Lurching toward summer in Chicago fishing: Midwest Fishing Report

As part of these weekends, all fishing license fees are waived for two days with residents and out-of-state visitors invited to enjoy fishing on both inland and Great Lakes’ waters for all species of fish during their respective open seasons. Please note all other regulations still apply during that time.

Hi Dale, I didn’t get out much at all over Memorial Day weekend, but I have been out a bit in the past few days. It’s been all still water for me-no stream or river fishing lately-in Cook, DuPage and Kane counties. The good news is that fish are getting active with the warmer water. Bass are hitting big poppers (and surprisingly, bluegills and crappies are attempting to eat the same poppers). The bad news is that as thick as the cottonwoods are, I’m finding the algae blooms to be even worse. It seems very heavy for so early in the season. For all the rain we had earlier in the Spring, it hasn’t rained in the past week and water levels seem awfully low; that’s probably not helping. While fishing near sunset, I’ve had visits from coyotes, muskrats, beavers and even a mink. Pete

The Stratton Lock will open for the 2017 season on Wednesday, May 3. IDNR lock tenders will operate the Stratton Lock on Wednesdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m., and on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. until midnight through October 29. The lock will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays (with the exception of holidays) for the 2017 season. The Stratton Lock is also closed for the winter season each year from Nov. 1 through April 30. https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/WaterResources/Pages/StrattonLockandDam.aspx

Well my new G3 Yamaha Boat saw some water and fish last week. Tuesday We ran the River and Lake front picked up a few White Bass and a couple large mouth along with some Crappie. Water Temps were in the mid to high 50’s depending where we were did see temps in Low 60’s on the North Branch but it is still pretty stained. Wednesday we ran all the same water with about the same results we did add a decent Small mouth to the mix temps about the same on the water. Thursday I had a Great Guy on the the decks of the New G3, Davey Rodriguez from the Chicago Cubs. Davey is a good angler he fished hard and caught some nice fish his best being a small mouth right at 20 inches about 4 pounds it came on a Crabby Bass worm on a shakey head jig. The fish came out on Lake Michigan fishing the rocks slow. We had a Good day and we are doing it again soon. Friday we fished hard but the storm drains were opened during the night and the river was a mess with all the trash floating. Managed a few small fish but had a good time. Surface temps were up into the lower 60’s but the water was still pretty dirty. Saturday my Brother Bern and I fished the Exxon Tournament on Braidwood. This was our first time on the lake. We launched the boat into water with a 92 degree surface temp throughout the day that was the coolest water we saw with 99 degrees being the hottest. We boated 8 fish but all were short to weight in 15 inch minimum all our fish were 14 to 14 ¾. Still had a good time and it was a nice event for a Good Cause. Sunday I was back on the Chicago River with a father and son we fished all the usual spots and got a handful of fish surface temps were up a few degrees headed to the mid 60’s it was brutally hot with the clear skies and sun. Boat traffic was up a bit. Out along Navy Pier we found some big Smallies site fishing and could drop baits on their heads and they would no go. Soon they are going to start moving if we get a little stable weather. I write things as they happen so guys going out know what I have found sometimes its not real positive but it’s what I find. I think we are going to start seeing a change soon and they will be turning on. As I write this we have high winds and small craft warning come We need a break there are fish to catch. Have a Great week Capt. Pat — www.patharrisonoutdoors.com Thanks Pat

Lake Geneva Fishing report 6/5/17 through 6/11/17 With the warmer weather, the fishing action has been picking up every day. The smallmouth bass are still spawning and the lake is still about one week behind it’s normal pattern for early June. Smallmouth bass are still off the bite because they are actively spawning. Last week I caught just a few post spawn fish. The best location has been Black Point or by Colemans Point. The fish on the spawning flats are normally very active but have yet to turn on. The best presentation was a split shot rigged nightcrawler or a football head with a Chompers. Largemouth bass action is a bit slow as well. The most active fish I’ve found have been in Abbey Harbor or on the flat by Colemans Point. The best depth has been 7-8 ft of water drop shotting green pumpkin finesse worms or split shot rigged nightcrawlers has been working well. The largemouth spawn is probably a week to 10 days away. Rock bass are throughout most of the lake and are actively feeding. The best depth has been 12-14 ft of water. They can be caught on almost anything you throw at that from white hair jigs to nightcrawlers to minnows. The highest concentration of fish I’ve found is by Belvidere Park in Fontana. Bluegill fishing has been very good. The best depth has been 10-12 ft of water. The best location has been by Elgin Club or near Knollwood. I’ve been using split shot rigged nightcrawlers or leaf worms on or near the bottom. This action will keep getting better as the bluegills start spawning. Some walleyes are being caught at night. The best location has been by Abbey Springs or Trinkes Bay in 12-15 ft of water. Large Rapallas or Bandit shallow divers have been producing most of the fish. The best colors are chrome and blue or chrome and black. Good luck and I hope to see you on the water. For guide parties, please call Dave Duwe at 262-728-8063

