Chicago fishing: Early coho reports, ice up north and an otherwise mixed-up affair

Weather was unreal for this time of year

OSHKOSH, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) continues to prepare for the sturgeon spearing season that will open Feb. 10, 2024 on the Winnebago System.

Under the current rule, the sturgeon spearing season opens on the second Saturday in February, regardless of weather conditions. It continues for 16 consecutive days unless closed early if harvest registration data indicates the harvest cap will be met.

Monday – North Park Village Nature Center 5801 N Pulaski Rd. Building D 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Thursday – Lincoln Park Cultural Center 2045 North Lincoln Park West 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Friday – Big Marsh Park 11559 S. Stoney Island 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

The shore ice conditions continue to deteriorate. Looks like cold weather comes back the middle of the month, is it going to be enough to get back on the ice??? Until then fishing below the McHenry and Algonquin dams are an option. Walleye,white bass and catfish would be the best targets this time of year and live minnows for the walleye and white bass, cut bait for the catfish would be my recommendation.

Hey Dale,

Safe ice left out 7 days ago and now it’s a waiting game for open water opportunities. It seems that last bit of remaining ice just won’t go away. Funny how that works as a few weeks ago we were begging for it to start. Hopefully by the weekend we should be able to break out the long rods.

Here’s one of the last to come up hole.

Here’s the nature pic of the week [below]. Waiting in line for open water.

TTYL

Ken Husker O’Malley

Husker Outdoors Waterwerks fishing team

Hi Dale

The ice held into Sunday morning but by afternoon i was afraid to be out there and pulled up the tip ups off with only one false flag. My thoughts have turned to fishing crankbaits at Braidwood on Pulaski day. Waiting for my order from tackle warehouse. This morning my neighbor got this photo of a healthy coyote in the fog. We have been trying to identify the tracks now we have confirmation.

On the music front the rehearsal for the recording is set for valentine’s day next Wednesday and the recording on February 17th. Going through different arrangements for country boy in my head on the way to work this morning has me a bit distracted. Looking forward to the Bob Marley bash February 17th and talks are underway for summer shows with Gozortenplat!

Tight lines and good health !

Rob

I haven’t heard any good reports from bass anglers this year [2023], but the folks chasing crappie and catfish have done well. Finding the old ditches that are now underwater and fishing the bottoms for catfish or the vertical sides for crappie seems to be the strategy.

. . . Until then fishing below the McHenry and Algonquin dams are an option. Walleye,white bass and catfish would be the best targets this time of year and live minnows for the walleye and white bass, cut bait for the catfish would be my recommendation.

Fishing Report - -2/05-2024

Mike Norris

Big Green Lake: The ice is thick enough to walk on in both Beyer’s Cove and Dartmouth Bay but may be off-limits with the arrival of warmer weather and rain predicted for later this week. Anglers are working hard to find keeper-sized bluegills and perch at both locations. The deeper portions of the lake are ice-free and accessible by boat for those seeking to catch lake trout. Several of the prime smallmouth holding areas are also accessible by boat. The boat launch at Dodge Memorial Park is ice-free, but the launch is shallow, and the piers are not in. A better choice is the boat launch at Hoerner’s Landing, which may be ice-free later this week.

Fox Lake: Ice fishing for bluegills in the Jug and out from the Golf Course is fair. Plenty of fish exist, but you must work to sort out the bigger ones. The better bite is for crappies out from the Boat House in the basin of the lake. Try working a jig and minnow off the bottom. This pattern has also scored for several nice walleyes up to 8 lbs. during the morning and evening hours.

Lake Puckaway: With morning temps reaching the low 20s, Lake Puckaway maintains good ice. It’s the shore access points that are taking a beating. Tip-up fishing for northern pike, walleye, and catfish is good and has attracted a lot of ice anglers. If you can find your way to the west end, where the Fox River enters the lake, you may hook into some big walleyes. Access to the west end of the lake is tricky right now, but the warmer weather forecast for later in the week may melt the ice and allow boats to access the river mouth.

. . .

Perch action decent fishing the slips what everybody calls 87th and 89th slips. Fatheads and Rosie red minnows and a lot on drop shot rigs fishing a variety of soft plastics.

With so much concern throughout the State over ice conditions, it’s been wonderful to see ice anglers have such great opportunities here in the Northwoods.

