isolated weed patches with lipless crankbaits. Slowly work the bait over the weed tops with repeated casts at different angles. Once the crankbait gets hung up, rip the bait free and that triggers the reaction strike. Braided line is a must for this presentation. Water temps need to rise to trigger a more consistent bite.Good news there have been more waves of Sandhill’s making there may back North. That means spring is near , right?TTYL—Ken Husker O’MalleyHuskeroutdoorsWaterworks fishing team

Yes on the sandhills in a general sense, but the forecast indicates we will be at least flirting with winter for a while.

AREA WATER LEVELS

Might be worth going to to http://water.weather.gov//ahps2/index.php?wfo=lot to check area water levels and projection. To get to more specific gauges, even on creeks, in Illinois, go to http://waterdata.usgs.gov/il/nwis/current/?type=flow

BRAIDWOOD LAKE

Rob Aboucharemailed:

Hi Dale If you need info for Wed. Fished Braidwood out of cemetary launch Saturday. Very good action for largemouth bass on squarebill crankbaits. Large and small sized cranks produced in chartreuse and sexy shad colors. Casting parallell to bank tight in riprap and tall grass banging into rocks produced numbers and all sizes of bass. Other bass anglers reported good bass bite as well. Many High School teams fishing. Nice to see.Rob

The setup at Braidwood and the fishing is right for the high school bass fishermen.

Adam Gundlach messaged:

It was 55 at north ramp fished north side only. Got up to 64 in some spots. Did great for first time out but it was slow. Pb&j jig with craw trailer was best.

Braidwood is open daily 6 a.m.-7 p.m. until April 13, when hours will change again.

Check with Jon Meder at Jon’s Bait Shop–(815) 237-2822–in South Wilmington.

CALUMET SYSTEM

No update.

CHAIN O’LAKES AREA

Staff at Triangle Sports and Marine said weather is dictating action, but there’s a few walleye being caught on the north river jigging crawlers or large minnows; crappie and perch are in and out of channels, depending on weather; water level is low, so use caution when launching.

For Chain updates, check with Fox Waterway Agency or call (847) 587-8540.

CHICAGO RIVER

No update this week from Capt. Pat Harrison (click here for his site).

DELAVAN/LAKE GENEVA AREA, WISCONSIN

No update this week.

DES PLAINES RIVER

Marcus Benesch emailed:

Dale,Been poking at the river all winter long as usual. Figured I start reporting on some of the findings as things are coming back to life finally. Crayfish sunning in the shallows, turtles doing the same, flies and small moths waking up too soon as well.Looked for bass in the river over the weekend and succeeded using an 1/8oz jig and the available 2.5 inch plastics I had laying around, minnow variety of course. Bite was slow, it’s early yet. Water temps were chilly as well, launched into 42 degree water and highest readings were about 47. Saw many fishing boats on the water. I think a few more ticks on the other side of 50 degrees will make everyone much happier.Marcus BeneschRiver Grove, Illinois

DOWNSTATE NOTES

POWERTON:Boat and shore fishing is open. Hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m. LAKE OF EGYPT/REND: Check with Jason Johns of Boneyard Fishing. SHELBYVILLE: Check with Ken Wilson of Ken Wilson Guide Service.EVERGREEN: Bait shop and boat rental are closed for the season. HENNEPIN-HOPPER: Closed for season.

FOX RIVER: WESTERN SUBURBS

No update.

FOX RIVER: WISCONSIN

No update.

GREEN BAY/STURGEON BAY

No update this week from Lance LaVine at Howie’s Tackle in Sturgeon Bay. The Wisconsin DNR report is usually posted Tuesdays and includes reports from both the bay and lake sides.

HEIDECKE LAKE

Reopens to fishing April 1.

ILLINOIS RIVER

MWC tournament winners Marty Berns and Maury Schmerbach won with 33-15 over two days; including walleye of 8-9 and 7-0. They pulled three-way rigs with jigs, floaters or minnowbaits upstream along channel edge at .5 to .7 mph. Water was in low 40s.

Have bait before you go. Live bait is tough to get. B & B Live Bait–(815) 433-0432–is open in Ottawa, 7 a.m.-noon until weather breaks, then it will be open the usual 6-6 or so. Joe Sanderson messaged that Cajun’s in Utica is now open, too.

INDIANA STREAMS (LAKE MICHIGAN TRIBUTARIES)

Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station, Ind., texted:

Steelhead bite in creeks still decent spawn saks or single beads have been good spinners starting to take a few now

Access points for Trail Creek can be found on the Trail Creek Access Map. Access points for Little Cal and Salt Creek, which are closer to Chicago than Trail Creek, may be found at littlecal_saltcreek_access.

KANKAKEE RIVER

The big news is that the walleye guys, secretive as they are, are on them.

As to smallmouth, Larry Green tweeted:

Catching and releasing at Kankakee River. Tough bite caught a few.

LAKE ERIE

The Ohio DNR has general Lake Erie info and a fishing report.

LAKEFRONT

See coho/trout reports at top. Arden Katz said there was still some good perch (lots of jumbos at Navy Pier, over the weekend; there’s good numbers but small at 87th and 89th (as in one keeper in dozens). NAVY PIER NOTE: The fisherman’s parking special is $6, if out by 10 a.m. Find an parking attendant after you pull in to get the special. PIER PASSES: The pier passes for legal access to fish select piers at Jackson, Burnham, DuSable, Diversey, Belmont and Montrose harbors in Chicago are available at Henry’s ($6 cash, one per valid fishing license).

