Lakefront perch on southern Lake Michigan and waiting on ice fishing (maybe next week in the Northwoods) lead this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report.
LAKEFRONT PERCH
CHICAGO: Jim Shell emailed the photo at the very top and the one above, and this on Sunday:
Hi Dale,
I launched out of Burnham Harbor last week (11-11) to see if I could get some perch. Checked all the usual spots, nothing. Casey (who is now in college, Michigan State) pushed me to try again this weekend. Not sure how things would change in a week, but told him ok. To my surprise, I found schools of perch pretty much everywhere now. It took a bit of time to now dial them in. The bite was VERY light. Most of the taps were undetectable. As soon as you felt some additional resistance, a perch was on. A limit of (15) perch was boated in a pretty short time. With the wind forecast light for Sunday, I returned with my daughter Emily. If you recall a report from last year, Casey had used an ice fishing rod to detect the very light bite. So I tried it, and boy I was surprised how well it detected the slightest tap. After I boated 3 in a short time, I had to hand over the ice fishing rod to Emily. It was so much easier for her to detect the lite bite! We tried a few different areas, and they all produced. Emily ended up catching (2) jumbo’s at the very end. Was a great weekend out on the big lake!
Jason “Special One” Le texted the YouTube video above last week. The video came out at an opportune time as perch starting coming to shore.
Jeffrey Williams messaged the photo and this:
I kinda lied bout not doing the riverwalk anymore this year
Well the biggest was caught at navy pier, he was 12.5
Stacey Greene at Park Bait at Montrose Harbor texted:
PERCH LEAD THE FISHING REPORT. THERE HAVE BEEN PERCH HERE IN THE HARBORS BUT MOST ARE SMALL (dinks). NAVY PIER, 87th and FURTHER SOUTH HAVE BEEN HIT OR MISS. SOME DAYS ITS AN EARLY BITE OTHER DAYS A LITTLE LATER IN THE DAY. IF YOU FISH FOR AWHILE IN ONE SPOT WITHOUT ANY RESULTS MOVE A LITTLE. MOST OF THE TIME PERCH WON’T FIND YOU, YOU HAVE TO FIND THEM. MINNOWS HAVE BEEN WORKING THE BEST BUT THEY ARE HITTING MANY OTHER BAITS, LIVE AS WELL AS ARTIFICIAL. WAX WORMS, SPIKES, SHRIMP, WORMS. CRAPPIE RIGS, PERCH POUNDER RIGS, JIGGING SPOONS LIKE KASTMASTERS, SWEDISH PIMPLES, ETC…
WAUKEGAN: Lori Ralph at the Salmon Stop in Waukegan said that Jeff Miltimore has been finding a few perch from Government Pier and South Rocks on large fatheads. Be aware no night parking near those areas.
INDIANA: Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station texted:
Perch action at the slips is hit and miss one day good one day slow but perch are being caught.
Xl- fatheads seem to be best but some use small plastics tipped with white spikes. We have it all in stock.
NAVY PIER FISHING
North side of Navy Pier is open for anglers. Discounted parking for anglers is $9 daily, beginning at 5 a.m.; must be out by 10 a.m. for the discount. Click here to prepay for the discounted tickets.
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), 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Friday, but call (312) 745-2910 first to make sure someone is there.
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
PIER PASSES
The $10 pier passes, which allow legal access to select piers at Jackson Park, Burnham, DuSable, Diversey, Belmont and Montrose harbors, may be bought at Park Bait at Montrose Harbor (cash only) and Northerly Island Visitor Center (credit-card only), 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, but call (312) 745-2910 first to make sure someone is there.
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:
Happy Thanksgiving to all!Dave’s Bait and Tackle is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas days. Remember to tell your family members when they are getting you holiday gifts to shop or get gift certificates from your local tackle shops.I’m recommending you get your ice tackle ready! it will be here before you know it.
