Coho continuing to be the most consistent fishing around Chicago leads this sprawling, raw-file Midwest Fishing Report.
There’s more than coho being caught on the lakefront, as Ian Guen-Murray shows with the photo at the top.
SHORELINE SALMON/TROUT
Quinn Wunar tweeted the photo above and this:
Took my buddy Ken Engstrom out for his first coho experience on a windy Sunday. He set the standard with this big chunk for the first fish of the day. Tony and I were playing catch-up to him most of the day. Guy was a natural. Also makes a fantastic breakfast taco, which will yield him more invites. We were able to piece together a hot bite, once again on TS Jigs of all colors. 6ft down and if there’s no chop, keep popping it. The coho will give chase.
It’s getting to the point in the run if you handle carefully, you can be size selective as there are some impressive sizes coming through.
Have a great week. Hope this lasts.
Quinn
That would be nice if it holds on.
Tim “Spike” Davis texted on Tuesday:
First Lake Michigan brown trout on a TS Jig. Montrose
Apparently some good browns are around. Ian Guen-Murray emailed the photo at the very top and this:
Hi Dale,
Hooked this PB brown trout last Saturday on the northside. Measured 34 inches, estimating above twenty lbs from feel though no scale that day. Ample sun in semi-clear water. Took an orange mepp’s near bottom. Heavy hook set and a meaty fight lol. Thanks.
Stacey Greene at Park Bait at Montrose Harbor texted:
Hi Dale
The Coho bite has been great. Powerliners as well as rod and reel casting or bait on a slip bobber. Large minnows, crawlers, shrimp, spawn sacs, a few on spinners, jigs and lures. Some nice Browns, Steelhead and a few small Northerns.
For the rest of this week our hours are 6am to 2pm they will change next week.
Have a great week!
Capt. Dan Leslie at the Salmon Stop in Waukegan said they are still slamming coho, powerliners (minnows) or shore anglers (spawn sacs or casting spoons) and the occasional steelhead or brown; still some steelhead going up the creeks, inline spinners and spawn sacs (under a bobber).
Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station, Ind. texted:
Coho action good for trollers fishing the beach to 35ft of water from hammond to Michigan city. Brads thinfish, j-9 rapalas and a variety of small swallow running crankbaits.
Portage Riverwalk and Michigan city pier has been very good for coho most fishing skein, squid, shrimp and nightcrawlers on bottom and slip bobbers.
Staff at Tackle Haven in Benton Harbor said after the weather calmed down, coho are being caught off the St. Joseph pier again, skein best
NAVY PIER ANGLING
The north side of Navy Pier is open for anglers. The discounted parking for anglers is $9 daily, if out by 10 a.m.
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-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
ILLINOIS EARLY CATCH-AND-RELEASE SPRING TROUT
Illinois’ early catch-and-release trout season is open. Nearby early catch-and-release sites: Rock Creek at Kankakee River SP; Pine Creek, White Pines Forest SP; Apple River, Apple River Canyon SP. The regular spring trout season opens April 1.
Click here for the statewide announcement.
AREA LAKES
Ken “Husker” O’Malley of Husker Outdoors emailed the photo below and this:
Hey Dale,
Here is a recap of this past weeks fishing.
Area lakes-
The first day of spring is finally here and the forecast is in tune as well.
After the weekend and much of last week, it’s just what the doctor ordered. Skim ice had formed yesterday morning after two nights of single digits.
Area lakes need to warm to get the bite going again and setup typical spring patterns.
Here’s the nature pic of the week. The perfect perch to warm.
TTYL
—
Ken Husker O’Malley
Husker Outdoors Waterwerks fishing team
BRAIDWOOD LAKE
My column on prospects for fishing at Braidwood can be found here.
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
Kyle Tepper at Triangle Sports and Marine in Antioch said bluegills, crappies and perch are heading into some channels, most crappie are just outside the channels mouths in 6-8 feet on plastics or hair jigs; walleye are picking up, some gong on shallow flats.
NOTE: Lower river was no-wake as of Tuesday morning. Check updates on water conditions at foxwaterway.com or (847) 587-8540.
CHICAGO RIVER
Jeffrey Williams messaged the photo above and this:
They keep growing
25 pounds
Yes, big ones.
DES PLAINES RIVER
See the Fish of the Week for the big sauger caught by Jack Stevens.
DOWNSTATE
POWERTON: Hours through April 30 are 8 a.m.-4 p.m. daily.
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.
SHELBYVILLE: Check with Ken Wilson of Lithia Guide Service.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS: Check with Jason Johns of Boneyard Fishing.
SPRING LAKE: Back to regular hours.
HENNEPIN-HOPPER: Closed for the season.
DuPAGE RIVER
Scott Oglanian is doing well on smallmouth bass on the DuPage.
FOX RIVER
As of Tuesday morning, the lower river remains no-wake. Check updates on water conditions at foxwaterway.com or (847) 587-8540.
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:
The water on the Fox River is high. No wake is active on the lower river. Walleyes are at the McHenry Dam and can be caught on a jig head and an extra large fathead minnow. Gold is a great color in the river. Panfish move in and out of the channels following the bait fish. Wax worms and small fatheads will do the trick. Try ZMan Micro Finesse plastics if you haven’t!