LAKE VERMILION, MINNESOTA

Check Jarek Wujkowski of Rodsbent Guide Service.

LaSALLE LAKE

Jason Fox said big blue catfish were fair on the day he boated. But he and his father boated three, including one going 12 pounds. Otherwise, weather limited effort, some hybrids from shore on a mix of presentations.

Site staff reported 63 degrees on the cool side Tuesday by the intake.

The cooling lake south of Seneca is open daily, 6 a.m. to sunset. Click here for my column about prospects. Also, boaters should be aware that there will be no launching if wind is 14 mph or higher.

MADISON CHAIN, WISCONSIN

Check the latest from D & S Bait on Facebook.

MAZONIA

Both units are open for fishing. Hours are 6 a.m.-sunset daily. Check with Jon Meder at Jon’s Bait Shop–(815) 237-2822–in South Wilmington.

MENOMINEE RIVER, WISCONSIN

Check with Mike Mladeik at Mike Mladenik Guide Service.

MILWAUKEE HARBOR

As Blake Larsen showed with the photo at the top, Milwaukee is living up to its reputation for browns.

Check the Wisconsin DNR Lake Michigan Report, which generally comes out Tuesdays for updates.

NORTHERN WISCONSIN

Remember that gamefish season is over, as in closed.

MINOCQUA: Kurt Justice of Kurt’s Island Sport Shop in Minocqua, Wis. sent this:

Nice change to the weather brought on a nice change in the fishing.Warm temps and little wind (‘til today 3/21), got anglers out and fish snappin’. Following tough weather and fishing, a great change.Crappies: Very Good – Best results early mornings, towards dusk and after dark. During warming trends it’s been tip-downs with crappie minnows or small rosies. Still some anglers finding crappies as deep as 25’ – to even 40’ of water, typically suspended 4-8’ off the bottom. For the inshore crowd (and in some places they are crowds) setting up a pair of tip-downs while slowly dropping #8 or #10 Rockers tipped with waxies, Chena or light colored plastics best. Early afternoons slow, but fill in time for gills.Bluegills: Very Good – Fish 1-4’ off bottom in 5-10’ of water using Fiska, Skandia or Northland Tungsten jigs to get bait down quickly. Plastics in red, maroon, purple, black and blue best. Red spikes, Gulp Alive Waxies in pink and small slivers of Chena all good. #12 Rockers a good choice in shallower water.Yellow Perch: Good-Very Good – Still some deep mud bites using Halis, Pimples, Kastmasters and Flash Champ Spoons to get wigglers or red spikes down quickly. In shallower water, medium fatheads, large rosies on tip-downs or minnow shaped/profile spoons (the Northland Forage Spoons shaped like little bluegills have been HOT!) baited up with a couple waxies very good.We actually have more ice (20-24 in places) than we had a month ago. Can’t and won’t recommend truck travel (but they are out there), but must recommend cleats (it’s slippery).Fishing overall very good and despite above freezing days, below freezing nights are going to keep us on the ice for a couple more weeks.Kurt Justice Kurt’s Island Sport Shop www.kurtsislandsports.com

EAGLE RIVER: B+L, from reports from Colin Crawford of Colin Crawford Guide Service for the Eagle River Chamber of Commerce, sent this:

Fishing Report Bluegills: These fish are being found in the weeds using small jigs tipped with waxies, spikes or tipped with plastic. Perch: You can find these on the deep weed edges and muddy bottoms feeding on minnows and bugs. Be sure to match the bait to the area you’re fishing for success. Crappie: We are finding a few up in the shallow weeds, but the majority are still in the deeper water. Reminder: All ice fishing shelters must be removed from the ice daily and when not in use on inland waters north of Highway 64 by March 19 and Wisconsin-Michigan boundary waters by March 15.

NORTHWEST INDIANA

Coho/trout reports at the top. Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station, Ind., texted:

Crappie bite in burns ditch has been good fishing stick ups and old docks jigs in white or yellow have taken lots of fish. Cedar lake at the harbors same thing move around ul get them. . . . Franher lake at the lake county fairgrounds in crown point stock ther yearly trout get them now cubby mighty mite jigs tipped with beemoth or berkley powerbait taking em. Corn lil redworms and superduper money clip spoons take fish too

ROCK RIVER, WISCONSIN

No update.

ROOT RIVER, WISCONSIN

The Wisconsin DNR Lake Michigan Report is generally posted on Tuesday and includes a Root river section. Click here for the stream flow update, which can be really important for how good the fishing is.

ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN

Remember walleye, pike and muskie seasons are closed inland. Lakefront salmon/trout at top. Staff at Tackle Haven in Benton Harbor said steelhead continue to go at Berrien Springs.

ST. JOSEPH RIVER, INDIANA

Click herefor reports from the Indiana DNR.

SHABBONA LAKE

Lake hours are 8 a.m.-8 p.m. during March. Lakeside is closed until April 1 or another round of warm weather, although there will be appointment boat rentals (shabbonalake.com or (815) 824-2581). The restaurant is closed for the season. For more information and reports from Lakeside, go to shabbonalake.com or call (815) 824-2581.

SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN LAKEFRONT

The Wisconsin DNR posts a report during open water at http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/fishing/lakemichigan/OutdoorReport.html. It is usually posted by Tuesday afternoon. Stream flow info is at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/wi/nwis/current?type=flow.

WISCONSIN RIVER

No update.

WOLF LAKE

No update.

WOLF RIVER, WISCONSIN

No update.

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