The start of the Kankakee River Fishing derby and the time for redears and freshwater drum lead this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report, giving lots of options for the upcoming Fourth of July weekend.
Capt. A.J. Cwiok of Storm Warning Charters messaged the photo at the top. His full report of fishing out of Burnham Harbor is in the “LAKEFRONT” report.
KANKAKEE RIVER FISHING DERBY
The annual multi-species derby begins Friday, June 30, and runs through July 9. It’s $20 per family. Details at kankakeefishingderby.com.
LAKEFRONT PARKING
Chicago Park District’s parking passes ($20 for two months) for the anglers’ parking lots at DuSable and Burnham harbors are on sale at Park Bait at Montrose Harbor (cash only) and the Northerly Island Visitor Center (credit card only, during the summer, 7-10 a.m. Tuesdays and Fridays).
My column from Nov. 30, 2022, on parking the length of the Chicago lakefront is posted at https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/11/30/23485385/chicago-lakefront-parking-fishing
ILLINOIS FROG SEASON
Illinois’ bullfrog (only) season runs through Oct. 15. A fishing license is required. “Bullfrogs may be taken only by hook and line, gig, pitchfork, spear, bow and arrow, hand, or landing net.” Daily bag limit is eight, possession limit is 16.
AREA LAKES
Dave Kranz of Dave’s Bait, Tackle and Taxidermy in Crystal Lake and with his You-Tube channel, Dave Kranz Living the wild outdoors, texted:
Bass are about done with all phases of the spawn. Top water and frog fishing where there is slop is good. Bluegill continue with spawn . Use red worms or wax worms.
Ken “Husker” O’Malley of Husker Outdoors emailed photo above and this:
Hey Dale,
Here is a recap of this weeks fishing.
Area lakes-
The evening bite for bass was spotty to say the least. All week the winds picked up from the ENE late afternoon and shut the bite off.
I haven’t seen winds be that consistent with warm temps to go with it like we have had all of late spring.
So with that in mind I went back to fishing at sunrise with good results for numbers, but not size. Plenty of 1 1/2 pound bass can be caught looking for isolated clumps of weeds in 7-10 fow. The best baits have been a DT 6 crankbait paired with tornado trebles or chatterbaits worked just over the top of the weeds.
Pitching a crazy legs chigger craw on a Vector Hooks 4/0 EWG into open weed pockets produce good numbers of bass as well.
. . .
TTYL
—
Ken Husker O’Malley
Husker Outdoors Waterwerks fishing team
Pete Lamar emailed the photo above and this:
Hi Dale,The sunfish in the attached image was the only one of its kind I caught on Sunday right after all the rain. Every other fish caught was a largemouth. All came on a big foam terrestrial pattern more often used for trout. Conditions must have been to the fishes’ liking: all got serious air and fought well when hooked. The sunfish was caught on the last cast of the evening; it went 9 inches +.
. . .
Pete
Rob Abouchar emailed the photo above and this:
Hi Dale the bite for bass on island lake slowed a bit with the rain and cool front. I was still catching bass from under docks and tight shady areas with green pumpkin with gold flakes senko wacky rigged. After going through alot of worms i tried artificial baits for panfish. I hit on a bait that is taking multiple species. A little blue fox in line spinner in a shad silver blade and white hair fooled perch crappie bluegill largemouth and yellow bass. I also had some blowups on topwater frog in the moss but missed em all.
On the music front the rock and roll Geerage Friday night jam was fantastic. The spot is half a block from captain’s quarters on fox lake. I could have brought the rod. The road to Zappanelle in Germany has begun with Saturdays show at club garibaldi in Milwaukee. If it was an indication of things to come it’s gonna be really great. Next up is the crucible in Madison Wednesday and Chicago reggies Thursday . The conscious rockers will be returning to the festival of life on Saturday july 1st on the Harmony stage at 7pm. We played the fest before but this time we’ll be performing the original album.
Tight lines and good health
Rob
And my Tuesday morning is made with the music update.
Brian Athern texted the photo above and this last week:
I knew it was going to be a tough Friday at work to finish the week so I did some pond bluegill fishing for 1.5 hours beforehand
Made a new friend who was looking at me sideways for throwing the fish back
Water is way down due to drought but bluegill were very active and aggressive on the weedline
Hopefully water levels will improve over the next week if the forecast rains come.
BRAIDWOOD LAKE
Open daily 6 a.m.-sunset.
District fisheries biologist Seth Love would like to hear from anglers on catches at Braidwood. You can email him at seth.love@illinois.gov.