HEIDECKE LAKE
Closed. Reopens April 1.
ILLINOIS RIVER
Sauger and walleye are going, if tournament results are any indication.
Tony Karrick of Elgin and Ohioan Sam Cappelli won the two-day Masters Walleye Circuit tournament Saturday on the Illinois River out of Spring Valley with 21 pounds, 6 ounces. Many five-fish limits were caught each day. John O’Flynn of Manhattan and Eric Maggio of Ladd caught the big fish of 4 pounds, 6 ounces.
The two-day National Walleye Tour event is out of Spring Valley through Wednesday, March 22 (yes, a mid-week event).
KANKAKEE RIVER
Bob Johnson emailed the photo above and this:
Hi Dale - Went fishing just before the weather changed to cold and did well on the Kankakee River! Caught 8 small mouth around 2 lbs, landing a solid one at 2.5 just before dark. Finesse fishing was not working along with Ned rig just early. Most bass were caught on midrange crainkbaits from 2 to 6 feet of water around rocks or laydowns. River is up a bit over 3.2 range with a slight stain and water temps in at 43 degrees .
LAKE ERIE
Click here for the Ohio DNR Report.
LAKEFRONT
Stacey Greene at Park Bait at Montrose Harbor texted:
Hi Dale
The Coho bite has been great. Powerliners as well as rod and reel casting or bait on a slip bobber. Large minnows, crawlers, shrimp, spawn sacs, a few on spinners, jigs and lures. Some nice Browns, Steelhead and a few small Northerns.
For the rest of this week our hours are 6am to 2pm they will change next week.
Have a great week!
Capt. Dan Leslie at the Salmon Stop in Waukegan said they are still slamming coho, powerliners (minnows) or shore anglers (spawn sacs or casting spoons) with the occasional steelhead or brown; still some steelhead going up the creeks, inline spinners and spawn sacs (under a bobber).
LaSALLE LAKE
Reopened last Wednesday. Tomorrow’s column is on a bit of opening day and more on prospects for the year.
Juan Macias messaged the photo and this on Sunday:
Hi Dale, today windy and cold but cats been on fire after noon on lasalle lake first trip after opening day...
He added:
Catch and release this beauty.
Pete Riedesel (see Fishin Friend Guide Service on Facebook) texted the photo above and this:
It’s closed today..I got out about 1 yesterday..good, good
Hours are 6 a.m. to sunset daily. 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
Hours are 6 a.m. to sunset.
NORTHERN WISCONSIN
Kurt Justice at Kurt’s Island Sport Shop in Minocqua emailed:
March has been a b..b..b..b..b..bear so far, must have forgot where it was on the calendar.
Cold (as low as 15 below), snow, rain, then more snow and lots of wind kept anglers off the ice this past week (can’t blame them!). A shame since this is such a traditionally great time to be panfishing. But don’t despair, good spring (yes, it’s spring on the calendar) ice fishing is right around the corner.
Bluegill: Fair-Poor – Conditions just kept people off the ice. If able to, anglers had some success in 9-11’ weeds. Tungsten jigs helped to keep baits down against the wind. Live bait seemed better than plastics as fish held on a bit longer allowing anglers to feel bites.
Yellow Perch: Fair-Poor – Mixed in with the Gills along 9-11’ weeds. No reports from mud flat anglers, doesn’t mean fish weren’t there, just anglers not.
Crappie: Poor – As with the other panfish, just overall a tough bite.
As dismal as this report is, better things to come. Ice still 24-26 thick. Snow and slush making ATV use hard, but snowmobile and trucks still useable. Temps at night this coming week will be in teens and low-20’s, but day time highs of mid-30’s to mid-40’s will make for some very comfortable conditions. This is the kind of weather that bodes well for tip-down users targeting Crappies and Perch. We will see two weeks, if not more, of ice fishing if these conditions hold.
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 northwest of burns ditch in 55 to 60ft of water remains very good when wind allows the boats to get out there. Xl- fatheads and perch fly rigs will do it.
Coho action good for trollers fishing the beach to 35ft of water from hammond to Michigan city. Brads thinfish, j-9 rapalas and a variety of small swallow running crankbaits.
Portage Riverwalk and Michigan city pier has been very good for coho most fishing skein, squid, shrimp and nightcrawlers on bottom and slip bobbers.
Crappie on minnows fishing the bridges on lake George in Hobart.
Slez’s Bait Shop has musky suckers in stock now.
ROCK RIVER, WISCONSIN
Kyle Tepper at Triangle Sports and Marine in Antioch said walleye and sauger are going at Janesville on a jig and minnow.
SHABBONA LAKE
Boondocks reopens April 1.
March site hours are 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN
Staff at Tackle Haven in Benton Harbor said after the weather calmed down, coho are being caught off the St. Joseph pier again, skein best; steelhead are going below the Berrien Springs dam.
Paddle and Pole hosts the Berrien Springs Fish Ladder Camera.
WOLF RIVER, WISCONSIN
Guide Bill Stoeger texted the photo above and this:
I ventured out on Partridge lake yesterday, still 8-9 of ice. Quite a bit of ice coming down the river, but fishermen are picking up some walleye drifting during the day, and anchoring in the shallows mornings and evenings.
