Chicago fishing: Some lakefront coho, some spring signs and the LaSalle Lake opener

Some lakefront coho, some spring signs and the reopening of LaSalle Lake on Friday, are among the highlights in this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report.

Channel catfish were among the variety of catches on Island Lake in the past week, as Rob Abouchar and his neighbor Jim Ulm show in the top photo.

LaSALLE OPENER

LaSalle, the cooling lake southwest of Seneca, reopens Friday. Blue catfish are expected to be the stars, but bass are looking up and bluegill remain good. I did a preview for my column on Wednesday.

Remember, because of being a perched lake, LaSalle is often closed to boaters. Check daily updates at 815-640-8099.

Rent e-bikes at adventur-e-bike-rental.com.

UPDATE ON CHICAGO PASSES

With Park Bait reopened, parking and pier passes may be bought there.

The Northerly Island Visitor Center remains closed, but parking passes or pier passes (credit card only) may be bought at these places and times as Carl Vizzone emailed:

“Monday – North Park Village Nature Center 5801 N Pulaski Rd. Building “D” 9 a.m. –4 p.m.

“Thursday – Lincoln Park Cultural Center 2045 North Lincoln Park West 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.

“Friday – Big Marsh Park 11559 S. Stony Island 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Email fishing@chicagoparkdistrict.com with questions.”

Chicago Park District parking passes ($20 for two months) are for the anglers’ parking lots at DuSable and Burnham harbors. The park district pier passes ($10 for the season) allow legal access to select piers at Jackson Park, Burnham, DuSable, Diversey, Belmont and Montrose harbors through March 31.

NAVY PIER ANGLING

North side of Navy Pier is open for anglers. Discounted parking for anglers is $9 daily, beginning at 5 a.m.; must be out by 10 a.m. for the discount. Click here to prepay for the discounted tickets.

LAKEFRONT PARKING

My column from Nov. 30, 2022, on parking the length of the Chicago lakefront is posted at https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/11/30/23485385/chicago-lakefront-parking-fishing

AREA LAKES

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Mike Hansen emailed the photo above and this on March 7:

“Nice bass caught in western suburb lake today.

“Dale, seems like there are signs of life in local lakes and ponds. This fish crushed a red vibrating jig.

“Tight Lines!

“Mike Hansen”

Dave Kranz of Dave’s Bait, Tackle and Taxidermy in Crystal Lake and with his YouTube channel, Dave Kranz Living the wild outdoors, texted:

“On the days we get spring like temperatures customers are catching panfish in the channels off the Fox River and Chain O Lakes. ... Smaller ponds have warmer water and some are seeing some action with the largemouths. Most have been using golden roach minnows.”

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Pete Lamar emailed the photo above and this:

“Hi Dale,

“I thought I’d get out more this week with the warmer weather and later sunsets due to daylight saving time, but the high winds put a stop to that. My only outing was to a couple of nearby forest preserve ponds that are within walking distance of each other. One — the smaller of the two — is fishing much better than the other. I have to think it’s warming more quickly. Everything I’ve caught lately has been on a balanced minnow under a buoyant strike indicator; it allows a static presentation. Fish aren’t going to do much chasing in the cold water, so this way I can keep a fly in their faces for longer. The bass in the image does have a tail. It’s just that it was curled up and not visible in the photo due to the wind.

“Pete”

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Rob Abouchar messaged the photos above and below, and this:

“Hi Dale. The signs of spring are many in island lake this week; crocus blooming and a variety of migratory waterfowl. Last night a swan was out in the middle of the lake. Hooded mergansers, Buffleheads and others i need to check in the field book to identify. The water is still cold to the touch maybe 50 or so and the fish were not going for artificial hardbaits. I fished with large golden roach minnows under a thill slip float and had some good action for largemouth bass. Yellow bass and a channel catfish went for smaller roaches. There were no Anglers out in boats as the wind and cool temps continued.