Delavan Lake Fishing report 6/5/17 through 6/11/17 Delavan Lake fishing has had some ups and downs, one day fishing is fantastic and the next it can be a struggle. With the warmer waters, the summer time bite is almost in full effect. As of Friday 6/2, a lot of the green slimy moss has come off the bottom and is making fishing tough. The fish are biting but it’s hard to get the presentation correct through the slime. One of the most consistent bites has been the crappies. They are being caught in 10-12 ft of water. The best location has been by Belvidere Park or on the south shore west of the Village Supper Club. They have been caught on small plastics, leaf worms or small minnows. The fish are suspending in the water column, half way down in the depth you are fishing. Largemouth bass fishing has been hit or miss. There are good numbers to be caught but there are a lot of 8-10 inch fish around. The bass have finished spawning and have started biting on the weed line. The best depth is 12-15 ft of water. The best location has been by the Yacht Club and Lake Lawn Lodge. The best presentation is either drop shotting 4 inch finesse worms or nightcrawlers fished on a split shot rig. Bluegill action has been fantastic. The fish are in two patterns, one is in and around the piers or for the bigger fish, they are in 16-17 ft of water outside the weedline. The best location is just west of the Yacht Club or just west of Willow Point. Most of the action I’ve had has come off of small leaf worms fished directly beneath the boat. Walleye fishing has been good by Browns Channel and by Willow Point. Lindy rigs with leeches and nightcrawlers are the preferred baits. Work a depth of 16-17 ft of water. This action should remain consistent for the next couple of weeks. Good luck and I hope to see you on the water. For guide parties, please call Dave Duwe at262-728-8063

Hey Fellas….here is a quick update on the fishing Bass fishing has been fantastic in recent weeks up and down the Door County peninsula. There are still some pre-spawn fish cruzing around especially in the northern Door County peninsula where the water is still cooler. To the south, the Smallies are moving through their spawn as the water is and has been much warmer for weeks now. Best baits are shorty tubes, flukes, Senkos, Kalins grubs and jerk baits. The fishing out on the big lake has been super pretty much from the port of Sturgeon Bay south to Kewaunee and even some good reports coming in from Baileys Harbor. It has been a nice mix of fish which include Kings, Rainbows, Cohos and Lake Trout. Bright colored Mauler Spoons and Howie Flies have been just a couple of the top baits. 150 to 325 feet of water has been the best depth, generally fishing the top 60 feet of the water column Walleye action is still very good from the Chaudoir’s Dock area and south to the lower bay during the day and at night the bite has been good from Chaudoir’s Dock north to Henderson’s Point. Trolling Flicker shads and minnow, Deep Husky jerks and some crawler harnesses have been working Pike fish is still good in the Sturgeon Bay area south to Little Sturgeon. Casting and trolling large crank baits, spinner baits, spoons and large plastics. Another good way to boat a bunch of Pike is to drag or float large sucker minnows Perch fishing is just starting to happen. The best catches have been out in those deeper water spots around the Chaudoir’s Dock area north to Henderson’s Point. Crawlers, leaf worms and fathead minnows have been the best Thanks; Lance LaVine Howie’s Tackle 1309 Green Bay Rd Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 Ph: 920-746-9916

River is dropping but still up, limited entry for casting angles in slower/slack water . These last few trips all I have used is a jig/pig expect that the trailers have been Erie darters or twister tails probably 80% of the time . The other 20% had been real pork rind . The channel cats have been all over the jigs with soft plastics , anywhere from 5 to 15 per trip . most of them in the 2 to 5 lb range, a few larger . I sometimes wonder If I would do better floating cut bait or punch bait , wouldn’t be surprised . The cats are very aggressive in taking the jig, couple of the bigger ones put some ache in my shoulder. The smallmouth bass have been taking the jig/plastics but kind of tentative on the take . Mostly small to medium sized fish . However , I have been getting quite a few large smallmouth on the jig/pork . These fish are running from 16 to 19 inches and have the feedbag on . I have caught several with live craws still hanging out the gullet or in their mouth . I have been fish three different creeks , one is small, up where I’m fishing it . It seems that creek chubs are the primary species there with a few rock bass and smallmouth mixed in although on the small size . No matter, I fish this one with a 5 ft ultralite, 1/16 oz short shank jigs and 1 to 2 inch twister tails . Not unusual to catch 20-25 creekchubs if I put in the time . One of the others everyone and their around here knows . I tend to fish upper stretches to avoid the yahoos . Crankbaits have been the ticket for smallmouth out in the faster water and good sized rockbass in slower flows or hanging tight to rock . I have found some very nice ones buried under wood piles , I dabble in the openings with a small jig/pig . 7 ft medium lite spin with 8 lb test matched with a series 300 reel . The third creek , I am not giving any hints about it . The last three trips have been very good . A lot of smallmouth up to 17 inches and rock bass up to 11 inches on crankbaits with the mediumlite set up . When I switch to jigs/plastics around different kinds of cover I get a lot of sunfish in varying sizes . All in all I am having a blast multiple species on multiple bodies of water . PEACENORM