Ken “Husker” O’Malley of Husker Outdoors emailed the photo above and this:
Hey Dale,
Here’s a recap from the past few days. The bite overall has been tough. I had to work for every fish. Wind direction changed everyday and a minor cold front with bluebirds skies made for small bite windows. Water temps are still 49-50 degrees. We need colder temps to complete the turnover process on some lakes. Bass were hitting a spinnerbait slow rolled along weed edges adjacent to the drop off to deeper water. When that bite stopped I switched to a jig and craw trailer. Slowly working the jig down the ledge to suspended fish took a few of those reluctant biters.
Bluegill are still hitting IJO Plastics lil cubby and spider monkey plastics on Wiggleyourworm_fishing custom jigs. Crappie have been found in brush piles on quiver minnows. Colder temps will be arriving around thanksgiving, which will help get those water temps down.
Here is the nature pic of the week. Out for a stroll.
TTYL
Ken Husker O’Malley
Husker Outdoors Waterwerks fishing team
Pete Lamar emailed the photo above and this:
Hi Dale,
The early sunsets have really cut into my fishing time. Not many outings and when I have gotten out the result hasn’t been many fish. Time for Winter tactics: I’ve been tying my usual leech and minnow patterns on heavily weighted jig hooks and fishing them under a buoyant strike indicator. It did produce a respectable bass over the weekend in a Kane Co. forest preserve lake. I saw some crappie fishermen having some success under a bright sun and cloudless sky-not typical prime conditions for crappies, but they got a few.
Pete
Rob Abouchar messaged the photo above and this:
Hi Dale I’m still getting some good largemouth on island lake on my Bill Lewis rattle trap in silver and black back. My neighbor jim still getting bass on roach minnows under a float. Fewer people are out with freezing temperatures predicted it wont be long till hard water. Best time to fish has been last hour of daylight.
On the music front it was a jolly great performance at the Santa cause fundraiser at crossroads of ivanhoe on Saturday. Over 11 thousand dollars raised for children in need. And we are down to 3 more rehearsals for the zappafest shows on December 1st and 2nd with Gozortenplat it should be a real dynamite show.
Tight lines and good health!
Rob
And my Tuesday is complete with the music report in.
CHAIN O’LAKES AREA
Art Frisell at Triangle Sports and Marine in Antioch said water remains low, but walleye guys fishing main lake points and bridge areas, jig and minnow or split-shot bait (try bigger baits like roaches instead of just fatheads); bluegill going deeper, waxies and spikes on slip bobber to adjust; suckers for muskies; white bass in 8-15 feet, let plastics fall and count to mark where they are.
NOTE: Check updates on water conditions at foxwaterway.com or (847) 587-8540.
NOTE 2: Stratton Lock and Dam is closed through April 30, 2024.
CHICAGO RIVER
Jeffrey Williams messaged the photos above and below, and this:
I kinda lied bout not doing the riverwalk anymore this year
Well the biggest was caught at navy pier, he was 12.5
COOLING LAKES
Braidwood, Heidecke and LaSalle are closed.
DES PLAINES RIVER
Larry Narro sent the photo of a northern pike above from the lower Des Plaines. It’s that time of year.
DOWNSTATE
POWERTON: Closed. Bank fishing reopens Christmas.
EMIQUON PRESERVE: Running through the end of duck season, fishing is only allowed after noon. Access permits and liability waivers are available Tuesday to Saturday at Dickson Mounts Museum, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
SPRING LAKE: Boat fishing is closed. Through the end of duck season, bank fishing is allowed after 1 p.m. Site superintendent Thad Cook noted, “Boaters cannot use the ramp on the causeway but can use the ramp at Sky Ranch Road during waterfowl season. They are allowed to boat north of Sky Ranch Rd bridge and south down to the buoy markers and sign at Maple Island.”
HENNEPIN-HOPPER: Closed.
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,
Brief report this week...I was able to get out to the Fox River in St. Charles for a few hours on Sunday afternoon.
Water temps low to mid forties and the river is still running ultra clear. Tried several different lures and the only one that produced a fish was a green pumpkin ned rig worked below the dam.
