Perch, lakers, whitefish: Chicago fishing, Midwest Fishing Report

Wet foggy weekend didn’t slow down the Perch, or the Perch fishermen! Fish were hitting on every cast on the south side peers and harbors this weekend

Perch bite 89 all thru to 95th decent must sort for keepers but fair action xl fatheads and regular fatheads on crappie rigs or perch fly rigs in white or orange color has been good.

Hey Dale, Here is a recap of the past week’s fishing.Area Lakes- water levels are up and clarity down from the week’s rain. Focus on outside weedlines for bass. Best bait has been a bitsy bug jig tipped with a 4 inch chigger craw. Key is to work the bait as slow as possible. Best time has been early afternoon hours.TTYL —Ken Husker O’Malley Husker Outdoors Waterworks fishing team

Cook County: Axehead, Belleau, Busse North, Green, Horsetail, Sag Quarry East, Wolf Lake; DuPage: Silver, Pickerel, Grove; Kankakee: Bird Park Quarry, Rock Creek; Kendall: Big Lake at Silver Springs SFWA; Lake: Sand at Illinois Beeach SP, Banana; McHenry: Spring Grove Hatchery Pond; Will: Lake Strini, Van Horn Woods.

We’re definitely seeing a lot more of these kind of fish here

Chicago River report Not much of a report I was not on the water last week took some time off to get caught up and arrange things for the winter season. I am going to open water fish throughout the winter on our river systems. As I write this the boat is hooked up and ready headed out for a trip on the Chicago River. I will post water weather and fishing conditions tonight on my facebook page Pat Harrison Outdoors – Fishing Adventures I will be back out on a regular basis for the next couple months have a Great week. Capt. Pat — www.patharrisonoutdoors.com Thanks Pat

Dale,Well water temps really fell off the table with the below average weather we’ve been having. I’ve been fishing mostly 43-45 degree water. Largemouth bass are still biting ripple shads or finesse jigs. Pike have slowed some, but still offer the best bite up and down the river on slow cranks or jerk baits. I was bass fishing the other day and ran into a huge bowfin. Probably one of biggest to date on the Des Plaines. Definitely a photo worthy fish for me, and definitely not a trash fish.Marcus BeneschGurnee

Dale, Here are the Winter Lake Closures I have from IDNR for Central IL (& couple extra). ANDERSON LAKE –– – THIS AREA Will CLOSE TO BOAT FISHING in Main Lake on Oct. 21st with Last Day to Fishing being Oct. 20th during waterfowl season with bank fishing Only allowed. BANNER MARSH – ** THIS AREA WILL CLOSE TO BOAT FISHING Oct. 18th (last day to boat fish will be Oct. 17th) — AND BANK FISHING ONLY ALLOWED AFTER 1PM but NO FISHING ALLOWED in EAST POINT ACCESS AREA, which is CLOSED TO ALL FISHING to provide a GOOSE REFUGE AREA during season till Feb. 1st – –CLINTON LAKE -REMEMBER an easterly area of Clinton Lake between the DeWitt (CH14) and the 48 bridges willCLOSE to protect fish and wildlife FROM OCT. 10th through – typically March 31st – but with weekend, could be March 30th, 2018..? DOUBLE T S.F.&W.A. ** THIS AREA WILL CLOSE TO FISHING Oct. 1st with LAST DAY to Fish being Sept. 30th and will remain CLOSED till Feb 1st..EVERGREEN LAKE – -Bait Shop Fall Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 7 Days And LAST DAY BAIT SHOP OPEN is Oct. 14th (Depending on bait supply)– Boat Rental Fall Hours: 8:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. SAT. & SUN. ONLY – BOAT RENTAL will CLOSE for the season Oct. 8th – – A SOUTHERN PART OF EVERGREEN LAKE – AROUND DEER ISLAND and ALL OF SIX-MILE CREEK BAY IS CLOSED TO GAS MOTORS from Oct. 15th through JAN. 1st to allow resting areas for migratory waterfowl. YOU ARE ALLOWED TO STILL RUN A TROLLING MOTOR IN THESE AREAS ONLY.-HENNEPIN-HOPPER LAKES – Lakes are CLOSED for the SeasonMcMASTER LAKE at SNAKEDEN HOLLOW –* THIS AREA WILL CLOSE TO FISHING for the Season on Oct. 16th (last day to fish is Oct. 15th) till Feb. 1st —NEWTON LAKE –As written in the fishing regs booklet : ** The cold arm of Newton Lake shall be Closed daily from one-half hour before sunrise until 1:00 pm to all fishing and boat traffic except for legal waterfowl hunters during waterfowl season commencing with regular duck season through the close of the Canada goose and regular duck season. * For here – Regular South Waterfowl Season: Nov. 23 – Jan. 31POWERTON LAKE –WINTER HOURS (Oct. 1st – April 30th): 8am – 4pm – THIS LAKE WILL CLOSE TO BOAT FISHING ON OCT. 21th (Last day for Boat fishing will be Oct. 20th) and CLOSES TO SHORE FISHING and ALL FISHING ON OCT. 28th (Last day for Shore fishing is Oct. 27th) and REOPENS TO SHORE FISHING ONLY ON DEC. 26th AND NO BOAT FISHING till FEB. 15th – –PRAIRIE LAKE in Jim Edgar/ Panther Creek State F&W Area – Lake access is CLOSED to Fishing from Nov. 1st – Jan. 15th until After 12:01 PM on Wednesdays and Saturdays.RICE LAKE –* THIS AREA WILL CLOSE TO FISHING on OCT. 21st with Last Day of Fishing being OCT. 20th and Will Re-Open at end of Duck & Goose Season..SPRING LAKE (South & North) –* THIS AREA WILL BE CLOSED TO BOAT FISHING in Hunting Area ON OCT. 21st with Last Day to Boat Fish being Oct. 20th –with BANK FISHING ALLOWED ONLY AFTER 1pm–AREAS THAT REMAIN OPEN TO BOATS ARE NORTH OF MAPLE ISLAND with ramp at north end at the Sky Ranch Road launch and IN PIKE HOLE with carry in boats –AND Shore Fishing is allowed in entire Lake after 1pm in Hunting areas or at boat ramps all day..SANGCHRIS LAKE –* THE WEST and EAST ARMS OF LAKE and Small AREA NEAR DAM ARE CLOSED DURING WATERFOWL SEASON to boat traffic effective Oct. 18th (last day to boat fish will be Oct. 17th) through Jan. 31, 2018 (during this time fishing boat traffic is permitted in the center hot arm only). Keep up the Good Work,Enjoy the Fall & GOOD FISHINGlarrysfishinghole.comLarry