CHAIN O’LAKES AREA
Art Frisell at Triangle Sports and Marine in Antioch said bluegill are excellent n 4-8 feet on waxies or red worms and small ice jigs; white bass are good, Mepps spinners, small fatheads, look in 6-12 feet, if not there, go deeper, Marie and Bluff best; walleye are good on leeches or small roaches, Fox Lake best; catfish excellent, lean toward roachs. crawlers and stink bait in that order.
NOTE: Check updates on water conditions at foxwaterway.com or (847) 587-8540.
NOTE 2: Stratton Lock and Dam is open 8 a.m. to midnight through Sept. 30
CHICAGO RIVER
Jeff Nolan texted the photo above and this last week:
Smallie caught on main stem
He also sent photos from the South Branch and noted:
Pics today Loomis slip . A big green algae bloom at north end.
Jeffrey Williams messaged the photo above and this on Monday:
Some good news out of the chicago river
Crappies slowly biting on large fatheads on jigs and Bass are being caught with minnows and pond crabs on a drop shot
Big T caught what might be a hybrid crappie
He followed that up Tuesday (today) with the photo below and this:
1.01 lb
14 in
DELAVAN LAKE, WISCONSIN
Arden Katz said bluegill are excellent on weed lines on points, set the boat in15-17 feet, use trout worms or red worms; largemouth, good sized but take work, drop-shotting Kalin’s Weenie Worms in 9-13 feet.
Capt. Dave Duwe emailed:
Delavan Lake 6/26/23 through 7/03/23
Northern Pike has been great. The fish are off the weedline anywhere between 20-25 ft of water. Look for the fish by the gray condos, willow Point or the west end by the island. The best approach is lindy rigging suckers. I fish the suckers on a 6500 Abu Garcia with a bait clicker, so when the fish bites, it will click out line and indicate that a fish is on.
Walleye fishing has been average. The fish are on the weedline in 15-24 ft of water. The fish I’m catching are on nightcrawlers fished on either a lindy rig or a split shot rig. This week it was kind of a battle to catch a legal fish. Every trip out I caught a couple but nothing to brag about. The best locations are by Browns Channel or west of the Yacht Club.
Largemouth bass can be either caught on the deep weedline in 17-20 ft or on top water lures first thing in the a.m. The best bait is chug bugs or white buzz baits. It’s best to work a depth of 8-10 ft. The fish I’ve been catching on the deep weedline, I’m catching on split shot rigged nightcrawlers. You want to concentrate on inside turns or the points on the weedline. A few fish have also been caught drop shotting Berkeley Gulp.
Bluegills are done spawning. They have moved out on the deep weedline. The nicer fish are in the 22-26 ft depth. Fishing so many nightcrawlers, I catch many right off the weedline. Some of the fish are in excess of 10 inches. Nightcrawlers or small leaf worms are the best approach.
Crappies have pulled off the weedline. They are suspending in 15 ft of water. The best approach has been purple plastic. Look for the fish over by Browns Channel or west of the Yacht club. I use a 1/32 oz Arkie Jig and a 3/0 split shot 1 ft above the jig. That allows you to cast a good distance and the fall rate is very effective.
Good luck and I hope to see you on the water. For guide parties, please call Dave Duwe at 262-728-8063.
DOWNSTATE
POWERTON: Summer hours—6 a.m.-8 p.m.—run through Sept. 30.
EMIQUON PRESERVE: Fishing is sunrise to sunset. Access permits and liability waivers are available Tuesday to Saturday at Dickson Mounts Museum, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
HENNEPIN-HOPPER: Site is open through Sept. 4, sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Check regulations at http://www.wetlands-initiative.org/dixon-paddling-fishing.
SHELBYVILLE: Check with Ken Wilson of Lithia Guide Service.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS: Check with Jason Johns of Boneyard Fishing.
FOX RIVER
Vince Oppedisano emailed the photo above and this:
Hey Dale,
Fished two evenings & one morning the past week on the Fox River, western suburbs...Still mostly very shallow, good conditions to wade and explore the river but it can be challenging finding good water that holds fish and isn’t overgrown with weeds. Water is mostly very clear, but that was before the rain on Sunday. Not sure how it looks out there now.
Overall I had the best luck this week on soft plastics— ned rigs, tube jigs, & twister tails.
My friend Len Cajic caught some real nice smallmouth like the one pictured [above] the past few days. He had good luck on topwater poppers.
Pete Lamar emailed the photo above and this:
Hi Dale,
. . .