Hello Dale and good evening. Finally after 3-1/2 months I back home and enjoy fishing with my son on lake Michigan for the first time this year. Wow,big surprise how coho fishing is hot around 100 feet strighgt from the harbor. Small red dodgers and green flys working nicely, basic staff for this time of the year. We fish over 180 feet and this picture is good example, if you targeting big game fish trip over deeper water paying off. Coho is always easy to catch depending on wind’s.Ted (die hard angler ) BOSKA

Hey Dale, Spending the week in Northern Wisconsin. Water temps are in the lower 60’s. Weed growth is behind due to the colder spring temps. Smallmouth Bass are good hopping Midwest rigs slowly off the bottom along rock reefs edges. A few smallmouth are on their beds.Work top water baits for smallmouth during evening hours along the top of rock humps. Walk the dog baits are best.TTYL—Ken Husker O’Malley Huskeroutdoors Waterworks fishing team

Finally, some nice, warm and mild weather to start our June out. Water temps rising, Crappies finished, Smallies just about and Largemouth and Bluegills up next.Bluegill: Very Good – Staging up outside spawning areas. Anglers working 4 – 6’ of water doing very well with thunderbugs on #6 gold Aberdeen hooks under a small float. Small leeches, leaf worms, tiny tube jigs and even #0 Mepps spinners have been scoring well on larger (8 and up) Gills.Largemouth Bass: Very Good – Staging up also, actually some reports of bedding on small lakes. Morning and day time action best on Wacky Worms, plastic salamanders, Craws. Towards evening top-water action on Whopper Ploppers, Chug BugsSmallmouth Bass: Good – Casting twitch baits such as X-Raps, Husky Jerks along shallows of 2 – 6’. Top-water action also good on Skitter Pops and Pop R’s.Northern Pike: Good-Fair – High pressure slowed bite past few days. The Storm 360 G.T. has been good, as well as other 3 ½ – 5 Swimbaits.Yellow Perch: Good-Fair – Weeds of 6 – 8’ and wood on 10 – 14’. Both areas produce best on Thunderbugs, medium leeches and medium fats second choice.Walleye: Good-Fair – Oddly scattered, some shallow others deep on same water. Deep fish gorging on mayfly larvae, use medium leeches in mud of 14 – 18’. Shallow bite on small chubs, large fats and large leeches. The 3 ½ Swimbaits also good choice.Crappie: Good-Fair – Spawn all finished, finding scattered Crappies in 8 – 12’ weeds taking small Mimic Minnow Spins, Charlie Bees and Road Runners. Once temps level off, these fish will be easier to target.With forecast of temps to crack 90 degrees this weekend, watch water temps climb and Gills and LMB start to bed. Until mayflies hatch, deep mud food source will keep a good portion of Walleye population deep.Look for top-water action for Largemouth, Smallmouth, Muskie and Bluegills to EXPLODE!Kurt JusticeKurt’s Island Sport Shophttp://www.kurtsislandsports.comLike us on FaceBook

Fishing Report Reminder: Catch and release for Smallmouth Bass is until June 17, and Muskie opened in the north zone on May 27. Panfish: These fish are in the weeds and can be found using a slip bobber tipped with minnows or tossing a 1/8th oz. jig with a small minnow. Crappies should be finishing up spawning depending on the lake you are fishing. Slip bobber rigs with hook and minnow or a jig and plastic should do the trick. If you find some warmer water in the bays or shallow flats you might get into some bluegills too. Northern: You will still be able to find Northern around new weeds. Pitching jig and minnows or anything that moves should be a good bet. Walleye: These are being found around the new weeds and the sand flats off the spawning areas. Pitching 1/8th oz. jigs tipped with fathead minnows or slip bobbers just over and around will catch you a nice fish fry. Muskies: They will be starting, in process, or finishing spawning depending on the lake water temperatures. Smaller baits this time of the year are your best baits to go to right now.

Coho over the weekend good in 140 to 180ft of water fishing too to 50 ft down dodger flys and all as spoons Some coho and lots of lake trout in 90 to 110ft of water both areas I’m talking about are straight north of burns ditch Bluegills decent slough and pine lake also valpo chain loomis and long all places gills spawning and lots being caught Deep river and burns ditch giving up cats in evening cut bait and sonnys stinkbait fishing the bottom

Shabbona Lakeside is now OPEN for the SEASON Lakeside will be open everyday, 7 days a week, April 11th to September 5th 6 AM to 7 PM September 6th to September 30th 6 AM to 6:30 PM October 1st to October 10th 6:30 AM to 6 PM October 11th to October 31st 7 AM to 5PM