Some suggestions for Indiana-record burbot, woolly bear/worm, urban fishing and non-ice fishing

Notes come from around Chicago and beyond.

BIG NUMBER

11.4: Pounds of the Indiana-record burbot, caught Jan. 10 by Phillip Duracz, who also holds the Indiana record for lake whitefish. It was caught less than two weeks after Scott Skafar caught his Indiana-record burbot in the final days of 2022. Read that column here.

WILD OF THE WEEK

Frank Chesniak emailed, “Over the last month I have found a few of these in my wood pile as I use the wood. I believe it might be a woolly bear.”

“That’s the beast,” emailed Jason Robinson, entomologist for the Illinois Natural History Survey. “I’m not a specialist in moths but the `woolly worm’ caterpillar is a species of tiger moth (Pyrrharctia isabella).”

He then suggested the Bug Guide (bugguide.net) for those interested in or with questions on insects. BTW, Robinson gives away his southern roots with “woolly worm.”

Frank Chesniak

WOTW, the celebration of wild stories and photos around Chicago outdoors, runs most weeks in the special two-page outdoors section in the Sun-Times Sports Saturday. To make submissions, email BowmanOutside@gmail.com or contact me on Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside) or Instagram (@BowmanOutside).

DALE’S MAILBAG

“What am I supposed to do without any ice around here?” Jim O’Neil

A: I think ice comes back by next week. Otherwise, I suggested trying for his first 32-degree smallmouth bass on the Kankakee or Des Plaines rivers or Lake Michigan.

LAST WORD

“If you live in a bustling city, the chances of seeing someone carrying a fishing rod may seem low. Yet, new data from the world’s largest fishing app Fishbrain, can reveal that angling in urban environments across the U.S. rose by +7.3% during 2022.”

Release from Fishbrain (fishbrain.com)

WILD TIMES

DUCKS UNLIMITED

Feb. 2: McHenry Fox Flyway Dinner, Holiday Inn, Crystal Lake

PHEASANTS FOREVER

Feb. 4: Lake County banquet, Maravela’s, Fox Lake

SHOWTIME

Click here for the complete list of show, outdoors classes and swap meets.

Through today, Jan. 22:Muskie Expo Chicago, Kane County Fairgrounds, St. Charles

Through today, Jan. 22:Capt. Dan Keating Schools, Lake Michigan Angler, Winthrop Harbor, Salmon Foundations, Salmon 101, Jan. 21, Advanced Tactics & Seasonal Strategies, Jan. 22

Thursday, Jan. 26, to Jan. 29:Chicagoland Fishing, Travel & Outdoor Expo, Schaumburg Convention Center