Spring lurches in–interesting round of snow a couple days ago–and the usual changes build. That shows in this Wild Weekend Wandering around Chicago outdooors.
I am wandering around the other side of Lake Michigan this weekend in my annual getaway to watch the opening two rounds of the NCAA basketball tournament.
I usually get in some hiking and fishing, though the coho in Indiana and Chicago haven’t really made it up to St. Joseph yet, so I may have to adjust my fishing plans. The guys at Tackle Haven in Benton Harbor, when I stopped in yesterday, said my better option would be to try for steelhead at Berrien Springs. I am hoping some coho or whitefish could be caught off the St. Joe pier. I’ll see what I try.
This weekend I also need to some work finished on a presentation for Tuesday night when the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant hosts the first of two workshops.
With that, on to the regular stuff of this Wild Weekend Wandering around Chicago outdoors and there is lots to do.
SEA GRANT WORKSHOP: The IISG host the first of the two “Lake Michigan Fisheries Workshop” from 6-8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Chicago Maritime Museum. The second is March 27 at North Point Marina. Bot focus on perch, though the Chicago workshop includes a presentation on Lake Michigan’s changing food web. I will present at both on the evolving relationship of the public and Lake Michigan perch. Click here for details.
LaSALLE: Because of timing, this was a rare year where I did not sleep in my car the night before the opener. But if I had to pick one spot to fish for multiple species right now, this would be it. Lake is open daily, note that daily, 6 a.m.-sunset.
LAKEFRONT:Still a mix of catches on the lakefront. Weather impacted effort earlier in the week, but the weekend looks better. Powerliners are doing better than casters, but that will level out some. I am looking forward to bass guys starting to get out.
WOODCOCK: Biologist Bob Massey dropped a note that he has heard peenting of woodcock for a couple weeks. So I need to get out an evening or two and try to catch the “sky dance” of love. Actually where I am this weekend in Michigan has a fair amount of woodcock, so maybe I will try to squeeze in a look. Otherwise, I have a park not far from home, which usually draws a fair number of woodcocks, and park workers sometimes leave the gate open late enough to catch the distinctive mating dance.
SHOWTIME:I have never been able to attend the Fish and Hook Sport Show, which is Saturday the American Legion Post 13 in Plainfield. It is always held on the weekend I am away for the NCAA getaway.
The Ultimate Sports Show runs through Sunday at the DeVos Place, Grand Rapids, Mich. Even though I am usually over here in Michigan, and Grand Rapids is not far away, this weekend, I have never attended this show and will not be this year either.
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.
MAPLE SYRUP: Depending where you live, this is a good weekend to catch a maple syrup event at a park district or forest preserve. Timing is about right. When our kids were young, attending a maple syrup event was one of the cooler things we would do.
BRAIDWOOD:Good reports keep coming. Braidwood is open daily 6 a.m. to sunset.
SHED HUNTING: Still some shed hunting going on, though I did not have any luck last weekend when I tried.
