Chicago fishing: Coho on Lake Michigan, openers for smelt and Heidecke

Dustin and his wife Gabriella Davis visiting from Lubbock, Texas, caught coho with Thin Blue Line Fishing LLC off Chicago.

Coho on southern Lake Michigan and the openers on Monday for smelt netting in Chicago and Heidecke Lake lead this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report.

Capt. Ernesto Amparan of Thin Blue Line Fishing LLC emailed the photo at the top. His full report on coho fishing off Chicago is in the Lakefront report.

HEIDECKE LAKE

The former cooling lake near Morris reopens to fishing on Monday, April 1. Hours are 6 a.m. (6:30 on the bank fishing side) to sunset. Regulations are unchanged.

District fisheries biologist Seth Love noted water levels are better than last year during the drought conditions, however, “Overall the harbor is still fairly shallow, but I was able to easily launch my electrofishing boat and access the main lake.”

On muskies, he noted, “I think the news of state record qualifying fish being in the lake made some anglers realize that there are some big fish at Heidecke, and that Illinois can offer good Muskie angling opportunities. “

He expects crappie anglers to “have a fantastic year.”

He emailed something interesting in that smallmouth “numbers have been fantastic the past couple surveys in terms of numbers and size of fish, though body condition has remained poor despite abundant gizzard shad. Perhaps the smallies struggle to `take’ to shad? It would be interesting to look in stomachs this Fall and see what they’re eating. Nothing really alarming with those trends because that’s how things have been for a while, just very interesting.”

He said an age and growth study is coming on walleye. The biggest one they surveyed was in the fall 2022 survey of “25.6 inches and weighed just over 7 lbs.”

SMELT

Smelt season opens Monday, April 1, and runs through April 30 in Chicago. Chicago Park District regulations remain the same—nets may go in at 7 p.m., must be out of the parks by 1 a.m., no open fires, no closed tents, no parking on grass or sidewalks. As my column on Wednesday indicates, there’s not much hope for seeing smelt.

UPDATE ON CHICAGO PASSES

Now that 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, which ends Sunday, March 31) allow legal access to select piers at Jackson Park, Burnham, DuSable, Diversey, Belmont and Montrose harbors.

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

ILLINOIS CATCH-AND-RELEASE TROUT

Catch-and-release trout season is open. Sites in northern Illinois include Rock Creek, Kankakee River SP; Pine Creek, White Pines Forest SP; Apple River, Apple River Canyon SP. Regular trout season opens April 6.

AREA LAKES

NOTE: The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County announced: “Kids ages 15 and under are invited to feel the excitement of catching a fish at “Trout Fishing for Kids” on Saturday, March 30, from 8 a.m. to noon at the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County’s Wood Dale Grove Forest Preserve in Wood Dale.”

Ken "Husker" O'Malley holds a largemouth bass caught over the weekend. — Ken “Husker” O’Malley holds a largemouth bass caught over the weekend.

Ken “Husker” O’Malley of Husker Outdoors emailed the photos above and below, and this:

Hey Dale,
Here’s a recap from the past weeks fishing. Last weeks front fronts really slowed fishing.
The analytics all pointed to it being a good bite yesterday and today. Pair that with warming temps into the 60’s, an approaching storm front, and it was game on. The focus was working the wind blown riprap that those howling winds were pounding the last couple days. A custom lipless crank from BPF Lures was the hot bait to start with. Once the rains had come and went, the winds subsided and the presentation slowed. Switching to a bladed jig fired the bass right up again.
Before leaving out for the day, I decided to hit a wind blown cove for bluegill and crappie. They were on the same page as the bass. A Wiggleyourworm_fishing jig paired with a Wackem and Stackem Custom Baits micro split tail in pink took good numbers. It was a fun day for sure despite the rain and wind.
Here is the nature pic of the week [below]. Lunch time.
TTYL
Ken “Husker” O’Malley
Husker Outdoors
Waterwerks fishing team

Ken "Husker" O'Malley's nature photo of the week, "Lunch time." — Ken “Husker” O’Malley’s nature photo of the week, “Lunch time.”

