Crappie, iffy ice, so-so perch, holiday: Chicago fishing, Midwest Fishing Report

Perch from 92 st all the way past 100th street for guys in boats move around ul find some perch fly rigs xl fatheads best Guys fishing on shore really hit or miss catches vary a lot but some being caught up along river navy peir still dirty fishing tough there

Chicago River and Lake Michigan Report, Well the talk of the week is Perch, Navy Pier is still slow to none but the River is getting busy with folks out perching. I have one favor to ask of everyone Please keep the Riverwalk clean. People are finding trash from some people that are leaving it behind. The Riverwalk if the Jewel of the City on the Riverand is a Tourist distention for a lot of them not as much through the winter but there are still people in Chicago year round. This past open season I had people on the decks of my G3 Boat from over 20 states and 5 countries. That makes me Pretty Proud of Our City. I was out last week with a couple fellow River Rats Oscar and Jeff we fished by boat and had some fun. The bite was Good had to sort a lot of dinks but managed about 30 9 or better Perch a nice Crappie and a Nice gill. It was fun to be out and to see all the anglers enjoying Our Riverwalk. We were staying over fish on the locater and pulling Minnows Wax worms and Shrimp through them. My boat has a full top with curtains and heat so I am guiding throughout the winter as long as we don’t get ice. If you’re interested in getting out feel free to contact me. II grew up on 23rd Street and Damen Ave. went to Whittier School then to Cooper Upper Grade Center. As a kid we would play along the River My Mom would say don’t touch the water you’ll get polio. If you threw a branch in the water back then it would hit the surface and thump and stick there. If someone would have told me in 50years your going to be guiding on this river I would have said you’re nuts. I spent 10 years fishing the river to learn it with help from Jeff Bridgeport Bass and Eddie Bridgeport Eddie to be able to get it to a point where I felt comfortable about my knowledge of the river and were I could find fish. I have to tell in the past 5 years the river has changed a ton in a very positive way. When you can spend a day multi species fishing in the Heart of a major City on a River that most People don’t understand or spend enough time to learn about is Awesome. Most judge it for what it was not what it is, it is an incredible Metropolitan Fishery. Friends of the Chicago River have done a ton to improve the waterway including some stocking work Thank You. So that’s it treat the River like it’s yours because it is, go catch some Perch and Take Pride in fishing on a body of water that is in the History Books as one of the mechanical Wonders of the World. Yep when Chicago reversed the flow of the Chicago River it was a Historical Event it had never been done before. So now you know when People say I wouldn’t eat fish out of that water it’s the same water that is surrounding Navy Pier Pure Lake Michigan water. I will say that the flow slows down after about Ashland so the water is murky and isn’t quite as pretty but there is still wild life and fish. Have A Merry Christmas ,Capt. Pat

Lake Delavan The ice conditions are not safe on Lake Delavan. Do not fish until we receive cooler weather. Be safe and fish with a friend during unstable conditions.

Des Plaines River The river water temp continues to drop with USGS water temp readings at 39 degrees in Channahon. River fishing can be hot throughout the winter months for anglers willing to fish through rough conditions. Fish will relate to deep holes, current breaks, and feeder creeks during witner months while feeding less often. Focusing on your river ‘Honey Hole’ may be a better bet than running and gunning this time of year. There are also a handful of warm water discharges on the Des Plaines River and they all contain fish during the winter months. Slow moving artificial presentations or live bait under a slip bobber is never a bad choice on the Dirty D. Good luck and be safe out there!

