Chicago fishing: Lakefront coho and the trout opener

A trout took the power bait on both ofMr Lee’s fishing poles at Pickeral Lake!

Kyung Lee. A regular at Pickerel Lake. They seemed bigger this year. We got one and lost 3! When it first opened up my buddy was there and he said people limited in thirty minutes! He was jigging them off the pier!

The opening day trout fishing was good out here in McHenry County. Berkley Power Bait and night crawlers both worked well.

. . . Not sure if anyone has tried Smelt fishing and if they have I’m sure there isn’t much to report but you never know one day they may show up again.

Have a great week!

The opening day trout fishing was good out here in McHenry County. Berkley Power Bait and night crawlers both worked well. The next day or two seem to be the end of cooler temperatures. With recent rains and rising water, we should see some of the best fishing of the spring! Get new line on your reels, get a new fishing license and plan to get out! It’s go time.

Hey Dale,

Here’s a recap from this past week’s fishing.

Midweek was a wild ride with the weather. One thunderstorm after another and heavy rain. I finally found a window to get out and wet a line. The focus was the wind blown coves working a Razor Custom Tackle pro judder jig tight to flooded shoreline cover. I managed to get a big pre-spawn female and lost another about the same size. A few smaller ones were caught ad well. That late afternoon rise in temperatures between fronts seemed to trigger that bite. Unfortunately another cold front will push these fish back out.

. . .

TTYL

Ken “Husker” O’Malley

Husker Outdoors
Waterwerks fishing team

Hi Dale

I had a good week of fishing for spring break last week despite the cold and windy weather and rain stained water on island lake. I fished fathead minnows and golden roaches under a slip float and had steady but slow action. Crappie were hitting large fathead minnows. Waiting for the float to go fully under was critical as the takes were slow in the frigid dirty water. Yellow bass were hitting the fathead minnows as well. A small #12 trebble hook under a split shot was on the business end. I harvested some of the yellows to go with some nice sized crappies. Largemouth were also hitting the roach minnows preferring a plain 1/0 worm hook over a Google eye jig. These are some beautiful prespawn largemouth very healthy looking to get the spawn started if the weather stabilizes and warms a bit. One evening i targeted bluegill with my favorite gapen jig tipped with waxworms. I found the gills aggressive in close to the shore in 1 to 5 feet of water. The gills were also very healthy looking and beautifully colored despite the muddy water. On Sunday despite the freezing morning I splashed the boat in early . The ice forming in the guides of the rod had me questioning the decision. I fished hard and was only getting the tail bitten off of my kalins grub trailer on the slobberknocker. Shortly after noon I finally hooked up. I caught a couple more small bass and headed in for brunch. When I went back out to fish my way back to the launch I picked up a new bait the Rapala ogt4 balsa flat sided crankbait. A nice northern pike swallowed the bait deep into its gullet. Having my muskie spreaders in the boat saved the fish from the dinner table. The fish came in the curly pond weed that is ready to explode…a story for another time. After the pike made the day I picked up the arucu shad and the biggest boss of the day hammered the bait again in the curly pond weed. By that time there were many boats and shore anglers out enjoying the beautiful day. Sometimes I wonder what others are thinking as I get over excited shouting and stumbling around the boat to land and photograph the catch. The big fish still get me going. If mother nature cooperates those big bass will move into the shallows.

On the music front Gozortenplat has added a show in Madison Wisconsin on May 10th in addition to the show may 29 at club Garibaldi in Milwaukee. After that it’s Las Vegas June 7th with Ray White. Midnite mile at Amy’s 50 birthday party at lake Fairfield April 19. The conscious rockers tentative date at Mackie’s Hideout June 16th. And hopefully the conscious rockers at the new wild Hare location in Fulton Street market.

Tight lines and good health!

Rob

Hi Dale,

. . .

Only one outing on still water last week, an afternoon on a Kane County Forest Preserve Pond. In some ways it was similar to the week before: I quit after 10 bass. But I had to work for them this time; I did more walking and casting, probably due to the drop in temps. Also, most of these fish came on the drop: I’d tighten up the line after a long cast and the fish would be on. Very few hit on an active retrieve. Someone with conventional tackle and fishing some sort of jig would’ve had a field day.

Pete

The fishing conditions have been tough on the Fox River the last week. The water level has come up and moved the smallmouth bass closer to the bank. I would not recommend wading due to the water level being high and the current is strong. The water clarity continues to be dirty/stained. I found most of my smallmouth bass close to the bank, in and around the dam areas, and slack water. The smallmouth bass were not going after moving baits. I caught all my smallmouth bass on a 1/16oz. hair jigs, ned rig style baits, tubes, and small micro jigs with a craw trailer dragging it along the bottom. A slow retrieve with a darker color bait seemed to be most productive. The best times the smallmouth bass were most active were early morning and later in the evening.