11/5/17 The weather cooperated today with the rain holding off as we had overcast skies and calm wind conditions. Still a number of boats out on the water, but not many of the pleasure boaters cruising around to speak of. Honestly, one could not have asked for a better day on the water for November. Many docks still in the water including the Williams Bay municipal piers, which are usually one of the last ones to come out. The fish cooperated as well, did not catch big numbers of fish, but did catch some quality fish. Largest in the boat was a 21 inch SMB that came in right at 5 pounds with a few others in the 19 inch plus range. Fish seem to still be scattered, but did notice some smaller groups starting to gather up. As always, I am using my Lowrance electronics to find a reason to fish a particular area or not, if I see no reason to fish there, I move on. In both cases with the fish shown below, I clearly saw both of these fish on my Lowrance seconds before they hit my bait.

When water levels ok in creeks steelhead action good on voodoo jigs tipped with beemoth or spawn saks on plain hook few being had on inline spinners.

Today’s catch, we limited on lake trout.

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).

A firm cold stretch with some snow and wind mixed in has marked the arrival of Novemberrrrr! Skim ice on small ponds is showing and water temps continue to fall. Large to mid-sized lakes reporting surface temps of 41-46 degrees. Smaller lakes below the 40 degree mark. Musky: Good – Action on suckers always best at this time of year, but deep cranks accounting for some nice fish, as well as, gliders and jerks. Most fish found along outside weed edges of 18-26’. Working windward shorelines of gravel where Ciscos and Whitefish to be spawning also good locations. Walleye: Fair – The few anglers vying for a last minute Walleye meal doing best on Jigging Raps or vertical jigging gravel hump bases in 22-38’ of water, some deeper. There is usually a decent bite on smaller lakes that don’t have depth up in the shallows at this time of year. Fish the wind and soft bottom shorelines. Rut in in full swing, as long as you’re not in a wolf zone, deer movement has been good. This week’s cold will continue to push temps down, highs in low 30’s with lows in low 20’s. Next week highs forecasted for low 40’s, but night time temps may neutralize any day time gains. Kurt Justice Kurt’s Island Sport Shop www.kurtsislandsports.com Like us on FaceBook

Lake trout and some steelhead off Michigan city pier blade baits working best for lake trout chunk of skein or golden roach minnow under float ok for steelhead. When water levels ok in creeks steelhead action good on voodoo jigs tipped with beemoth or spawn saks on plain hook few being had on inline spinners. Crappie action been ok in deep river and burns ditch with minnows fishing the log jams and old piers when water is normal rain had it high for a couple days again. Potato creek and a lot of area lakes giving up crappie with this fall weather crappie minnows under a float best

whites and many lakers around m.c. In Michigan City..Lakers and I am starting to catch whitefish on my single eggs…I think they followed the Lakers in to eat all the egg’s in the water