Chicago fishing, Midwest Fishing Report: What we know, mainly before the snow

Hey Dale, Hope you’re doing well. Just wanted to inform you of some panfishing I’ve been doing in the last few days. This year to stay away from crowds I find myself on local ponds more often, as I keep my distance while constantly getting slab gills, crappie, and perch. Pictured below is an 8.5 tank, gills bite much better when the sun is out. On cloudy days I go straight for crappie. Northern Lake County, Bangs Lake and ponds nearby.

Hey Dale, Here is a recap of this past weeks fishing. Area lakes-the cold front that pushed through last last week helped start building some ice. Ice was a solid 5 inches with another half inch of frozen slush. The front had fish tight to cover. Bluegills were on fire early to mid-morning in 7-8 feet of water in thick weeds. Best bait was tungsten jigs tipped with multiple spikes as live bait was out fishing plastics. A few bass could be had as well. The most productive color was glow pink even though color really didn’t seem the matter. TTYL — Ken Husker O’Malley Husker Outdoors Waterwerks fishing team

Oak Park Lounge . the best ice fishing parking in the chain! And they also have rental shacks from www.wetnwildoutfitters.com available

Been getting into some nice smallmouth lately. The Fox has been very generous this winter.

Fishing Report 1/25/2021 Mike Norris Big Green Lake – Big Green is transitioning from soft water to ice right now with skim ice forming across a great deal of the lake. Having said that it looks like lake trout and cisco fishing will continue remain on hold until safer ice forms. This week’s forecast calls for nighttime temps to drop into the single digits by mid-week. But daytime temps will climb back above the freeze mark this weekend and into next week. Fox Lake – There are plenty of anglers venturing out into Fox Lake now with reports of seven inches of ice across most of the lake. The exception is the two open cracks running from Maple Point to the tip of Keno Trail. The Wisconsin Elite Series Ice Fishing Team Tournament held a one-day event on Fox Lake last Saturday. Under the Elite Series format, Teams can weigh in their single best caught gamefish and best two panfish. These three fish are then measured and the team with the longest combined number of inches wins the tournament. Tyler Bessa and Andrew Mosley won the event with a 33-inch northern pike caught on a tip-up and they also jigged up two 11-inch crappies for a combined length of 55 inches. There is enough ice now to walk out into the basin of the lake where the crappies suspend during the winter months. Lake Puckaway – Northern Pike are still the main attraction at Lake Puckaway. Ice is 7 to 8 inches thick and anglers are hauling shacks out. There are a few brave souls driving vehicles across the lake, but with Puckaway’s tricky currents, but I would not recommend doing so unless you know the lake well. Walleyes are still falling for spoons tipped with minnow heads at the west end of the lake early mornings and after the sun goes down in the evening. For information on guide trips reach out to me via my Facebook page at mike.norris.7773 or email me through my website at www.comecatchsmallmouth.com

Good morning fellas….here is an update on our ice fishing up to this point We are still experiencing lack of ice out on the big bay of Green Bay (The so called Whitefish Grounds) With that said, there are some folks tip toeing their way around out in some deeper water when the winds allow you to safely go out there. When that does happen, Riley’s Bay, the mouth of Little Sturgeon, Henderson’s Point and Sherwood Point will be all go-to spots with Larsons Reef to follow shortly after. Howie’s Whitefish jigs tipped with plastics will most like lead the way once again as far as the most productive bait, with Rapala jigs, jigging shad raps and random spoons working also The Perch fishing continues to be a bright spot so far in this season. Little Sturgeon and Sawyer Harbor are really the only 2 spots with the safest ice right now. Shiners and Rosy Reds under tip-ups or hand lines have been good along with jigging with an assortment of jigs tipped with minnows, minnow heads, waxies and spikes all working right now. And as soon as the ice thickens, the fishermen will be able to spread out and venture out to some different spots. Pike fishing has also been going quite well as of late. Best areas have been Little Sturgeon, Riley’s Bay, Sawyer Harbor and downtown Sturgeon Bay around the marinas. Large Golden Shiners and sucker minnows under tip-ups and Auto-Fishermen definitely the method of choice And very few Walleyes getting caught right now just due to the lack of ice and the inability to get out the Hot-Spots. When we do get some safe ice the better spots would include…Henderson’s point, the Rileys Bay area along with Sherwood Point and Larsen’s Reef Basically the same report as last time, but its starting to get better. We still have to tread lightly until the big bay freezes so we don’t have guys getting rescued every other day Thanks; Lance LaVine Howie’s Tackle 1309 Green Bay Rd Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 Ph: 920-746-9916

