Chicago fishing, Midwest Fishing Report: Crappie bite builds, wait is on for perch, fall is trophy time

We still smoke em stocked trout lol

Hey Dale, Here is a recap of this past weeks fishing. Area lakes-unseasonably warm temps have had fish in a holding pattern. Floating moss has made presentations difficult on some lakes. The recent rains will help water levels on many lakes as they have been down. Water temps need to get into the 50’s for the fall bite to take off. The upcoming forecast will do that. The most consistent bait has been a twitch minnow. A few bass, bluegill, and crappie can be taken working it over weed flats. . . . Here is the nature pic of the week. Closing time. — Ken Husker O’Malley Husker Outdoors Waterwerks fishing team

Dale, So many yellow bass on the chain, Arden Katz is catching two at a time, we were trying for walleye, way too many yellows!

Slab alert

also caught this big beauty 1 lb 6 oz 15 in

Hey Dale, Here is a recap of this past weeks fishing. . . . DesPlaines River-bass have been good on slower baits as they seem not to be chasing faster moving baits. Senkos, skakey head, and jigs with a craw trailer have been best. Water temps are still in the lower 60’s. . . . — Ken Husker O’Malley Husker Outdoors Waterwerks fishing team

Fishing Report – 10/25/2021 Mike Norris Big Green Lake - Nighttime temperatures finally fell into the low thirties and the surface temperature of Big Green is dropping about a degree a day. Last Saturday I recorded a surface temperature of 59 degrees as expected, smallmouth bass are starting to group up. Last week I caught smallies anywhere from 7 to 24 feet deep. My bait of choice is a sucker minnow dragged behind a Lindy sinker. I am also finding packs of bluegills under piers in Big Green’s shallow bays. Perch running up to eleven inches are biting red worms beneath a float in 1 to 2 feet of water where gravel shorelines exist. Northern pike are also on the move. I am catching them in the same areas I am catching smallmouth bass. Fox Lake - Water temperature is dropping, but bass fishing is still good in shallow areas like The Jug and Government Area. With most sportsmen hunting right now it like a ghost town on the water. Try fishing around rocky shorelines and shallow bays with Senko’s or Bitsy Bug jigs with a trailer. I am focusing on guiding for trophy smallmouth bass right now. To book a guide trip reach out to me via my Facebook page at mike.norris.7773 or email me through my website at www.comecatchsmallmouth.com

Hi Dale - Fall fishing has picked up and the Smallmouth are getting fat for winter! Had a day to remember for sure. Several baits worked including jerk baits, bladed jigs (White) and finesse in dark colors. Water temp was 59 and water clarity was good to clouded in some areas. The morning bite is always good however the Bass continue to feed later in day this time of year. I did try surface lures but quickly found out this bite is done. Nothing to report about Walleye yet. Walleye fishing was slow.

Just one lol No skunk

Good morning Dale, Few reports of a lot of salmon swimming in the harbor but not hitting. Steelhead starting to be caught around the area. Wax worms and tinsel jigs are flies, larger minnows, nightcrawlers Etc. Those winds were pretty wicked yesterday lake got all stirred up so it may take a few days to come back to normal. A few Northerns have been caught by guys casting spoons or crankbaits. No reports on anything else. Our hours now are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. 7 days a week. Have a great week..

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.

Cold temps have pushed many area lakes into the dreaded Turn Over period (insert spooky sound effects). Surface temps on most lakes running 51 – 56 degrees. Fishing reports have been off by the weekend with lots of grumbling from anglers finding fishing tough. Smallmouth Bass: Good-Very Good – Thanks to a recent report (didn’t get your name) anglers finding Smallies stacking up along gravel/mud transitions in 22-26’. Live black chubs were this angler’s choice for lots of nice Smallies. Asking around, other anglers are finding similar success using drop-shot rigs to present 3 Gulp-Alive minnows and Walleye suckers. Larger lakes that haven’t experienced turn-over best! Walleye: Good-Fair – Finding the right group of fish willing to bite has been tough. Even the deep fish have been tight lipped. Locating smaller lakes that have turned (under 600 acres, but at least 30’ depth) and slow dragging 1/2 crawlers on 1/8 oz jigs in 17-22’ worked for our boat on Sunday. Most anglers using chubs and large fats with success. Musky: Fair – Luckily, most of my hair is gone, so unlike some of the more well-maned guides, I know I have little left to pull out. Mid-week was good with anglers scoring very well on Smity Jerks working green weeds, some in as little as 3-5’. But as weekend came, things got tough and little action, the best on suckers. With continued cold mornings (upper 20’s to low 30’s) and high barely cresting 50 most days, look for post turn-over action on gliders, jerks and live suckers to be best from here on out. Northern Pike: Fair – No reports from targeted fish, just incidentals. Largemouth Bass, Crappies, Perch & Gills – No Reports Kurt Justice Kurt’s Island Sport Shop - Like us on Facebook

Been kinda quiet last few days with all the rain. Lots of groups waiting on the perch bite to start in the cal park area.

Hi, Dale! Here’s what we have for the week: Fishing has slowed down on Lake Michigan due to rough seas; pier guys are starting to pick up some Steelhead when they are able to get out on the piers. River fishing for Steelhead was good until all the rains blew out the rivers. Inland lakes for Bluegill remains good on beemoth & red worms. The Perch bite has begun. It’s had a slow start, but is getting better every day, with the consistently cooler weather. Smaller minnows & spinners are working best.

Water temp was 48 degrees yesterday. White bass were biting good near the Rat River all week, and up river sand bars. Walleye action is picking up with limits coming in. Bluegill and crappie in the backwaters, on crawlers and minnows