Really wonderful lakefront variety, other spring signs: WWW Chicago outdoors

Lake trout and burbot on powerlines?

What’s next?

All I can say is that the spring signs–from the Chicago lakefront to inland–keep piling up and are the underlying lead to this Wild Weekend Wandering around Chicago outdoors.

And yes, it is spring, meteorological spring begins March 1.

It’s been quite a week on the Chicago lakefront with coho, brown trout, steelhead, burbot and lake trout being caught by powerliners.

Jacek Przybylskibrought a buzz to the Chicago powerline and lakefront fishing (powerlining) when he caught a burbot on a powerline. Interesting, a day earlier, Christian Howe caught a monster lake trout on a powerline.

As for me, I plan to sneak in some more time looking for shed antlers today, then my time is pretty much focused on work. The men’s finals for Beat the Champs are Sunday at Waveland Bowl. Well, Saturday I will get to archery practice with the younger two. Next week I will get a few days in the Harbor Country of Southwest Michigan and hopefully catch a coho and/or my first Lake Michigan whitefish.

I am enjoying the swings of spring. Cold enough this morning that the ground was frozen solid, a week after I planted spinach and lettuce. Wednesday night we had a surprise inch of snow and patches still remain.

But this looks like a wonderful early spring weekend. Get out and enjoy.

With that, on to the regular stuff of this Wild Weekend Wandering around Chicago outdoors and there is lots to do.

LAKEFRONT:Just go. Lots of things being caught on the lakefront, as I mentioned above. Powerliners are doing better than casters, but eventually that will level out.

BRAIDWOOD:Some nice catches of largemouth bass, hybrid striped bass and, surprisingly, of channel catfish, too, going on in opening week. Have not heard much on blue cats yet. But expect so soon.

Braidwood is open daily 6 a.m. to sunset.

SHED HUNTING: It is still near peak time to hunt. But I would get after it, otherwise critters gnawing on sheds will take them away.

FOR THE BIRDS: The Chicago Audubon Society’s Birding America is Saturday at North Park University. The International Crane Foundation’s George Archibald delivers the keynote at 9 a.m., but there’s a host of noted presenters, such as personal favorites Doug Stotz and Jeff Walk. Wish I could be there. It’s $50. Click here for more info.

SALMON AND TROUT SEMINAR: The Lake Michigan Angler in Winthrop Harbor holds another set of free seminars on salmon and trout on Saturday. Capt. Arnie Arredondo is at 9 a.m.; Capt. Carl Stopczynski,, 10:30 a.m.; Capt. Scott Wolfe, 1 p.m.. Call (224) 789-7627

SHOWTIME:One of big shows, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sports Show, runs through Sunday at the Wisconsin State Fair Park Exposition Center in West Allis, Wis. I am almost ashamed to note I have never attended.

Canoecopia is at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis., through Sunday. It’s another show I really need to attend some year.

The Rockford RV, Camping & Travel Show runs through Sunday at the Indoor Sports Center in Loves Park.

The Quad County Hawg Hunters’ Indoor Fishing Flea Market is Sunday at the Plano American Legion. Check with (815) 286-7170 or dlandmeier@frontier.com

Click here for the complete general list of shows this winter. If you have any adds or tweaks for the master list of shows, please let me know.

PERCH FISHING:Still some catches of perch coming in Chicago, especially around the Southeast Side slips.

ICE FISHING: Head north, it’s done here. Remember gamefish season is closed in Wisconsin.