BANNER MARSH: * THIS AREA Will CLOSE TO BOAT FISHING on Oct. 17th. With the Last Day to Boat Fish being Oct. 16th AND BANK FISHING ONLY ALLOWED AFTER 1PM but NO FISHING ALLOWED in EAST POINT ACCESS AREA, (lakes to the East) which is CLOSED TO ALL FISHING to provide a GOOSE REFUGE AREA during seasonCLINTON LAKE: An easterly area of Clinton Lake (The Waterfowl Refuge Area) between the DeWitt Bridge East (CH14) and the Rt. 48 Bridge . . . remains Closed typically until April 1st.COFFEEN LAKE: During the Central Zone waterfowl season: No fishing north of the railroad tracks (upper pool) until after 1pm daily through Jan. 31stDOUBLE T STATE FISH and WILDLIFE AREA:* THIS LAKE IS CLOSED TO FISHING – . . . till Feb. 1stEMIQUON PRESERVE: No boating, fishing or ice skating access before 12:00 pm during waterfowl hunting season. Oct. 27 – Jan. 31 Lake users should be aware that hunting might occur on the Preserve other times as well.EVERGREEN LAKE: – A SOUTHERN PART OF EVERGREEN LAKE – AROUND DEER ISLAND and ALL OF SIX-MILE CREEK BAY IS CLOSED TO GAS from Oct. 15th through JAN. 1st to allow resting areas for migratory waterfowl. YOU ARE ALLOWED TO STILL RUN A TROLLING MOTOR ONLY IN THESE AREAS.HENNEPIN-HOPPER LAKES: * Lakes are CLOSED for season.. And will be Open spring 2019.McMASTER LAKE at – SNAKEDEN HOLLOW: Lake will CLOSE TO FISHING on Oct 15th . . . Lake will Re-Open on February 1st.NEWTON LAKE: As written in the fishing regs booklet : * The cold arm of Newton Lake shall be CLOSED daily from one-half hour before sunrise until 1:00 pm to all fishing and boat traffic except for legal waterfowl hunters during waterfowl season commencing with regular duck season through the close of the Canada goose and regular duck season. * For here – Regular South Waterfowl Season for 2018: Nov. 10 – Jan. 31PRAIRIE LAKE in Jim Edgar/ Panther Creek State F&W Area: Lake Partial Closures during Waterfowl Season from Nov. 1st to Jan. 15th Lake access is CLOSED until after 12:01 PM on Wednesday & Saturday.POWERTON LAKE: *- Lake Will RE-OPEN to Shore Fishing on Dec. 24th – but – Will Remain CLOSED TO BOAT FISHING Until Feb. 15thRICE LAKE: Will Re-Open at end of Duck & Goose season.SANGCHRIS LAKE: * THE WEST & EAST ARMS OF LAKE and Small AREA NEAR DAM WILL CLOSE DURING WATERFOWL SEASON to boat traffic . . . through Jan. 31, 2018SPRING LAKE (South & North): Last Day of Boat Fishing in Hunting Areas is Oct. 19th As – THIS AREA will CLOSE TO BOAT FISHING in Hunting Area on Oct. 20th — with BANK FISHING ALLOWED ONLY AFTER 1pm– – AREAS THAT REMAIN OPEN TO BOATS ALL DAY ARE NORTH OF MAPLE ISLAND with ramp at north end at the Sky Ranch Road launch and IN PIKE HOLE with carry in boats — and Shore Fishing is allowed in entire lake after 1pm in Hunting areas or at boat ramps all day.

Steelhead action decent lil cal and salt creek spawn or voodoo jigs tipped with butterworms or waxworms doing the damage cover water move a lot find the active fish some beauty’s being caught

The Kankakee is a bit high for this time of year and is hold in the upper 30’s. We have been seeing some smallies being caught fairly regularly by guys fishing walleye with live chubs under a bobber. Walleye have also picked up a bit with the above average weather. It’s not a great bite but if you fish the flats next to holes during primetime (half hour before first light and last hour of light and half hour into dark) you will find success. The key is to slow down and be there. Don’t expect to be rewarded your first time out. If your in an area and there are walleye they will eat maybe not tonight or tomorrow but they will eat if you put in your time. Ice is still a distant dream at this point so river fishing will be the focus till after the holiday.