As far as the Fox, the rain didn’t change much: still low and clear; temps may have dropped a little after the weekend rains. I did well early last week: water was low but still cool and the smallmouths were hitting aggressively. By late in the week, right before the rains, the water had warmed up a lot in a matter of just a few days and the fish seemed more sluggish. A lot more suckers around too.
Pete
Dave Kranz of Dave’s Bait, Tackle and Taxidermy in Crystal Lake and with his You-Tube channel, Dave Kranz Living the wild outdoors, texted:
Catfish are on fire on the fox river, use cut bait or stink bait.
GENEVA LAKE, WISCONSIN
Arden Katz said rock bass and bluegill were excellent in 16 feet on the north side (playing the north wind Tuesday), 1/64th-ounce jigs with spikes on chartruese tails.
Capt. Dave Duwe emailed:
Lake Geneva 6/26/23 through 7/3/23
Fishing continues to be very good. The best action on the lake has been largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and rock bass. Largemouth bass have been positioned in the shallow weed flats while the smallmouth bass have been on the break line.
Largemouth bass fishing has been excellent. The best location has been by the Military Academy, Trinkes and in Williams Bay. The depth varies from day to day. I usually start in 8 ft and go as deep as 14 ft of water. Once you find the active fish, they’ve been pretty easy to catch. Pre-rigged worms in purple and black have been producing a lot of fish. You want to use a very slow methodical retrieve.
Smallmouth bass have been off the break lines in 14-16 ft of water. They can be caught on white hair jigs or on lindy rigged nightcrawlers. The best location has been by the Yacht Club and by the Military academy. Some of the days last week, when the wind was blowing, they were stacked up and you could catch a bunch.
Rock bass have been positioned in areas with hard sand bottoms with scattered weeds. The best location has been by Colemans Point and by Elgin Club. Nightcrawlers fished on a split shot rig have been producing a lot of fish. The best depth has been 10-12 ft.
Bluegill fishing has been excellent in Geneva Bay. The best depth is 7-8 ft of water. The best bait has been leaf worms fished on a bobber. You want to position the bait about 1 ft above the weeds. The fish have been done spawning for about 2 weeks. As the water warms, they will be heading into deeper water. Once they go deep, they become very nomadic and difficult to pattern, but if you get on a school you will catch a bunch.
Walleye fishing has been good. They’ve been biting at night in 14-15 ft of water. The best bait has been large perch colored stick baits that dive 8-10 ft. The best location has been by Trinkes or Abbey Springs.
Good luck and I hope to see you on the water. For guide parties, please call Dave Duwe at 262-728-8063
GREEN LAKE AREA, WISCONSIN
Guide Mike Norris texted the photo above and emailed this:
Fishing Report – June 26, 2023
Mike Norris
Big Green: Both large and smallmouth bass are heading into their summer patterns, and the bite is excellent. Bass are transitioning from the shallows to deeper weeds, and the topwater bite early and late in the day is good right now. Try a Rebel Pop-R, or walking lures over emerging weed growth. Bluegills are done spawning but are still hanging around their deeper bedding areas. Locate them and work a drop shot with a piece of redworm.
Fox Lake: Largemouth bass in the Government and Jug areas have spawned and are relocating in and around emerging coontail and curly cabbage beds. Try fishing around and through the vegetation with stick worms, swim baits, and chatterbaits. Some main lake bass just completed their spawn. Search for them around rocky shorelines and islands.
GREEN/STURGEON BAYS, WISCONSIN
Click here for the Wisconsin DNR weekly report.
HEIDECKE LAKE
Bob Johnson emailed the photo above and this;
Hi Dale - Changed species Saturday and the Walleye were eating on Heidecke Lake. Water temps were 83 degrees with moderate clear to some stained waters. Fished in 5 to 8’ over weed beds very similar to my recent Canadian trip so was familiar with this water depth fishing just closer to home. Husky jerks and swim baits worked well either drifting or slow trolling on tops of vegetation. Ended up with 9 walleye keeping my limit of 3. Also, witnessed several hybrids breaking the surface at schooling shad in shallow water.
Open 6 a.m. (6:30 bank fishing) to sunset.
KANKAKEE RIVER
George Peters emailed the photo above and this:
Hi Dale, [Kankakee] at summer low water. Sm like this 18 holding in deep current areas. Some early fish on top waters, then deep baits. G. Peters
Ken “Husker” O’Malley of Husker Outdoors emailed photo above and this:
Hey Dale,
Here is a recap of this weeks fishing.
. . .
Kankakee River-
The Kankakee is giving up some nice smallmouth on topwater right now. Team member Dave is getting quality fish with that presentation along with lipless cranks, jerk baits, and tubes.