The smallmouth bass in the picture was caught at the Geneva Dam. Thanks, Len Cajic

Hi Dale,

As of yesterday, the Fox was running high, somewhat murky and cold. Several days of rain and nights in the 20s will do that. In the middle of last week, after the recent rains had just started-water levels had risen but it was still relatively clear-I got a surprise while casting a minnow pattern: a white bass. I was casting right up against the bank, out of the current where the fish could find a little shelter from the heavy flow. There are enough white bass in there that I get one occasionally while fishing for something else. They usually seem to show up about this time of year; they’re probably making a spawning run upstream. If I wanted to target them. I think I’d fish not far below a dam, where their upstream migration is blocked and they start to stack up. But that’s just a guess-I’ve never put it to the test.

. . .

Pete

Fishing Report – 4/7/2025

Mike Norris

Big Green Lake: Bluegills and crappies early in the morning from shore in Dartmouth Bay. Try working a jig and minnow beneath a float.

Lake Puckaway: Walleye fishing is excellent in the upriver portion of the Lake. Try vertical jigging with a half-crawler, or drag jigs while drifting downstream.

Beaver Dam Lake: Shore anglers are casting jig and half-crawler combos for walleyes below the dam. Crappies are close to shore and can be found in the neck-down areas where culverts cross beneath roads.

Hey Dale,

Here’s a recap from this past week’s fishing.

. . .

Heidecke continues to be slow as water temps remain in the upper 40’s and numerous days with high winds. A few bass and crappie, but no real pattern setting up. Water definitely needs to warm up into the mid 50’s to take off.

. . .

TTYL

Ken “Husker” O’Malley

Husker Outdoors
Waterwerks fishing team

Hey Dale,

I hit the lakefront for smallmouth again over the weekend. Water temp was about 46 degrees with good water clarity.

On Saturday I found a handful of pretty good sized smallmouth in the harbors using the same pattern from last week— a goby imitation fished along the bottom. Also caught a surprise coho on the same lure. Color didn’t seem to matter. Sunday the bite was slower. I didn’t catch any bass but did hook & lose another coho. Others found success for smallies on neds and crankbaits. The bite overall should continue to be good for the next few weeks as things warm up a little. As you know, there are some big time smallies out there right now.

My brother was finally able to get out yesterday, bite was tough but he did get in his only catch, a nice 3 pounder

Coho been good. Lots of limits on powerlines. Large minnows, crawlers, shrimp, spawn sacs etc… Rod and reel starting to become more active as water warms fish moving closer to shore. Casting spoons and a variety of crankbaits, slip bobber set ups and Michigan City rigs. Some nice Northerns in the mix. A few nice Brown Trout. Smallmouth starting to get active in and around the harbors.

Not sure if anyone has tried Smelt fishing and if they have I’m sure there isn’t much to report but you never know one day they may show up again.

Have a great week!

With limited reports his last week and fewer ice fishermen venturing out, looks like open water will be upon us soon. Shorelines are getting pretty bad on the north end of the lakes but hasn’t stopped people from getting on the south side of some lakes still, or the brave still “planking” out.

Walleye: Good – If you want to head south, the dams south of Tomahawk producing lots of action using large fatheads with a jig. 30+ fish days have been common this last week.

Yellow Perch: Good-Fair – Deep, 20-28’, fish being caught using smaller fathead minnows or a jig or small spoon tipped with a waxie. Sorting for size for some “keepers” has been the common theme.

Crappie: Good-Fair – More reports of shallow fish, 4-10’. Not much for deep bite reports. Crappie minnows still best bet, although fish being caught jigging with a waxie or butter worm not a bad idea.

Bluegill: Fair – No reports of people targeting but catching some mixed in with the shallow Crappie.

The next few days may be all that is left of ice fishing this season before shorlines are too though to get past. Starting Friday with highs in the low 50’s and the next several days staying above freezing ice will start going quick. Saturday’s forecast may even be reaching the 60’s. Spring might stick around this time. Open water is right around the corner!

*** April Spools ***
Get your reels ready for open water
Sale $$ thru April 27^th

No Fooling

Wind has been blowing hard keeping the perch chasers at home.

Coho action for trollers when wind allows them out has been slow to great it has been all over the place. Find a pocket of fish and work it. Rattling thinfish and dodgers and flys best.

Coho action on shore has been slow mainly because of the dirty water.

Water temp Tuesday morning was 42 degrees. The spawn has started with shallow water giving up walleye going up and down river. A warning forecast will improve fishing by the weekend.