I was very happy to catch a 14 inch smallmouth that way on November 19. Hoping there are still a few successful outings left this year...
GREEN LAKE AREA, WISCONSIN
Guide Mike Norris texted the photo above and emailed this:
Fishing Report – 11/20/2023
Mike Norris
Big Green Lake: The shallow water weed die-off has begun, and smallmouth bass have left the shallow water and are repositioning out in deeper water. While my clients did catch a few 12 -13-inch smallmouths shallow, it was not until I moved them out to the first primary break, where the bottom quickly went from 20 to 35 feet deep, that we found the three-pound and better smallmouth bass. When fishing deeper water I still use live bait to catch smallies, but moving deeper requires different rigging. An extra-large minnow or medium-sized sucker trolled along the bottom and pinned down with a Carolina Rig in my choice for enticing deep smallmouth bass. Northern pike and walleye are bonus fish when working this system. The surface water temperature is 48 degrees but will drop quickly upon colder air forecast to arrive later this week.
Fox Lake: Anglers are doing well for walleye. Watch your 2D-Sonar for tell-tale arches when drifting through the lake’s basin, and drop a jig and minnow down to the depth the fish are holding at. The surface water temperature is 44 degrees. At this time last year, Fox Lake boasted four inches of ice.
Beaver Dam Lake: Crappie fishing is suitable for shore anglers casting minnows beneath a float. Shore access to the lake is available at Edgewater Park and at certain points along Highway G. Expect to catch a few decent-sized perch also.
GREEN/STURGEON BAYS, WISCONSIN
Click here for the Wisconsin DNR weekly report.
KANKAKEE RIVER
Bob Johnson emailed the photo above and this:
Hi Dale - Kankakee River bite for Smallmouth and Walleye still good. River temps dropped down to 47 degrees and clear. Caught Walleye on jerkbaits mostly along with smallmouth and 1 largemouth, some bass also taking Ned rigs and crainkbaits. This action should last until slack water at ramps freeze up. All fish released. Lincoln-Way East football IHSA 8A State Championship game next Saturday night. Go Griffins!!
George Peters emailed the photo above and this:
Hi Dale! Took advantage of our Indian summer on Thursday to get out. Water was approaching 60 degrees so even this late season Rock bass was on a bite. G. Peters
That’s interesting. Had not heard rock bass mentioned in a while.
Then he added this and the photo below:
Late afternoon got 2 like this 18
LAKE ERIE
Click here for the Ohio DNR Report.
LAKEFRONT
Stacey Greene at Park Bait at Montrose Harbor texted:
PERCH LEAD THE FISHING REPORT. THERE HAVE BEEN PERCH HERE IN THE HARBORS BUT MOST ARE SMALL (dinks). NAVY PIER, 87th and FURTHER SOUTH HAVE BEEN HIT OR MISS. SOME DAYS ITS AN EARLY BITE OTHER DAYS A LITTLE LATER IN THE DAY. IF YOU FISH FOR AWHILE IN ONE SPOT WITHOUT ANY RESULTS MOVE A LITTLE. MOST OF THE TIME PERCH WON’T FIND YOU, YOU HAVE TO FIND THEM. MINNOWS HAVE BEEN WORKING THE BEST BUT THEY ARE HITTING MANY OTHER BAITS, LIVE AS WELL AS ARTIFICIAL. WAX WORMS, SPIKES, SHRIMP, WORMS. CRAPPIE RIGS, PERCH POUNDER RIGS, JIGGING SPOONS LIKE KASTMASTERS, SWEDISH PIMPLES, ETC…
THERE ARE STILL A FEW REPORTS OF STEELHEAD AND COHO IN THE HARBORS ON SPOONS AND VARIOUS LIVE BAITS, AS WELL AS SOME NORTHERNS AND A BURBOT HERE AND THERE, POSSIBLY A LAKE TROUT.
WE ARE OPEN THANKSGIVING DAY. WE WILL OPEN AN HOUR EARLIER HOURS WILL BE 5am TO 3pm.