Walleye can be caught during mornings working a square bill crank bait along shorelines with larger rock.
Team member Dave Strobel with a nice smallmouth.
Lakes and rivers are getting extremely low right now for this time of the year. The areas SE of Chicagoland are in severe drought conditions. The rain received yesterday is a start, but we need more
. . .
TTYL
—
Ken Husker O’Malley
Husker Outdoors Waterwerks fishing team
LAKE ERIE
Click here for the Ohio DNR Report.
LAKEFRONT
Dan Bernstein, midday host on The Score, tweeted the photo above and this:
20 drum. Crazy fight.
It came while fishing smallmouth as he explained:
Same 4 Senko, wacky rig. Thought for sure it was a smallie on the hit, but then it came up and ran instead of pulling down.
Capt. A.J. Cwiok of Storm Warning Charters messaged the photo toppng this post and this on Sunday:
Fish are still in the same area as last weekend, more bait and fish have seemed to show up as well. 00 dodgers are working best for coho. 5-10 colors are taking steelhead and the occasional king on magnum spoons. Color doesn’t seem to matter, RV bloody nose moonshine magnum spoon has taken the majority of our big steelhead and kings the last few weeks on a 10 color. Focus on 100-150 fow, magnum size spoons have been out producing the standard size. All these fish have been loaded with magnum size alewives since last weekend.
Stacey Greene at Park Bait at Montrose Harbor texted:
Good morning Dale,
Well winds came out of the south/ west momentarily and perch were around. Few reports started to trickle in on Sunday evening then the few guys fishing Monday morning caught a few then the winds changed again so today was slower but a few were caught. Minnows & soft shells were the baits of choice. Sheephead good with north winds on Soft Shells or pond crabs. Bass still acting sketchy but getting more active in some of the south harbors. Riverwalk doing good for all the common species, Bluegill, Crappie, Carp etc...Our holiday day hours are the same 4am to 8pm.Have a great week.
Here’s hoping the perch stick around.
Capt. Bob Poteshman of Confusion Charters said out of Chicago, fishing is “spectacular.” That’s maybe two weeks of a solid pile of coho off Chicago, straight east, 100-160, all the way north to the R4. With the band of coho, there’s also steelhead some kings and, past 120 feet, there’s big lakers, mainly Dodgers and flies, coho are in the top 50 feet. Out of North Point, there’s coho on the hill (kings there too very early morning), but most are fishing 120-200 for coho, big lakers (past 160) and some nice steelhead (past 200 feet).
Capt. Dan Leslie at the Salmon Stop in Waukegan said lots of coho, lakers, a few kings and sporadic steelhead, flies and Dodgers the ticket now, 120-150 feet is the hot area, 2.8 knots for speed.
LaSALLE LAKE
Site is open daily 6 a.m.-sunset. As a perched lake, boating is closed when winds top or will top 14 mph. Check daily updates on boating at (815) 640-8099.
MADISON LAKES, WISCONSIN
Click here for the update from D&S Bait, Tackle & Fly Shop .
MAZONIA
BoRabb Williams messaged tthe photto above and this from an outing with Frank “Cat Daddy” Smith:
Dale Bowman ....we did GREAT at Ponderosa Lake in the South UNIT of Mazonia... they’re on the beds... red ear gills.... Braidwood was TOO WINDY
Hours are 6 a.m. to sunset.
NORTHERN WISCONSIN
Patricia Johnston emailed the photo above and this:
My 11 year old daughter [Lily]caught her first Musky -39 in Northern Wisconsin!
That’s getting it done right, early in life.
Kurt Justice at Kurt’s Island Sport Shop in Minocqua emailed:
Finally, a break from the heat and straight sunshine made it to the Northwoods in the form of much needed rain, clouds and cooler temps. Following several days in a row of highs in the lower 90’s, looks like more typical Northern Wisconsin temps of upper 70’s to low 80’s. Most patterns had been off, but are now starting to solidify!
Largemouth Bass: Very Good – Early mornings and evenings usings top-water (Whopper Ploppers, Buzz Baits, plastic frogs & spiders and the classics, Jitterbugs and Hula Poppers). Mid-mornings work twitchbaits over cabbage tops (Husky Jerks, X-Raps and custom jerks from FAFO, if you can find them) as Bass seen chasing schools of bait fish along surfaces in these areas. Later in the afternoon, slide down the water/weed column using Wacky Worms, Ned Rigs and Carolina Rigs to entice bites from the plant bottoms.
Smallmouth Bass: Very Good – Working into summer patterns of deep gravel/rock during mid-day. Drop-shot 3 minnow or craw imitations. AMs finding Smallies cruising outside weed lines hitting deep running cranks (also FAFO’s) or tubes in 12-16’ edges.