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

Some warmer days and nights are starting to get everything biting better. Panfish, bass and walleye all are getting active. Smaller ponds seem to be the best as they warm quickly. Don’t forget to get a trout stamp and your new license before April 1. Illinois Trout season starts April 6. Lake Atwood in the hollows conservation area in McHenry County is a good spot for trout. Prepared trout bait, spinners, spoons , night crawlers and wax worms will all work. No minnows allowed there so don’t bring them.

Rob Abouchar with a largemouth bass from Island Lake.

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

Hi Dale.
The continued cold windy conditions had the action slowed a bit. I hit Dave’s bait in Crystal Lake for some large golden roach minnows as the artificial baits were getting no action. I caught a couple of nice largemouth on plain 1/0 worm hook under a thill slipfloat.
Despite the weather seemingly stuck the vegetation in the garden is popping. Daffodils are opening and hyacinths coloring up. More Blue Herron are arriving as well as a loon and osprey sighted over the weekend. Hopefully some nicer weather is coming for a trip to Braidwood later this week.
On the music front it’s 4/20 at the Irish mill and Aug. 17 at the 56 music festival in mount prospect for midnight mile. For Gozortenplat summer is set with july 10 at Nashville north in Milwaukee July 19 at Reggie’s rock club and Aug. 3 at the Peachtree Festival in Kenosha. The conscious rockers at main street outfitters in Waucanda June 8. Hopefully we can get steel drum player Carl Storneolo for the show. The two original songs are now being mastered and should be ready soon.
Tight lines and good health.
Rob

And my Tuesday morning is made with the music update. I’m also caught by the update on spring progression.

Dan Edwards at Bridgeport Bait and Tackle said crappie are being caught at Papoose and Centennial Park in Tinley Park; some monster crappie and bluegill at Monee Reservoir.

BRAIDWOOD LAKE

Bob Johnson emailed the photo above and this:

Hi Dale - Braidwood Bass fishing was good Saturday but really had to cast a lot to catch them. Weather conditions were tough with air temps in 30s most of day warming around 3 p.m. for about an hour. Water temps from 64.7 to 66. Used several lures — Ned, swimbait, chatterbait worked. Nice to get back out after taking a weekend off. No Hybrids but did catch a quality channel cat on Ned rig. Catch and release.

Open daily 6 a.m.-sunset.

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

CHAIN O’LAKES AREA

Arden Katz said bluegill are good on Mini-Mites and Jigabites with spikes, 10 inches under floats, in the channels. Water remains very low, use caution launching and navigating.

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

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

This weather has been making the bite weird, but we got out on Sunday and did good, caught many bluegills, but highlights were my brother’s first crappie slab of the year and our boy Ben getting his first carp of the year.

Ben with his first carp of the year from the Chicago River.

COOLING LAKES

Braidwood and LaSalle are open; Heidecke reopens Monday, April 1.

DOWNSTATE

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.

GREEN/STURGEON BAYS, WISCONSIN

Click here for the Wisconsin DNR weekly report, generally updated on Tuesdays.

HEIDECKE LAKE

Reopens Monday, April 1. Preview at top.

Open 6 a.m. (6:30 bank fishing) to sunset.

ILLINOIS RIVER

Michelle Silver messaged the photo above and this:

Buddy caught this in the Illinois River today.
He did not weigh it. He caught it below the Marseilles Dam. Mike Clements is the angler.

That is an impressive freak perch.

The Wisconsin team of Ross and John Hertensteiner won the MWC tournament out of Spring Valley on Saturday with daily limits totaling 10 fish at 22 pounds, 14 ounces. Jason and Ethan Kline caught the big fish of 6-2.

KANKAKEE RIVER

Bob Johnson emailed the photo above and this:

Hi Dale — I did the double this weekend Braidwood then Kankakee. My wife and son are on a college visit out of state, so I’m able to get at it both Saturday and Sunday. River is in good shape water clarity is good and temps were at 44 to 46. Good action on swimbaits and Ned rigs today. Also caught the 17” in pic on 3/8 ounce flippin jig with a craw trailer. Caught a small northern pike along with a small largemouth. Very windy day but a good day.