“On the music front the rough mix of country boy is in and sounds great. Hope to have rough mix of ladykiller blues next and proceed with more mixing before mastering. Gozortenplat is resuming rehearsals for summer shows this Wednesday. Some more Zappa classics will be added to the set including classics like you are what you is and city of tiny lights. Midnite mile April 20 at the Irish mill and june 7th conscious rockers at main street outfitters in waucanda. Tight lines and good health! Rob”

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And my Tuesday is made with the music update.

Dan Edwards at Bridgeport Bait and Tackle said crappie are going at Centennial Park and other suburban spots.

BRAIDWOOD LAKE

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Bob Johnson emailed the photo above and this:

“Hi Dale. Threw swim baits over structure and along reed lines today at Braidwood. Weather was ok some wind going but that was good. Found bass along wind blown reed lines actually avoiding getting out of the wind blown water all day. Water temps 68 to 69. The early bite was slow but action picked up with a very good bite window from 8 to 11am catching good sized bass biggest 3.6 and 3.10. Caught another Hybrid today also with swim bait. Arrived at 6 a.m. and waited a minute in a short line, more arriving later. Braidwood really is a beautiful lake for our area, resembling Wisconsin waters in spots.”

I believe Johnson is the first I heard compare Braidwood to Wisconsin waters. I will say it is the most aesthetically pleasing of our cooling lakes.

Open daily 6 a.m.-sunset.

Click herefor a preview that gives hope for a good year.

CHAIN O’LAKES AREA

FOX WATERWAY AGENCY: There’s a stakeholders meeting at the Fox Waterway Agency, 45 S Pistakee Lake Road, Fox Lake, 60020, at 2 p.m. or 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 13. Details on registering are here.

Provided by Steve McClone of Moonpie Outdoors, LLC

Steve McClone of Moonpie Outdoors, LLC, messaged the photo above and this:

“Chain O Lakes is picking up! Averaging 225+ fish in the boat for an 8-hour trip for each group of clients I’m taking. Water temp is on average 42-45 degrees. Catching fish in 2-3 feet of water on slip bobbers with small jigs.”

Staff at Triangle Sports and Marine in Antioch said water is low, even after the last storm, so use caution when launching or navigating. For those who can launch, the channels with decent water are holding good crappie.

NOTE: Check updates on water conditions at foxwaterway.com or 847-587-8540.

NOTE 2: Stratton Lock and Dam is closed through April 30.

CHICAGO RIVER

Dan Edwards at Bridgeport Bait and Tackle said customers are getting some good-sized crappie downtown and others are getting catfish.

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Jeffrey Williams messaged the photos above and below, and this:

“Bites keep getting better down on the riverwalk.

“All caught on nightcrawlers”

Williams also sent a photo of a largemouth bass.

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COOLING LAKES

Braidwood is open; LaSalle reopens March 15; and Heidecke, April 1.

DOWNSTATE

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CLINTON LAKE: Thomas Jones emailed the mixed-bag photo above and this:

“First fish of the year. Clinton Lake Tuesday”

POWERTON:Both bank and boat fishing are open. Hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m. through April 30.

EMIQUON PRESERVE: Open. Access permits and liability waivers are available Tuesday to Saturday at Dickson Mounts Museum, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Randy Smith, Illinois River project director for The Nature Conservancy, emailed this year’s end overview:

“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.”

SPRING LAKE: Open.

HENNEPIN-HOPPER: Reopens May 1.

FOX RIVER

Dave Kranz of Dave’s Bait, Tackle and Taxidermy in Crystal Lake and with his YouTube channel, Dave Kranz Living the wild outdoors, texted:

“On the days we get spring like temperatures customers are catching panfish in the channels off the Fox River and Chain O Lakes. McHenry Dam has been hit or miss for the walleye’s. Use a 1/8-ounce . Jig and an extra large fathead minnow. ... The catfish bite is excellent on the Fox River night crawlers will work but cut bait is better.”