Yea, still browns off the piers, using bait,, spawn, and roaches, Gov pier and johnsons

Justin Lederer checking in from McQuoids Inn Lake Millie Lacs fishing has slowed down during the day you can still pick up some nice fish like Tommy did during the day on suckers and tip ups or dead sticks in 20-30 foot of water jigging crappie minnows also is producing fish. Perch have been biting in the same water depths also on crappie minnows or wax worms for perch use small tungsten jigs. Northern are slow right now. Full Moon this weekend with a snow system moving in should get them fired up. Keep an eye on Tommy by following him at McGrath Fishing. Tight lines stay safe everyone.

Whitefish Lake, WI it’s near Lac Courte Oreilles. Fishing with Andrew Gerdes Guide Service. The guy driving the plane just landed for shore lunch, no plane needed to access the lake

Wintery weather! The type we’ve grown unaccustomed to this year. High wind, sub-zero temps and 5-6 of very light, fluffy snow slowed anglers this past week. The cold may have helped some anglers as reports of 14-16 of ice on many lakes has eased the worry of truck travel. Some of the mid-winter dull-drums have hit, but overall, due to a very mild winter, conditions still very good for anglers. Crappies: Fair-Good – Anglers still finding some weed related fish in 8-12’ using tip-downs with minnows or dropping Lethal Cecils tipped with waxies. More basin fish being caught over mud flats of 16-24’. Tungsten jigs tipped with waxies, glow T-Rips and tip-downs baited with small rosies best. Walleye: Fair-Good – Anglers finding smaller windows of activity, pre-dawn, dusk and later. Jigging Chubby Dartors, 3/8 oz Z-Vibs, Tikka Minnows and Jigging Raps tipped with minnow heads on off shore humps at low light. Some tip-up action on suckers in same areas. Anglers in weeds reporting better results using golden shiners. Northern Pike: Fair-Good – Anglers reporting action on shiners, suckers, hot dogs and large frozen smelt. (Turns out some Pike won’t bite hot dogs that aren’t kosher…who knew? - haha) Bluegill: Fair-Good - Mid-mornings through mid-afternoons best. Small dark #3 tungsten jigs tipped with mousses or spikes. Most Gills weed related, yet anglers fishing Crappies over mud in 16-24’ picking up occasional fish. Yellow Perch: Fair-Good – Movement out over mud basin improves as Perch search for midge and mayfly larvae at this time. Clam Bomb Spoons, Pinhead Jigging Mino, Hali jigs and Pimples to deliver red spikes or wigglers best. Start in 16-18’, but depths as deep as 28-32’ holding Perch on some lakes. Largemouth Bass: Fair – A few reports of incidental catches on medium shiners and jigs meant for other species. Despite recent cold building ice, caution still advised. Check conditions, especially if you are first out on the lake. Kurt Justice Kurt’s Island Sport Shop Like us on FaceBook

Lots of groups on ice all over nwi most places ice is ok but still must be careful still some iffy areas Coho at Gary light area for those willing to take the boat out casting and trolling Lake trout and a few coho at portage river walk casting spoons and few on skein or squid Steelhead fishing in area tributaries is hit or miss not seeing the numbers of fish we are use too. Still some fish to be had on voodoo jigs tipped with beemoth or spawn sacks