LAKE ERIE

Click here for the Ohio DNR Report.

LAKEFRONT

Capt. Ernesto Amparan of Thin Blue Line Fishing LLC emailed the photo at the top and this:

Hello Dale,
Some might say today was cold, but with a few layers and steady action it turned out to be a fantastic one and a half hours of fishing.
We left Burnham at 8:30 a.m. and started setting lines in 20 fow in front of Mccormick. Trolled south working the 15-25 fow to 48N at 2.6 to 2.9 SOG.
I set up 4 flat lines. 2 with Red and black Thin Fins and 2 with storm thin Fins. Also had 1 color, 2 color, 3 colors and downriggers with Thin Fins. All action came ok on all the flat lines in 20-28fow. Ended 7-12 all cohos. Lines out at 10 a.m.
Water temp 40 degrees.
Here is a picture [at the very top] of my Customers Dustin and his wife Gabriella Davis visiting from Lubbock Texas. They didn’t let the cold stop them from hitting the big pond.

Dan Edwards at Bridgeport Bait and Tackle said doing coho are picking up at McCormick Place, 31st and 39th; also some steelhead at Northerly Island.

Stacey Greene at Park Bait at Montrose Harbor texted:

Good morning
Powerliners fishing Coho doing really good up and down the lakefront, especially when the winds were N/E last week. Lots of limits. There were fish all day, but the afternoon seemed to be a little more active. Coho are getting bigger now. Rod and reel catching fish as well. Hitting minnows as well as night crawlers. In fact, some days, the worms were better.
Nice Brown Trout being caught. A few Steelhead in the harbors.
Our hours through the rest of March will be 6am to 5pm including Easter Sunday. Starting Monday, April 1st hours will be 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Have a great week!

Capt. Bob Poteshman of Confusion Charters said his boats going into the water on Tuesday and they will start chartering the weekend of April 13. He said there is more bait on the south end and plenty of coho being caught.

LaSALLE LAKE

Site is open daily 6 a.m.-sunset. As a perched lake, boating is closed when winds top or will top 14 mph. Check daily updates on boating at (815) 640-8099.

MAZONIA

Fishing is open at both units.

Hours are 6 a.m. to sunset.

NORTHWEST INDIANA

Volunteers moving fish back to J.C. Murphey Lake at Indiana's Willow Slough Fish and Wildlife Area last week. — Volunteers moving fish back to J.C. Murphey Lake at Indiana’s Willow Slough Fish and Wildlife Area last week.

Bruce Caruso sent photos, including the one above, and this on Thursday:

Some photos of the fish reclamation at Willow Slough yesterday. They started transferring fish Tuesday and did Wednesday and Thursday. Friday is weather dependent. About 1,500 largemouth and approximately 425 panfish. Mainly crappie. They were moving fish from Salisbury lake and Rookery lake that were located on the property. Very cool to see the amount of fish being released back into JC Murphy lake.

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

Trolling for coho good from Hammond to Michigan city using rattling thinfish, flicker shad’s and dodger and flys.
Pier fishing for coho still very hit and miss. Squid, shrimp and skein baits to try.
Crappie being caught on lake George under the gazebo near the bank. Crappie minnows best.
Slez’s Bait Shop will be open 5 a.m. till 1 p.m. on Easter Sunday.

ROOT RIVER, WISCONSIN

Click here for the Wisconsin DNR’s report, usually on Tuesday or Wednesday.

SHABBONA LAKE

Boondocks reopens on Monday, April 1.

March site hours are 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Site summer hours--6 a.m.-10 p.m.--begin Monday, April 1, and run through Oct. 31.

SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN LAKEFRONT

Click here for the southern Lake Michigan reports from the Wisconsin DNR.

SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN

Staff at Tackle Haven in Benton Harbor said they catching coho in New Buffalo; some catfish in the river.

WOLF RIVER, WISCONSIN

Guide Bill Stoeger in Fremont texted:

Water temperature this morning is 38.5, it’s coming up slowly. The water level is also on the rise. There’s a lot of mature fish up river waiting for the conditions to get right to spawn

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