Hints of perch come for Chicago fishing and talk of ice to the north in the Midwest Fishing Report

Hey Dale, Here is s recap of this past week’s fishing. Area lakes-crappie and bluegill have been decent on L&S custom plastics under a slip float. Work outside weedlines that have had a few days of wind blowing into them for a mixed bag of panfish. TTYL

Hey Dale, Been trying for perch this weekend at Navy Pier on Saturday. No perch at Navy Pier on Saturday(may have changed by now), but I did get one nice fat perch at the Chicago River. Otherwise it is just a matter of time now.

It’s a thin report, but I did get out on Sunday for awhile. I tried some Fox tribs in Kane County and found them high but clear, at least in the upper stretches. Farther downstream, they were still mostly clear but too high and fast to wade. Smallmouths were in the deep holes and slow water. I used a sinking line to get down that deep. Once the fly was at their level, they were cooperative, but they weren’t going to chase very far. Pete

Fishing Report – 11/03/2019 Mike Norris South-central Wisconsin weather once again deteriorated last week with strong winds and snow accumulations of 3 - 5 inches both last Tuesday and Thursday. In eleven years of guiding on Big Green and other area lakes I have never seen the prolonged cold spells and measurable snowfall we are experiencing this October. With many sportsmen having success hunting ducks or deer, few anglers were out on the water and fishing reports were few and far between. Nonetheless a few diehards, me included, did make it to the water and the results were good. Big Green Lake – I fished Big Green late last week and found plenty of smallmouth bass cooperating though once again the size was down from previous trips. While water temps have dropped to 45 degrees on many of the area’s smaller lakes, Big Green is holding at 48 degrees and the lake’s smallmouth bass are eager to strike my live bait offerings. Shallow weed growth is dying off, so I am beginning to concentrate my fishing more on deep water ledges located along the lake’s major points. My fishing buddies are experiencing similar results catching smallmouth’s and one of them was rewarded with a bonus 43-inch muskie which was photographed and released. Not much is said about Big Green’s muskie population, but this has the best year I have seen for both numbers of muskie caught and size with a 52-incher caught this past August. Walleye anglers are having moderate success trolling #7 Rapala Shad Raps over deep water weeds which rise to within 10 ft of the surface. Jake Ladwig is one of the area’s better walleye fishermen, and with the deer rut approaching Jake took time off to bow hunt deer and was rewarded with a 14-point buck. . . . Contact Mike Norris, Wacky Worm Guide Service, at 630-842-8199 for Big Green Lake and other south-central Wisconsin guided fishing trips.

Well you motivated me. Lol I got 3 aka snack lunch

4) 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). d) Disposition of Snagged Salmon and Paddlefish. All snagged salmon and paddlefish must be removed from the area from which they are taken and disposed of properly, in accordance with Article 5, Section 5-5 of the Fish and Aquatic Life Code.

Fishing Report – 11/03/2019 Mike Norris . . . Madison Chain – Shore angling for walleyes remains the big story on the Madison Chain. Anglers are scouting public shoreline areas like the Tenney Park breakwall for signs of shallow walleyes and then casting suspending jerkbaits to them with a twitch, pause, twitch pattern. Be ready for the fish to hit on the pause. Best jerkbaits remain Husky Jerks and Rapala X- Raps. Boat anglers are reporting walleye catches while vertical jigging steep breaklines in 20 - 30 ft of water. Try the Governor’s Island and Mendota County Park areas. The Entire Lake - Slow No Wake order has been lifted for Lake Mendota but remains in place for Lakes Monona, Waubesa and Kegonsa. Lake advisories updates can be found at danecountyparks.com/ Contact Mike Norris, Wacky Worm Guide Service, at 630-842-8199 for Big Green Lake and other south-central Wisconsin guided fishing trips.

Ice left late and will be showing up early this year! Continued cold weather from last week through this coming week has been pushing lake surface temps down. Skim ice showing up on ponds and around shallow lakes. Most reports have surface temps as low as 37 degrees to as high as 43 degrees on the largest, deepest of lakes. Fishing reports good for the few that are still venturing out! Musky: Good-Very Good – Guides Jake Smith and Jim Weston reported good fish with multi-fish days. Suckers and Trout on quick-sets still best, but some good fish in mid-40 range on Smity large jerks and other jerk/glide baits. Casting on some days confined to afternoons as reels icing up too much on colder mornings. Walleye: Good-Very Good – Bite strong along gravel humps – transition zones in 25-42’. Chubs, suckers best. Whitefish: Good-Very Good – Getting close to spawning temps, holding along deep breaks outside spawning areas. #5;#6 Swedish pimples tipped with a minnow head or some waxies Forecast for coming week shows only one day AT 32 degrees, rest of week never breaking melt. Lows to low teens at night. Landings still open, but watch for those with shallow or channels that could freeze up soon. Bait not a problem now (figures) its how much longer lakes stay open that will dictate length of season. Kurt Justice Kurt’s Island Sport Shop Like us on FaceBook

More musky suckers in today dale along with all the other fish Crappie and gills going good in river under 249 bridge and that area of river jigs tipped with waxworms best but crappie minnows do well also move around brush piles and u will catch some fish Steelhead action in area creeks starting to pick up some and will only get better and better voodoo jigs tipped with butterworms or waxworms do well along with spawn saks Same few guys hitting up river every other day or so nothing crazy but few good perch being caught they have been around 95 bridge mainly nothing crazy but some good perch on some days Slezs is stocked as always and ready regular crappie minnows xl crappie minnows and baby golden roachs on deck and ready for perch I believe this weekend thel get more than just a few cold days and nights coming after tomorrow