Yellow Perch: Very Good – Loved the heat! Catching nice 9-12 Perch scattered through out 8-12’ cabbage on weedless jig with bait (minnows, ½ crawlers or medium leeches).
Musky: Good – Double bladed #8 bucktails, surface baits worked well for anglers fishing early and late. Shallow fish, inside weedlines and inlets. Fast retrieves during heat last week, a bit slower this coming week.
Bluegill: Good – Some reports of Gills moving in to spawn and being done in 4-5 days due to heat. Still some bedding on larger lakes. Evening shoreline casting with poppers effective. Mid-morning thru afternoons using small leeches, worms, thunderbugs and tiny tube jigs best.
Northern Pike: Good-Fair – Outside of a HUGE 44 Pike brought to net in Guide George Metrich’s boat, overall, Pike activity good to NOT great. Swimming 4 swimbaits on ¼ oz heads along 10-14’ weed edges or working spinnerbaits over cabbage of 6-8’ in the mornings working best.
Walleye: Fair – Bright, cloudless, calm days made for tough daytime bites last week. Best at dusk or early dawn using XL leeches or redtailed chubs along 10-14’ weed edges or out over rocks in 16-20’
Crappies: Fair-Poor – Been a bit of a mystery as anglers best reports are of smaller fish (7-9) on lakes where populations are high! Fishing deeper weed edges of 12-16’ using 1/32 oz jigs tipped with Gulp Alive or small minnows.
Looks liked some rain mid-week, then nice weather for over the 4th Holiday. Should continue to see fishing moving into good predictable summer patterns for next 6 weeks until mid-August cool downs.
Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop - Like us on Facebook
NORTHWEST INDIANA
Jason “Special One” Le posted the YouTube video above a week ago about steelhead fishing.
Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station texted the photo below and this:
Plenty of steelhead in trail creek in Michigan city. Spawn saks, inline spinners baits to use.
Some steelhead still being caught off portage Riverwalk and Michigan city piers. Nightcrawlers and shrimp under a float and casting ko wobbler and arctic spinners.
Boat fishermen doing good on crappie at night at pine lake in Laporte. Minnows under floating lights doing the job.
Trolling on the big lake over the weekend was good boats fishing 70 to 150ft of water from portage to Michigan city caught mainly coho but steelhead and kings were in the mix.
Weather needs to get to a summer pattern for a shot at lake perch. Phone rings off the hook folks asking about perch.
Christina Petrites at Stan’s Bait & Tackle Center in Hammond emailed:
Hi, Dale! I hope you & your family are ready for an exciting holiday! Who doesn’t love the Fourth of July-it’s one of the best days of the year, & I hear some of the best people are born on that day as well!
Fishing on Lake Michigan is really great right now, with fairly easy limit catches of Coho & Steelhead being had by most. Trollers are using dodgers, flies, & small spoons.
Perch fishing is just starting to get into full swing; as the weather warms up consistently, it will only get better & better. Anglers aren’t catching limits, but they are catching some nice-sized perch; the best bait has been minnows, red worms, & various grubs, including beemoths & butterworms.
Inland lakes have been best for Bluegills on jumbo reds, mealworms, & beemoths.
Catfishing is doing great-hornworms, stinkbait, & various cut baits are having the best successes.
The holiday weekend coming up has a good forecast, & it should be an awesome weekend to fish.
ROOT RIVER, WISCONSIN
Click here for the Wisconsin DNR’s report, usually on Tuesday or Wednesday.
SHABBONA LAKE
John Honiotes at Boondocks reported walleye, though largely undersized, doing well on crawlers; crappie are going; bass slowed some, northeast corner best; the big hybrid striper above was caught last Sunday.
Site summer hours—6 a.m.-10 p.m.—run through Oct. 31.
Boondocks’ bait shop is open daily, 6 a.m.-7 p.m.; restaurant hours are 11-8.
SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN LAKEFRONT
Click here for the southern Lake Michigan reports from the Wisconsin DNR.
SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN
Staff at Tackle Haven in Benton Harbor said no boaters were out Tuesday; a couple steelhead caught off the piers; a few steelhead and walleyes at Berrien Springs. Bluegill are good on inland lakes.
Paddle and Pole hosts the Berrien Springs Fish Ladder Camera.
WOLF RIVER, WISCONSIN
Guide Bill Stoeger in Fremont texted:
Walleye action has been good this week on the river,night crawlers and leaches working. The trolling bite continues very good on Poygan and Winnebago
