Wait & Bait: Reopening of perch fishing on Chicago lakefront

When Kyle Pucalik found me about 6 a.m. Thursday on the south side of Montrose Harbor, he asked, “Was there an opening ceremony or anything? I thought maybe the mayor would be here to start it off.”

At first I thought our intern at Stray Casts was cracking wise, then I realized he was serious. After mulling, I decided it would be great to have Mayor Rahm Emanuel kickoff the reopening of perch fishing.

For the last two years, perch fishing on the Illinois waters of Lake Michigan was closed from May 1 through June 15 to protect the spawn. Thursday was the reopener, one with expectations. Incidental perch catches had been going for a couple weeks at Montrose.

Even at 5 a.m., a steady stream stopped at Park Bait. Jim Repa quickly dumped shiners into my minnow bucket and set down a pack of maggots. Then he yelled to proprietor Stacey Greene in the back. She came front, in a rubber apron, from packing soft shells.

The joys of perch fishing on the Chicago lakefront: shiners, soft shells and people.

People, that social element, may be most important.

I set up next to Felix Perez, who had also just set up. He had caught and released one rock bass, but no perch.

No perch, unfortunately, became a theme.

“[Wednesday], I caught five good ones, but you couldn’t keep them,’’ Perez said. “What a difference from yesterday. I want to take at least one home for dinner. I told my wife she won’t have to go to the Jewel supermarket.’’

Jewel would see more customers.

Perez pointed to the high steps of revetment work at Montrose and said, “If you write about anything, write about that.”

I’ve always wondered what architect thought those high steps were OK in a spot noted for fishing. It’s tough to lug one’s own body up and down those climbs, let alone with fishing gear in tow.

I caught two gobies switching between shiners and spikes on plain hooks or jigs. I finally switched to earthworms in hopes of at least taking home a few rock bass

Mark Brown, the Sun-Times’ lead columnist, stopped by. He said we were near where Royko’s Grove once stood. Brown said the view downtown from the south side of Montrose Harbor was a favorite of the late Mike Royko, the ultimate newspaper columnist in Chicago. The grove was taken out when the revetment work was done. No real monument to Royko remains.

It is also my favorite spot on the lakefront, a spot I learned to fish from reading the late John Spehn in the Sun-Times when I came to Chicago after college in 1985.

The lone perch caught near Perez and myself was taken very early. With only one, “Lee” released it. He said he gets out about 3 a.m., then only fishes until 6.

Technically, that is earlier than citizens are allowed access.

Fishing was tough. Word was there was a spot where a few were caught on soft shells just east of the harbor mouth. Best reports came from those casting Shad Raps inside Montrose Harbor.

About 8 a.m., I called it quits and decided to try 31st Street. Only a couple were fishing. One regular said very few were at 39th either. I caught a few more gobies.

No sign of perch.

It was time.

There was a Mayor Emanuel Fishing Advisory Committee meeting at 10 a.m. at 31st St. Harbor. Would that perch on shore could be scheduled like a committee meeting.