Chicago fishing: Crappie and ice

Hi Dale

The ice continues to thicken on island lake with The deep freeze temperatures. We have almost 10 inches in our area. The bite was a bit slowed with the high sun high pressure and freezing Temps. Perch and bass were best with Bass hitting large golden shiners on tip ups. I had my new frabil ice hut out and targeted perch with rosy red minnows and had a couple takers. The weather looks good for the Ice Fishing Derby next week on Saturday February 1st. Looking forward to seeing what others are getting. The fishing expo in Schaumburg was as spectacular as ever. I had some of the fishing club students out on Saturday to enjoy the frenzy. Oliver Ngy to the crowd…”does anyone know the name Don Iovino?”…one guy raised his hand. My friend Rob Reed was put on the slip shot By the man himself in the early 90s. Rob Brought me the same rig last summer. Not sure what it all means but Braidwood opens in 4 weeks.

On the music front Gozortenplat has the video audio of this year’s zappafest ready for release. We are still working hard on Vegas one booking guy on fishing line just gotta reel him in. Seeking one more venue as well…upd a tes ASAP. This Saturday in aurora the Bob Marley birthday bash at two brothers roundhouse. I hope to join in on melodica for a cut or two with Jah Guide reggae band and Colin Lambert. Their bass player Vinnie helped me out for a while when we first started working on my original songs. Will be nice to catch up. And Conscious Rockers landing the gig at Mackies Hideout Saturday February 22nd 9 to midnight. 4 weeks till meteorological Spring!

Tight lines and good health!

Rob

Hi Dale, quick fish of the week submission.

Still have one daughter left to get in an article. Lol. Fished the McCullom lake derby Saturday. My daughter won both 1st and 2nd place in the youth panfish division. 30 kids fished. She caught two big crappies in a 5 minute span during the windstorm that hit around noon. 11 1/4 “ and then a 12 1/4”. The “Froggie’s” derby is run every year and for the past few years, no panfish over 10” had been caught. And she registers two. Five minutes apart.

My daughter’s biggest crappie was bigger than any of the 140 adults in the derby submitted. Both caught on a Kastmaster spoon and minnow. Hope you had a great holiday season and that you are healthy and well!

Hi Dale, got back from fishing. Beaubien Woods again.

Hey Dale,

Here’s a recap of this past weeks fishing.

The brief cold front that passed through overnight did not affect the bite as it was solid from 6:30 until 11:00. The area that was targeted was the outside weedines in 7-9 fow adjacent to a large feeding flat. The bluegills and crappie were caught using an IJO Plastics money bug slowly raising it from the bottom.

Bass were caught jigging a Clam Outdoors tikka flash tipped with multiple spikes. Catching large bass on this technique is an absolute rush.

Looking at the extended forecast for the week has above average temps with winds out of the SW. Can you say game!

Here’s the nature pic of the eeek courtesy of Vickie O’Malley.

TTYL

Ken “Husker” O’Malley

Husker Outdoors
Waterwerks fishing team

Hi Dale, short history…today started earlier morning by mineola , by fox lake was only wearing my suit and equipment for enter to the ice wen a guy far away start screaming for help he went tru the ice so glad I have all the time with me a long rope that we run and used for help and rescue him my 2 guys Elido Cardenas and Daniel Aguirre make Incredible job thanks God everything ends good and the guy is safe with his family this reminds us how any ice is 100% safe and every time we have to pay attention at the end we move to channel lake and ending with fabulous crappies.

Fishing Report – 1/27/2025

By Mike Norris

Big Green Lake: Extreme cold weather and a lack of wind finally provided the ingredients to freeze the deeper sections of Big Green Lake. The ice that formed over the deep sections of the lake measures 2 – 6 inches deep, so walking out is the only way to reach the traditional cisco and trout areas. Lake trout fishing is fair in 100 feet of water on glow tubes or jigging spoons. Cisco fishing is better. They are suspended and running larger than usual. There are 14 inches of ice in Dartmouth Bay now, and anglers are driving vehicles out over the ice. Bluegills, crappies, and perch are the main attraction. Fishing is slow in Beyer’s Cove.

Fox Lake: The ice is 12 – 14 inches thick, and anglers are now driving vehicles across the ice. There is no snow over the ice, so it’s slick. Crappies are good in 12 – 14 feet of water. Try small spoons tipped with rosy reds. There are a lot of crappies running 9 – 10 inches long, with an occasional crappie up to 16 inches.

Lake Puckaway: Good for northern pike up to 36 inches long on tip-ups baited with shiner minnows.