Snagging for chinook and coho salmon only is permitted from the following Lake Michigan shoreline areas from October 1 through December 31; however, no snagging is allowed at any time within 200 feet of a moored watercraft or as posted: A) Lincoln Park Lagoon from the Fullerton Avenue Bridge to the southern end of the Lagoon. B) Waukegan Harbor (in North Harbor basin only). C) Winnetka Power Plant discharge area. D) Jackson Harbor (Inner and Outer Harbors)

Madison Area I ventured north this weekend and fished a small lake near the Wisconsin Dells with my younger brother. While the entire lake was frozen over, we fished the shallow bays for two reasons: The ice was thicker in the bay (around 6 inches of solid ice) and the fish were there. Thanks to a good lake map we had a specific spot picked out prior to my getting on the ice. The area we choose was a secondary point just inside of a bay off the main lake. We started drilling holes along a steep breakline and it didn’t take long for us to start marking fish. This specific spot happened to sit near a creek channel that runs from the main lake into a shallow back bay. We primarily fished in 14-17 feet of water but also caught fish as shallow as 8 feet. While the fish were spread across various depths, the sweet spot seemed to be15 feet of water. We used small tungsten jigs with paired with either artificial plastics or wax worms. Our day ended around sunset where we had just shy of a two-man limit of panfish. The haul consisted of Crappie, Bluegill along with two rogue Perch. The Crappies were a bit more choosey while suspending in the water column and the bluegills came off the bottom, aggressively. As always, good luck on the hardwater this season, stay dry!

A long mild stretch of weather halted ice production for the time being. Night time lows firming things up for morning anglers, but afternoons are a little sloppy. Access pretty good overall for foot, ATV and snowmobile traffic. Travel over mid portions of lakes with any type of vehicle not advisable on the larger lakes, but overall averages of 8-10 seem to be the norm. Walleye: Good-Very Good – After last weeks tough weekend, things have turned around. Better reports as fish feeding again. Jigging Raps, Slender Spoons, Northland Glo Spoons and Clam Flutter Spoons effective. Tip ups baited with suckers over sandgrass flats and mud transitions from hard drops in 14-18’. One hour before dark till one hour after. About 8-9 PM and again from hour before dawn till about 8 AM best. Good reports of eaters plus several reports of 26-28 ½ Walleyes this past week by the after work crowd, all releases, thanks guys! Northern Pike: Good-Very Good – Best action dawn till late morning. Cabbage flats and along edge using big suckers on slab shiners. Decent numbers of eaters (22-26) but several 34-39 gators caught and released also. Yellow Perch: Good-Very Good – Most reports are of numbers, but sorting to get a meal or two plus lots of fun! Venom Glow Spoons, Pimples and Kastmasters tipped with spikes or wigglers. With warm (above freezing) temps, tip-downs have worked very well baited with small fatheads or rosies. Crappies: Good – Best slow dropping plastics (Duppies, Wedgees) on rockers, moon glows. Tip-downs with minnows good also. Hold tighter to base of tall cabbage in 8-12’ for larger slab (12’13) Crappies. Bluegills: Good – Small lead jigs, (popular on calmer days) tipped with waxies or plastics producing action Gill, with sorting required to get some eaters. Largemouth Bass: – Good – With warmer temps, anglers catching Largemouth on tip-ups baited with shiners and even smaller jigs baited with waxies. As much as anglers are enjoying these daytime highs in the 30’s, and even low 40’s, many of us would like to see some sub-zero temps to get a good base of 14-16 of ice before snow arrives. Fortunately, no snow in near forecast and night time lows in upper teens will help keep what we have. Fishing has been good, and with friendly temps, and not a lot of ice to cut, it’s a great time to get out on the ice. Kurt Justice Kurt’s Island Sport Shop Like us on FaceBook —

Perch from 92 st all the way past 100th street for guys in boats move around ul find some perch fly rigs xl fatheads best Guys fishing on shore really hit or miss catches vary a lot but some being caught up along river navy peir still dirty fishing tough thereSteelhead action decent lil cal and salt creek spawn or voodoo jigs tipped with butterworms or waxworms doing the damage cover water move a lot find the active fish some beauty’s being caughtNeed a big cold front to get any ice going again