Chicago fishing: Braidwood opener, early coho reports and weather reversing toward spring

A few crappies and small gills and I caught one nice bass public waters(ice) in the forest preserves. Might be the last time out

If you’re thinking you need one more ice day get out now or head North. My mind is thinking spring bass, crappie and bluegills. Time to go through your tackle and make sure it’s ready to go! Think Spring!

Hey Dale,

Here’s a recap from the past week.

I decided to play the afternoon bite with the cold front taking hold. The analytics had the major bite window in the mid to late afternoon hours as well. I guess the fish didn’t get the memo. I had to work for every one this afternoon. There was a small window of good activity right defore dark, but found too many to be lookers and not biters.

I decided to play that first light bite window for crappie this morning. The focus was on the main basin that cuts towards the shoreline drop off and a weed flat. I like to call that the money hole. Those targeted crappie were ready to bite for about the first hour and a half before the bluegill decided to wake up. The key was staying with the school. Once the marks were gone, it was time to move to the next hole. Ice conditions were good at 7 inches, but with rain tonight and midweek plus the 50 degree temps the clock is ticking.

TTYL

Ken “Husker” O’Malley

Husker Outdoors
Waterwerks fishing team

Hi Dale

With the new moon and winter loosing it’s grip the bite improved over the weekend. The snowmobiles were out and riding as if they knew Sunday was the last day of fun for them. Knowing that made it easier to accept they were going feet from my tip ups and where I wad jigging…so close they caused a flag to pop. Where the etiquette between snowmobiles and ice fishermen begins and ends, I have no idea. I was catching fish so I kept my head down and mouth shut as they continued to zip by me yards away. I had some good action again with the tip down rod with a fathead minnow on a tiny trebble hook and small split shot to get the minnow down about a foot from the bottom. Some nice perch and good largemouth came through the hole. In the same area of 3 to 5 feet the bluegill bite improved as the day went on. The ice was 10 inches thick. The Best time was last hour of daylight.

I have an outing planned for Friday after school with the fishing club but fear the ice could be getting soft and possibly unsafe by then. My boat is ready to be picked up and I should be heading to Braidwood Monday for the traditional Pulaski day outing.

As the first Sandhills flew by Sundaythey signaled the coming of spring traditional. All the timing seems right.

On the music front the conscious rockers had a fantastic performance at Mackie’s Hideout Saturday night. The crowd was on their feet dancing and the band killed it. Hopefully we’ll be back in warmer months. possibly at one of their outdoor events. Gozortenplat is locked in for Las Vegas June 7th and looking to solidify some warm up shows. Rehearsals to begin soon.

Tight lines and good health!

Rob

Fishing Report – 2/24/2025

By Mike Norris

Big Green Lake: White bass are active around the cribs in the southeast corner of the lake. Try a jig and twister tail. The lake trout bite remains good. You can find them between 60 to 120 feet deep. A Northland Rattle Spoon or a white tube jig tipped with a piece of cisco meat works well for trout. The winning trout caught during last weekend’s trout derby weighed 16 lbs.

Fox Lake: Walleyes on tip-ups in “The Government Area”. Set the tip-ups in weed pockets. The bite is better at sunset and into the early evening. Also, try for walleyes around Maple Point.

Lake Winnebago: During the two-week spearing season, which closed last Sunday night, 943 sturgeon were harvested, and 63 sturgeon weighed in at 100 lbs or better. The 943 sturgeon caught were more than double what was harvested last year.

Dale Bowman …. 63rd street crew.. Nightmares… Team Krappie Inc… Stroker’s

Ice-fishing Chicago style
Had a good time..we didn’t get a big rainbow but…we did catch some fish much love
Chef Tony & Rube put a hit on the grill!!
#2timess #NightNight #Nightmaresfishingllc #icefishing #Lakemichigan

Jumbo at dusablle

Yes sir ,only jumbo ,6”of ice

Perch still being caught in the slip 87th over weekend they had lots of groups on the ice it’s back to bank fishing now.

Time to crawl back out from hibernation for a bit! temps down to -19° last week has gave way to nice balmy temperatures as high as upper 30s maybe the 40s this Monday. Combine that with a new moon period and Fishing has picked up dramatically!

