Chicago fishing, Midwest Fishing Report: Perch (longer to walk in than limit), lakers, ice fishing depends

Hi, yes still biting in the lake slip and lake trout reports at navy pier along w some perch. Christmas Eve 6am-2 pm closed Christmas Day. Merry Christmas to you and your family!!

Good steady perch action from shore and boat fisherman. Small fatheads, xl fatheads, baby golden roaches and white spikes best baits. 87th slip lots of fisherman lots of perch caught. Some boats are fishing as far as 106th st and doing well and fish here and there all thru the river. . . . Slez’s Bait Shop is open regular hours on Christmas Eve. 5 to 5 and open 5 till noon on Christmas Day.

Hey Dale, Here is a recap of this past weeks fishing. Area lakes-open water opportunities continue to exist. It should last through Christmas. Crappie have been very good on Maki plastics worked under a slip float. Fish have been concentrated along the outside weedlines. Bluegill can also be found in the same area. Bass have generally been slow. Here is the nature pic of the week [right]. Still hanging around. TTYL — Ken Husker O’Malley Husker Outdoors Waterwerks fishing team

Hi Dale, I’ll send this now as I have no plans to fish tomorrow. I did some prospecting for crappies on a Kane County FP lake Saturday afternoon. As is typical for this time of year, if I’m not fishing for salmon or trout, I’m using a streamer tied on a jig hook under a buoyant strike indicator. No crappies, but a small bass and a surprise musky of around 30 inches were the result. It looks as if it may be possible to fish without chopping a hole in ice for another week or two, maybe more. We are seeing good numbers of raptors pairing up for the upcoming breeding season. I can’t get close enough to the ones just down the street to get a positive ID, even with binoculars, but I’d guess red tails. I may get up to the Milwaukee on Tuesday for browns and steelhead. If I do, I’ll send you a report the moment I’m able. Pete

Dale, You must be getting a slew of reports. Lotsa folks out fishing today. Landed 54 fish today of 3 species on the DuPage River. Mostly big rock bass to 10 but some smallmouth bass and one surprise 21 flathead catfish. I was also visited by a curious mink. Unprecedented! Cheers! Bill

Fishing Report – 12/20/2021 Mike Norris Big Green Lake - Last week’s record heat afford me with a rare opportunity to comfortably catch walleyes troll crankbaits late into the evening on Big Green Lake. And though air temps are colder now, that is not stopping the diehards from continuing to pursue walleyes on Big Green Lake’s open waters on windless nights. Try trolling crankbaits in 12 – 20 feet of water along the outside edge of the weed line at the east end of the lake, or troll along the north side of the lake from Norwegian Bay to Monument Shoals. If fishing after dark is not your thing, then try smallmouth bass along rocky points using live bait rigs during the daylight hours. Ice has reformed on Lake Puckaway and anglers are catching northern pike along the south shore with medium shiner minnows on tip ups. Beaver Dam Lake is producing a few crappies up to fourteen inches in the bays off Edgewater Park. Try tip downs with a split shot and a minnow.

Dear Dale, took advantage of the warm spell. The river temperature went up to about 44 degrees and that prompted a smallmouth bite on jigs worked slowly in slack water. Got 5 nice fish and missed one that might have been larger. Return of cold could shut things down. G. Peters, Plainfield.

Hi, yes still biting in the lake slip and lake trout reports at navy pier along w some perch. Christmas Eve 6am-2 pm closed Christmas Day. Merry Christmas to you and your family!!

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.

WHEW! Last week’s heat wave (up to 54 degrees) came just in time to save us from certain DOOM! Following the 12 of heavy wet snow from 12/10, the summer breeze, rain and wind of 12/15-16 knocked down the slush and snow very nicely. The following cold firmed and built ice up making access to more fishing areas and improved the overall quality of anglers’ outings. While a few Big lakes only have a couple of inches of ice (Fence, Trout) most other lakes reporting 5-10 of ice. Slippery, cleats a necessity, chiseling still smart for untrespassed ice. Walleye: Very Good – With improved access, anglers able to get out on more areas and do well jigging Rapalas, Tikkas, Rippin Raps as well as Flash Champs, Forage Minnow Spoons and Leech Flutter Spoons tipped with minnow heads, shiners on tip-ups at dusk and after in cabbage of 6-10’. Pre-dawn also offering another chance of action before sun gets too high. Northern Pike: Very Good – Big shiners on tip-ups doing the trick as lots of nice reports of bigger Pike (tops 37½ on Sunday) in cabbage of 4-10’. Run rigs with blades for added attraction above tip-up bait. Set ups with rods & reels (I-Fish Pro, Jaw Jackers) very fun to fight these crazy fish from under the ice. Crappie: Very Good – Great reports from anglers using small minnow (rosies, fats) or working small, thin spoons in 6-12’ of water. Good reports of eaters (10-12) plus big slabs topped by a 15er. Good bite at dusk! Bluegill: Very Good-Good – Once wind subsided by Saturday (12/18), anglers reported Gills active in 4-8’ of water taking dark (black, purple, red) jigs tipped with similar colored plastics, beaver tail or red spikes. Nice eaters of 7½ - 8½ with some big bulls to 11+ reported. Largemouth Bass: Good – Medium shiners on tip-ups rigged with flouro carbon leaders in 6-10’ cabbage. Anglers dipping for Crappies and Gills picking up occasional Bass on spoons tipped with waxies. Yellow Perch: Good – Mostly #’s of smaller Perch in the shallows, but a few larger (9-11) to make things interesting. Try baiting up with medium fatheads or small shiners to keep the little guys at bay. Forecast for this coming week looks good. Below freezing temps except for Friday (12/24) Christmas Eve Day, with a chance of rain, but dropping overnight to the teens should only firm things up better. Expect good travel, but chains on your quad tires, chains on your feet or a pillow on your hinder) are advised. Have a wonderful Christmas and enjoy the outdoors with your loved ones. Kurt Justice Kurt’s Island Sport Shop - Like us on Facebook

Good steady perch action from shore and boat fisherman. Small fatheads,xl fatheads, baby golden roaches and white spikes best baits. 87th slip lots of fisherman lots of perch caught. Some boats are fishing as far as 106th st and doing well and fish here and there all thru the river. Few fresh steelhead being had in area tributaries floating the holes spawn sacks or voodoo jigs tipped with beemoth. Must move around cover some water. Lakers outside the ditch trolling or jigging near the sunken reef and down the port of Indiana wall. Slez’s Bait Shop is open regular hours on Christmas Eve. 5 to 5 and open 5 till noon on Christmas Day.

A few anglers are making their way onto Lake Poygan and doing well on walleye. Partridge and Partridge Crop, along with the bayous , are giving up some northerns and bluegill. Walking or 4 wheelers for travel as the ice is still thin. And a Merry Christmas to you.