HEIDECKE LAKE

Scheduled to reopen April 1.

LAKE ERIE

Click here for the Ohio DNR Report.

LAKEFRONT

Flyer for Hole-Hopper tournament.

Tournament: The private Hole-Hopper group on Facebook (must be member for the tournament) has a free shore tournament (powerline or rod and reel) on Sunday with prizes to $200.

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Dana Robinson messaged the photo above and this:

“Hi Dale! Went to Cal Park for a couple of hours today. They had no interest in the nightcrawlers but they had no problem with hitting the Keitech swim bait. Both hits weren’t too far from shore either.”

Dan Edwards at Bridgeport Bait and Tackle said there are browns inside of the harbors and at least one pike caught at Northerly Island; some steelhead inside the harbors on waxies and hair jigs.

Stacey Greene at Park Bait at Montrose Harbor texted:

“Hello Dale.

“Coho are slow starting but there have been some caught here and there. Most are still on the smaller side. Due to our El Nino winter fishing will be different. Truthfully the better weather has everyone wanting to get out and fish which is great but Coho are more active when the weather is on the bad side with northeast winds blowing and chopping up the water. On the other hand there have been quite a few more Brown Trout caught so far this spring as well as some Northerns and even a Burbot!

“As far as perch I am hearing they are still active especially by boat at Navy Pier and on shore and boat south by the slip at 87th. No Salmon or Trout reports from the south yet.

“Hours right now are 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. we will be changing soon.”

LaSALLE LAKE

Reopens Friday, March 15.

MAZONIA

Fishing is open at both units. Any ice fishing is at your own risk.

Hours are 6 a.m. to sunset.

NORTHERN WISCONSIN

Kurt Justice at Kurt’s Island Sport Shop in Minocqua emailed:

“We can put a fork in the ice season (or a chisel, spike, cleat, whatever your favorite euphemism would be).

“While spots out on certain lakes still had fishable ice by Friday (March 8), even the weekend’s cold weather couldn’t hold up against the wind. Shorelines are pulling away. Ice (even when 6-8 inches was found) is not strong, crumbling under just a couple chisel strokes. The next 40+ hours will be above freezing with some temps in the 50s even possible 60s with cooler weather the following week, things look to be just enough for neither ice nor boat anglers to be able to get out and fish panfish.

“Without abilities to fish locally, this fishing report will suspend until there is something to write about.

“Keep the evening of April 8 open to attend your local Conservation Congress Spring Hearings. This is your chance to voice your opinion on subjects that affect you, the outdoors people! Your support (or non-support) helps direct the Natural Resource Board to direct the Department of Natural Resources as to upcoming rules and regulations that affect us. Remember, a non-vote is like half a vote for the opinion you have, so share.

“Kurt Justice”

NORTHWEST INDIANA

WILLOW SLOUGH: The Indiana DNR is holding a meeting to wrap up the renovation at Willow Slough FWA. The meeting is 6:30 p.m. (central) Wednesday at Newton County Government Center, 4117 S 240 W, Morocco, Indiana 47963.

I plan to be there.

Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station texted:

“Perch still out on the Gary flats in 50 to 60 feet of water when weather allows boaters out there. Perch fly rigs and large fathead minnows best.

“Lil better on coho for trollers decent catch’s for some on Monday trolling Gary light area and the mouth of the port of Indiana. Rattling thinfish doing the work.

“Lots of rain over weekend had water high and dirty so reports on everything else almost all slow. Water is way better today Tuesday morning.”

SHABBONA LAKE

Boondocks is closed.

March site hours are 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN

Staff at Tackle Haven in Benton Harbor said some steelhead, mostly on spawn, are in the river.

WOLF RIVER, WISCONSIN

Guide Bill Stoeger in Fremont texted:

“Water temperature this morning is 41.4. The river is full of walleye, with most boats limiting out. River rigs in deep water mid bay, and jigs in the shallows early and late”