Ice fishing will begin in earnest this week.
With that in mind, here are the regulations (basically unchanged from last year) for public sites around Chicago.
CHICAGO LAGOONS: No ice fishing.
FOREST PRESERVES OF COOK COUNTY: Ice fish at your own risk: Arrowhead, Axehead, Beck, Belleau, Big Bend, Bode (South only), Bullfrog, Busse main and south (not north pool), Flatfoot, Green, Horsetail, Ida, Maple, Papoose, Powderhorn, Saganashkee Slough, Sag Quarry east and west, Tampier, Turtlehead and Wampum.
FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF DuPAGE COUNTY: Ice fish at your own risk. Spring Creek Reservoir is closed to ice fishing. Late-night fishing is allowed at Deep Quarry, must be out by 11 p.m.
FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF KANE COUNTY: Ice fish at your own risk. Listed sites are Hampshire South, Lake Patterson and the two ponds within Paul Wolff Campground.
LAKE COUNTY FOREST PRESERVES: When posted as open, ice fishing permitted at Banana, Independence Grove south bay and Sterling (where there are extended hours week days, 6:30 a.m. to an hour after sunset).
MAZONIA STATE FISH AND WILDLIFE AREA [UPDATED]: Monster Lake is open year-round; other South unit lakes reopen to fishing on Jan. 16 after deer hunting ends. North Unit lakes reopen to fishing on Feb. 16, after rabbit hunting ends. Ice fish at your own risk.
McHENRY COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT: Ice fishing when appropriate (4 inches of clear ice) at the Hollows (Lake Atwood and West Lake), Pleasant Valley, Rush Creek pond and Stickney pond.
SILVER SPRINGS STATE FISH AND WILDLIFE AREA: Ice fish at your own risk. Use east entrance.
FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF WILL COUNT: No ice fishing.
WOLF LAKE (ILLINOIS SIDE): Ice fish at own risk.