Walleye: Very Good
Bite windows remained about an hour and a half long on average. Mostly just before sundown, but also pre-dawn. Walleyes moving up to the weeds of about 8 to 16 feet of water,( depending on the lake type), taking suckers and shiners on tip ups, as well as back to aggressively, smacking, Ripping Raps, Jigging, Raps, and Tikka Minnows. Just about a week left to the season, best to take advantage of this hot bite!

Northern Pike: Very Good
Warm-up has helped. Pike action has improved and the bite is window starting earlier in the morning and lasting throughout the dusk versus last week. Take advantage of big active baits with rigs sporting blades for the added attraction!

Crappies: Good-Very Good
Action picking back up over basins of 18 to 28 feet of water. Small spoons with some noise such as Rattling Kast Masters or jointed Pinheads or those with flash such as Tikka Flash or Northland Slim Spoons to pull in roaming schools of crappies. Tip with waxes or minnow heads. Weed fish moving up from holding tight to the bottom. Slow drop and light fluttering jigs tipped with light colored plastics best.

Yellow Perch:Good-Very Good
Mud flats of 14 to 18 feet of water, using fast dropping spoons to deliver red spikes or wigglers, if you can get some. A few larger perch on small shiners under tip ups meant for walleyes and weeds. Find pockets and heavy cabbage and lower medium fatheads hooked lightly through the back on a number 14 travel to target larger perch in these weeds. Nicer weed perch also hitting #2 jigging Raps as well !

Largemouth Bass: Good
While missing for a week or so – back on the charts due to the warm-up. Jigging while targeting gills using waxes or butter, worms, or setting tip ups with small to medium shiners are best! Jigging with spoons or wraps if your bass is your main target is also a good method.

Bluegill :Fair-Good
Action and reports improving as anglers targeting gills following the cold and wind. They kept most people off the ice. Small plastics, waxes were butter, worms, and number 3 mm tungsten jigs and 8 to 12 feet of weeds. Some nice gills are also being caught roaming the open water of 14 to 20 feet by perch, crappie anglers.

Gamefish season officially ends March 2 at midnight. Looks as if weather won’t be too bad with temperatures in the 20s for the most part the mid week temps in the 30s plus will make things very comfortable.

Ice conditions are very good with averages 22 to 30 inches in most spots. The one report of 17 inches on a private lake raised a few eyebrows.

With this much ice and the mild forecast ahead, it looks like a good month of panfishing through the ice is in store for the rest of our month of March.

Perch still being caught in the slip 87th over weekend they had lots of groups on the ice it’s back to bank fishing now.

Brown trout and a few coho being caught by boat and shore using golden roaches, skein and squid out of portage.

Perch last few days for boat fisherman leaving portage and going to 50 to 58ft of water straight north of Gary light. Xl- fatheads and perch flys are what to use.

Some still on ice here in nwi but will be getting soft with all this warm weather.

The 2025 Winnebago System sturgeon spearing season is now closed.

On Lake Winnebago, 7 juvenile females, 16 adult females and 24 males were harvested today. Scott Sheppard speared the last largest fish, a 126.6-pound, 73-inch, F2 female.

On the Upriver Lakes, 2 juvenile females, 1 adult females and 8 males were harvested today.

Although no harvest caps were reached for the Winnebago System this year, 142 juvenile females, 322 adult females and 479 males were harvested, and the 90-99% harvest trigger was met for the Upriver Lakes today on the final day.

For the season, there were 95 juvenile females, 273 adult females and 249 males harvested from Lake Winnebago, and 47 juvenile females, 49 adult females and 230 males harvested on the Upriver Lakes. This makes a total of 943 fish for the system, more than twice what was harvested last year. While water clarity was difficult, many were able to persevere.

Impressively, another 2 fish were harvested over 100 pounds, bringing the total to 63 for the season, or just about 6% of the total harvest. That is incredible.

Fished Saturday n Sunday on Bago. 18 inches ice. 2 large perch .1 wh. Bass. Lots of fish on marcums. Fishing channels more action .

In Winneconne channel fish for perch n gills. Close to 3 pounds.

Panfish action has been fair on the bayous and bays. Northern pike activity is picking up, but the season closes this Sunday, March 2nd.