Lori Ralph at the Salmon Stop in Waukegan said that Jeff Miltimore has been finding a few perch and some browns from Government Pier and South Rocks on large fatheads. Be aware no night parking near those areas. Salmon Stop closed on Thanksgiving; otherwise open Thursday through Sunday as of now.
SALMON SNAGGING: Here are the details from the IDNR:
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).
MADISON LAKES, WISCONSIN
Click here for the update from D&S Bait, Tackle & Fly Shop .
MAZONIA
Closed, except Monster Lake is open all year.
NORTHERN WISCONSIN
Kurt Justice at Kurt’s Island Sport Shop in Minocqua emailed:
Open water season is winding down. With the onus on gun deer this past weekend, fewer anglers out on the water. Despite unseasonably warm days last Wed/Thurs, temps below freezing for mornings cooling things down further. Surface temperature readings ranged from 38-43 this past week, ice forming on edges, small bays and pond. Be very careful at boat landings that are being used, ice building up fast on black topped launches.
Musky: Good – Not a numbers game this time of year, but some fish being caught! While striking out my last trip of the year (11/19), did talk to a young angler on the same lake that boated a 46 on a Bulldawg and lost a second during the last hour before dark. A few other reports of Skis between 42 & 47 this past week. Mix of lures (mostly rubber) and suckers.
Suckers getting harder to find but still available. Call your favorite, local bait shop (us?) ahead of time to check availability. It’s legal to fish Musky by open water or land through December now, but not legal to use ice as a base, so watch for specific ice lake reports in the coming weeks.
Walleye: Good – Very few targeting, but those that are finding fish in deeper pockets or along transition zones in 24-34’ of water (some deeper). Jiggin Vibrato’s, Jigging Raps and Shiver Minnows producing. On shallower lakes and Flowages, fishing 10-14’ depth using black chubs, suckers or large fathead putting Walleyes in the boat. Slow dragging these baits producing better than slip-bobbers. 2-3 bullheads found in these fish, makes sense for the slow, low presentation needed.
Could see (possibly?) some fishable ice early next week. Lows in teens for 8 of the next 10 mornings starting 11/22, should start locking things up. With highs of only 32-34 degrees 4 of those 10 days, time to dust off your tip-ups.
Mark your calendars for our 14th Annual Ice Fishing Extravaganza Dec 1st, 2nd and 3rd. More deals than ever before on shacks, electronics, rods, reels, clothing and boots! Call ahead and order a flip over shack, custom built (hyfax, other accessories) for the Ice Fishing Extravaganza only. Pick up during show and SAVE set-up fee, SAVE time and SAVE Frustration!
If you are signed up on our Big Buck Contest, be sure to bring your deer in to get in on the board. Remember, the smallest deer gets a share of the pot as well.
Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop - Like us on Facebook
NORTHWEST INDIANA
Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station texted:
Perch action at the slips is hit and miss one day good one day slow but perch are being caught.
Xl- fatheads seem to be best but some use small plastics tipped with white spikes. We have it all in stock.
Some steelhead being caught in the lower sections of nwi tributaries using voodoo jigs tipped with waxworms or floating spawn saks.
Crappie action under the gazebo on Lake George in Hobart using minnows or Rufus jr jigs tipped with waxworms.
Slez’s Bait Shop will be open on Thanksgiving Day 5am till noon. Normal Black Friday hours 5 to 5.
ROOT RIVER, WISCONSIN
Click here for the Wisconsin DNR’s report, usually on Tuesday or Wednesday.
SHABBONA LAKE
Through January 31, winter site hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Boondocks is closed.
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 a few whitefsh and steelhead off the St. Joseph pier last week, jigging some lakers off the pier.
Paddle and Pole hosts the Berrien Springs Fish Ladder Camera.
WOLF RIVER, WISCONSIN
Guide Bill Stoeger in Fremont texted:
The walleye bite has been very good in the lower part of the river. Deeper water near the Rat River down to the mouth at Poygan have been the best. Jigs or rigs with minnows
