The pull of Chicago fishing for out-of-towners: Big brown, big king share FOTW

It’s good to be reminded how much Lake Michigan draws out-of-towners.

Mason Hanks, 11, from Santa Clarita, Cal., caught a 22-pound brown trout July 27 on Storm Warning Charters. It hit a Flounder Pounder spoon on a Dipsy Diver in 120 feet of water 16 miles of Diversey Harbor.

“He was in town with his parents and their friends for vacation,’’ Capt. Brian Gentile emailed. “Him, his dad and his dad’s friend came out on a fishing charter while the girls went shopping at Navy Pier.’’

Ron Molinaroemailed that Gregory Winiewicz, a fourth-grade teacher from Las Vegas, who was visiting his uncle, Tim McManaman of Antioch, and caught an 18.9-pound Chinook on July 29. They were fishing on KARMA in 120 feet of water out of North Point Marina.

FOTW, the celebration of big fish and their stories around Chicago fishing, runs Wednesdays on the Sun-Times’ outdoors page. Submit nominations on Facebook (Dale Bowman), on Twitter (@BowmanOutside) or email (straycasts@sbcglobal.net).