Little Green Lake: The perch fishing is good, but the fish run small. The crappie fishing in the basin slowed with the onset of the frigid air. The walleye bite is fair from dusk to 10 pm.

Hey buddy 3perch ,8 to 10 ” of ice,

87th slip was a happening place over the weekend lots of perch being caught

Following last week’s frigid blast, ice conditions have improved to some of the best ice we’ve seen in several years! Reports of 20-27”+ on almost all lakes (Trout, Fence about 16”). Little snow (3-4”) means travel is excellent. We have had to deal with wind the past four days, making it feel colder than it is. On top of that, some finicky fish at times.

Crappie: Good-Very Good – When at the right place at the right time, (good feeding windows) basin Crappies put the feed bag on! Pinhead jigs, Rattlin Kastmasters and Tikka Flashes dressed with waxies and fished 4-8’ off the bottom in 18-28’ this past weekend scored very well…when the bite was on! At other times Crappies did a lot of window shopping, very frustrating. Weed Crappies still being caught but not in #’s of open water fishing.

Yellow Perch: Good – Still dealing with a lot of smaller fish cruising mud flats in 15-18’. When larger fish move in, Halis, Pimples and Pinhead spoons tipped with waxies or spikes, as well as small rosies on single hooked Forage Spoons, working well on Perch of 9-11”.

Bluegill: Good – Heavy weed beds producing well as lack of heavy snow must be letting in enough light to keep weeds alive. Look for holes or pockets in weeds. Small jigs tipped with waxies, red spikes or plastics (red or motor oil tops this week). Nice catches of eaters to 8½ “.

Northern Pike: Good – Big baits (shiners, suckers) on bladed tip-up rigs. While weeds typical placement, some larger Pike (30-35”) coming from mud flats in 15-18’ where small Perch are cruising.

Largemouth Bass: Good – Medium shiners on tip-ups, as well as jigging medium to large fatheads, in 8-12’ weeds. When temps go up, Bass activity increases. Reports of Largemouth to 19” over the weekend.

Walleye: Fair-Good – Bite windows critical as early am and again after dark best (though diligent angler reported very good action and size during noon minor over the weekend). If you can find, wild golden shiners just seem to have the “it” factor. Out producing suckers and pond raised shiners head-to-head. Jigging raps in sizes 5:7’s also produced this past weekend when Walleyes “turned on” for those feed windows.

Whitefish: Fair – Anglers finding access great just not Whitefish always in the mood. Spoons, the smaller you can work with the better (40-55’ depths) tipped with waxies or pieces of crappie minnows.

Combining a new moon period with some warming temps (above freezing 1/30/25) should be a great combination for anglers. Another 1-2” of snowfall (to cover our tracks), but not enough to affect travel. Looks like another good week!

Ice Fishing Tournaments

February 8^th – Willow Haven Ice Fishing Derby – Hazlehurst

February 8^th – Bucksnort Fisheree – Willow or Pier Lake (Tripoli)

February 15^th – 24^th Annual Plum Lake – Plum Lake

March 1^st – KISS – WIFA Highschool – Minocqua Chain

Kurt Justice

Kurt’s Island Sports Shop
– Like us on FaceBook

Hey Dale hope all is well with you.

Had to get some redemption today After losing a 40-in pike on Sunday. .. So I Hit one of my summertime bass honey holes and she produced for me! went 10 for 11 in an hour and a half. Was running around like a chicken with my head cut off actually had three flags popped the same time.. caught my personal bass through the ice just over 5 lb few fish in the 2 lb range and a couple in the 3 lb range. All on shiners in 7 ft of water on weed line The windlass auto jigger did the best with the wind today took 6 on that. I really like those things when the weather is right. Hopefully this ice will hold through the weekend hoping to get out a few more times got to love these 40° days. still had over 12 in of ice today.

Tight lines all! hope we get another week or two of ice fishing in Northwest Indiana.

Lots of ice fishing going on since last report.

Most lakes and ponds have 8 to 10 inches of ice on them as of today.

People out everywhere had some of the busiest days ever here at the shop over the weekend and we’ve been in biz 38 years that’s how many groups went onto the ice.

Valpo chain of lakes, grand blvd lake, lake county fairgrounds being a few that have been a lot of groups fishing

87th slip was a happening place over the weekend lots of perch being caught

You’re right on that, there was snowmobiles on the river over the weekend. Access to the ice is very good with the cold weather. The northern and panfish has slowed a bit on Partridge, I believe because of the cloudy water. Lk. Poygan is still giving up white bass and walleye. They’re scattered, keep moving till you find them.