Despite the warm afternoons, highs in the 40s nighttime temps into the teens continually countering the heat to actually make a little ice,

6-8 hours above freezing, followed by 16 to 18 hours of cold to firm up ice.

Not car or truck drivable but ATV and foot traffic is, just be sure to wear cleats it’s very slippery!

Northern pike: good – very good

Pike actively feeding, from as shallow as 4 - 12’ where green weeds are holding perch, big shiners, suckers – no secret!

Crappies: good – very good

Still a two-story bite,

A weed bite in 10–12’ and tall narrow leaf cabbage using lethal Cecils, rockers and the smallest pinheads to present waxies or plastics. Basin Crappies in 22–34’ of water, usually 3-5’ off the bottom, taking tikka flashes, pimples, cast masters, with waxies or tip-downs with small minnows.

Lots of good catches with nice slabs reported!

Largemouth Bass: good – very good

Loving the warm afternoons, the green bass, some to 19 to 20, being caught on medium shiners hanging from tip ups.

Bluegills: good

Picking up as better sized gills 8–9 inches showing upon reports.

Jigs with hair or a touch of plastic to create a slower drop, helped to get the bigger gills to bite.

Yellow perch: good

Perch showing signs of feeding as more and more fat belly perch, showing up on flashy spoons (Kastmasters, Pimples, Bull Spoons)

Tipped with wigglers over mud in 18–26 feet. Also, some dandy fattys in 8–12’ of weeds on medium Fatheads or Rosies.

Walleye: fair – good

Action, improving, suckers and tip ups over sand grass flats of 18 –28’.

Jigging raps, producing as a show that walleyes are providing a more active bite.

Some are very impressive. Walleyes reported this weekend up to 29 caught and released.

Bullheads: good

What??? Yes, several anglers including fellow guide Mike Bowen reported a good Bullhead bite on Tip-ups. Baited with shiners for Walleyes… so there!

Sure there were some slow times when the bite this past week, such as Sunday, When the sun came out after a week of hiding, and must have scared the fish at first, yet even then things picked back up

Ice thickness still averaging 8-12. A few areas saw ice in the 4-5 range, so caution is still advisable.

With ever-changing forecast, showing above freezing highs through Saturday, plus some rain Thursday/Friday (2/8-2/9)

We may see a slight loss in thickness, yet starting Sunday (2/11), no more above freezing temps with lows in the teens, and even single digits to help build ice.

Remember to wear creepers

Note: Saturday, February 10 a Virtual

Oneida/Vilas county ice fishing tournament. seven fish categories, sign up fee $5.00 at your favorite bait shop.

Hello Dale

Just got back from fishing North Woods Hayward area with Tres Holes for four days.

http://Tresholes.com

The ice is good, we found 8-12 inches every where we fished. No snow and no slush. We did not take out ATVs, an ATV went through the Ice on Lac Courte Oreilles the day we arrived.

Still good fishing

We fished our walk out spots and didn’t need shelters or heaters.

Fished on 7 different lakes, best action was morning and evening, if we located fish that would not bite the solution was usually the smallest jig we had available.

Jigged waxies and minnows.

Chubs on tip ups caught walleye

Suckers on tip ups for Northern

Lake Namakagon has good walk out spots.

Kyle spoon man Lamm

Perch action has been good in 55 to 60ft of water straight north of Gary light using perch fly rigs and fathead minnows in small and large size.

Perch action decent fishing the slips what everybody calls 87th and 89th slips. Fatheads and Rosie red minnows and a lot on drop shot rigs fishing a variety of soft plastics.

Steelhead action has picked up in the area tributaries as of late floating spawn saks or using voodoo jigs tipped with waxworms.

Fishing Report - -2/05-2024

Mike Norris

. . .

Wisconsin River (Nekoosa): Boat traffic is light and catching up to 40 walleyes per outing is possible. The river is wide open and should remain that way well into next week. Vertical jigging in 9 – 12 feet of water accounts for the number of walleyes.

Bluegills and northerns, with an occasional walleye, are doing well on Partridge Lake. Always check ice conditions before you go out. The river is open, for now, looking at a cooler forecast. I’ll be putting the boat in tomorrow, looking for early walleye.