Plenty of perch, not much ice: Chicago fishing, Midwest Fishing Report

Fishing was great! Happy Thanksgiving!

Well I’m sure ya know perch at slips all the way to 101st 92 to 95th street some real nice ones coming from there Baby golden roachs and xl fatheads help keep some of the dinks away and seem to catch bigger fish

My buddy limiting at the pier last 3 days. Minnows . 9-10 inchers

For those that have access to a boat theres bigger sized fish stacked up in the river channel in 34fow…..heavier chrome spoons with a minnow head.

I got 15 jumbo perch by 8am at the pier today 12’ plus

Weather just can’t make up its mind. Temps keep dipping above and below the freezing mark making things difficult for both ice and open water anglers to figure out what to do. Ice anglers enjoying success where they can find safe ice (3-5 in some bays) Walleye and Perch making up bulk of reports. Some Pike reports. Little on Bluegill or Crappies yet. We won’t gain any ice this week, but also won’t lose much. This tease – going on three weeks now – has anglers antsy to get on ice. Use caution! Creepers, flotation, ropes and a buddy are highly recommended if you feel the need to try. Otherwise, wait for the next cold snap, water ready to go, just need some cold and a little calm.

Hey Dale, Here is a recap of this week’s fishing. What could be better than catching some bass thanksgiving morning and coming home to the smell of turkey waffing throughout the house?Area Lakes- bass numbers have been slow with the cold overnight temps. Slowly work a 1/4 jig tipped with a Berkley chigger craw along the outside weedlines and drop offs. Warmup will trigger a more consistent bite.TTYL—Ken Husker O’Malley Husker Outdoors Waterworks fishing team

Chicago River Report I was off last week talked to a few guys that were out Perch fishing and did OK. They said they caught a lot of fish but had to sort through them a lot of 6 to 9 inch fish but managed to get limits of 10 in. plus keepers. They are using crappie rigs with Fat head Minnow heads hooked through the eyes to keep them on the hook better. I am planning on getting out this week and back at it. I am starting to put my show schedule together for this year. Looking forward to seeing old friends and making some new ones at the shows. Have a Great week catch some fish enjoy this weather. — www.patharrisonoutdoors.com Thanks Pat

Dale,River levels are quite normal for this time of year. Water temperatures are ranging from 39 to 43 in parts of Lake and Cook County where I was fishing. Further north the river and launch at Russel Rd was frozen over Sunday morning.Pike are biting lures well for those temperatures. Almost got into double digits on Sunday using a white Jake. Now is the time for the biggest and most well fed pike of the year so up sizing tackle is practical.Sent a picture of 34″ Pike from over the weekend.Marcus BeneschGurnee, Il

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

Good steelhead action at salt creek around the bass pro complex voodoo jigs tipped with waxworms or butterworms drifting with Bloodrun floats spawn saks taking fish too

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).

Weather just can’t make up its mind. Temps keep dipping above and below the freezing mark making things difficult for both ice and open water anglers to figure out what to do. Musky anglers still heading out (Season open thru Thursday 11/30) but not a lot of success. Some landings either froze in or too slippery to launch, but enough opportunity to keep plugging away. Ice anglers enjoying success where they can find safe ice (3-5 in some bays) Walleye and Perch making up bulk of reports. Some Pike reports. Little on Bluegill or Crappies yet. We won’t gain any ice this week, but also won’t lose much. This tease – going on three weeks now – has anglers antsy to get on ice. Use caution! Creepers, flotation, ropes and a buddy are highly recommended if you feel the need to try. Otherwise, wait for the next cold snap, water ready to go, just need some cold and a little calm. Or spend this weekend at the Ice Extravaganza Friday and Saturday only at Kurt’s Kurt Justice Kurt’s Island Sport Shop www.kurtsislandsports.com Like us on FaceBook

Good steelhead action at salt creek around the bass pro complex voodoo jigs tipped with waxworms or butterworms drifting with Bloodrun floats spawn saks taking fish too Crappie good around 249 bridge in the ditch on minnows along old concrete wall and dead wood Lots of people out crappie and perch galore. Some really nice crappie been getting caught at mouth of Mazo channel wolf lake crappie minnows under a floatBelow dam at lake George in Hobart crappie on minnows and white jigs tipped with beemoth fished in dam current

Few Lakers and white fish in MC.. Some steelhead in creek..fishing is day 2 day

Some really nice crappie been getting caught at mouth of Mazo channel wolf lake crappie minnows under a float