Chicago fishing: Hopes build for lakefront perch and for ice fishing

Hey Dale,

Trout and salmon still easier to catch than decent perch. There are perch scattered between the slips 89th to Navy even. Lots of sorting, lots of time to get eating size.

Steelhead and some still decent kings,coho in shallow waters tight to the bobber in Jackson, Burnham, Belmont. Play the wind and sun warming water early yields best results. Hairjigs tipped with a small price of shrimp. Wax worms will unfortunately attract too many recently stocked smolt steelhead and bluegill.

^Quinn

I think what perch are in are sitting silver because folks using minnows are out fishing me jigging plastics. Which is odd. But it’s been an odd year.

Some perch action going at the slips for shore fishermen. Just have to put the time in.

I’m looking forward to the upcoming cold snap. If I had to guess using the forecast. I would say some channels and backwater’s should have 2-3 inches of ice by December 5th. Always remember safety first! I will definitely be reporting on first ice as soon as it’s here. If you have never ice fished before go with someone that has and start with panfish, it’s a blast!

Hey Dale,

Here is a recap from this weeks fishing.

Late fall is upon us with the snap of a finger. Who didn’t see this one coming? Water temps have dropped into the mid 40’s and will continue to drop with the extended forecast. Ice fishing in IL before Christmas? We’ll see. The mid-afternoon gill bite has been hot despite post frontal conditions and dropping temps. I’m finding them stacked along the windblown outside weed lines. A Wackem and Stackem Custom Baits jig tipped with a bees moth worked under a slip float has been the go to presentation. It does take some sorting to get a few nicer ones. FINS Braids crappie braid is the perfect compliment when working into the wind. I certainly won’t complain about cold wet hands this time of the year.

Here’s the nature pic of the week. Someone’s preparing for winter.

TTYL

Ken “Husker” O’Malley

Husker Outdoors
Waterwerks fishing team

Hi Dale,

I’m watching the snow fly outside my window and it’s hard to believe I was fishing without a coat or gloves only a couple of days ago. The wind quit an hour or so before sunset, so I walked to a local pond. Fish were feeding: I got bluegills right away and then crappies started hitting as the sun set (which came early-too dark to see by 5 pm). Nothing extraordinary about the size of any of the fish, but they were notable if only because they’ll probably be the last ones I catch on a “school night” this year. I can still fish on weekends in some of the bigger lakes, spring fed creeks and outflows of the water treatment plants through much of the winter, but no more after work outings for the next three months at least. Even if the winter is mild, fishing on weekdays is difficult until we go back to daylight savings time. It’s going to be a long few months.

Good luck if you’re going after deer and/or bear this weekend.

Pete

Hi Dale

On island lake the season is heading to ice fishing time. All that was needed was a gapen jig and waxworms to catch several species at halftime of the bears exciting loss on Sunday. Largemouth bass, bluegill, and Northern pike hitting in 4 feet of water. The water was frigid to the touch. Bass and pike also going on medium golden roach minnows under a float. I saw only one boat angler on Sunday.

On the music front midnite mile had a fantastic fan approved performance at the Santa cause fundraiser Saturday. Joyous faces indicating a great time was being had by all. This Saturday the conscious rockers at main street outfitters in Wauconda 8pm and Gozortenplat zappa fest shows getting closer by the day. Great googly mooglie! Tight lines, good health and happy holidays!

Fishing Report – 11/25/2024

By Mike Norris

Big Green Lake: There were very few anglers out on the lake last weekend with the opening of the gun deer season. But the rewards were there for me and other anglers chasing smallmouth bass over deer. Big Green’s smallmouth bass continues to group up on primary break lines in 21 – 35 feet of water as the water cools. Carolina rigging with live minnows, suckers, or chubs is my preferred method for catching this bass this time of year. An occasional bonus walleye or northern pike are possible. The surface water temperature dropped into the upper 40s and will fall even further, with the season’s first below-freezing cold front arriving this week. Daytime temperatures are forecasted for the mid-20s and by the holiday weekend, and I may see ice forming in Beyer’s Cove by early next week.

Beaver Dam Lake: A handful of anglers are fishing for crappies and perch with small jigs tipped with minnows suspended beneath floats from the shoreline at the Hwy G and Hwy FW bridges. Also, try fishing at the Hwy 33 bridge after desk for crappies and walleyes with the same rigging.

Hey Dale – Had a really good day on river, finally catching big fall Smallmouth in numbers. Water temps dropped to 44 that seemingly triggered an aggressive bite. Hot lure today was a chatter bait also caught a couple on swimbaits and jig with trailers. Caught my personal best river pike today as well which added to an already good day. Bass were at 19” and Pike 32”, big river fish, catch and release.

Hey Dale,

Trout and salmon still easier to catch than decent perch. There are perch scattered between the slips 89th to Navy even. Lots of sorting, lots of time to get eating size.

Steelhead and some still decent kings,coho in shallow waters tight to the bobber in Jackson, Burnham, Belmont. Play the wind and sun warming water early yields best results. Hairjigs tipped with a small price of shrimp. Wax worms will unfortunately attract too many recently stocked smolt steelhead and bluegill.

^Quinn

The steelhead are super aggressive but finding shallow waters in any harbor that warms fast is key.

4) 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).

With a very quiet deer opener behind us, some cold and snow (11/25-11/26) and very few anglers taking part in open water fishing of late, looks like most everyone I talk to has early ice on their mind. Will get to that!

Musky: Fair – Unless you’re the angler who boated a HUGE 51” recently (I’d post his name if I had permission). A fish that has unreal girth from shoulder to tail, look it up! Otherwise, very little to report.

Whitefish: – Good – Anglers using Swedish Pimples and Shiver Minnows in 25-40’ outside of nighttime spawning areas doing extremely well.

With the few anglers I’ve talked to fishing larger lakes, reports of surface temps averaging 42-44 degrees. I’m sure smaller lakes and those with less depth are in the upper 30’s and dropping as the snow falls. Ice is starting to form on the pond behind our shop this morning (11/26). I’d be EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS to consider ice to be safe this coming weekend. If I get reports. I’ll pass them along!

The following weekend? Well, that’s another story. Forecast of highs to 30 degrees thru 11/28 followed by highs in low 20’s with lows in single digits to below zero will make for some good early ice as long as we don’t get much snow. Even then, if it comes in cold (single digits) and we get wind to blow it off the lakes, we should have some safe ice to work with.

Crossing our fingers for a good ice season.

Don’t forget, Dec 6th, 7th and 8th is our 15th Annual Ice Extravaganza! Lots of great deals, add ons, raffles, even food (Sat, Dec 7th). Cash in on these great deals while supplies last! Three days only!

Kurt Justice

Kurt’s Island Sports Shop
– Like us on FaceBook

Some perch action going at the slips for shore fishermen. Just have to put the time in.

Crappie fishing still good at lake George in Hobart fishing around the bridges.

Steelhead action ok in salt creek and lil cal using voodoo jigs tipped with waxworms. Must move around and cover water.

Slez’s Bait Shop will be open 5am to 3pm on Thanksgiving Day.

Boat traffic is dwindling with the cold weather, but the walleye activity is picking up. The Rat River down to the mouth has been very good. Minnows on jigs or rigs still producing.