It’s up-pay time for pier and parking passes on the Chicago lakefront.
Word came Thursday at the Chicago Fishing Advisory Committee meeting of a price increase for pier passes, which provide legal access to select piers at six Chicago harbors, and parking passes for two angler parking lots. It’s the first increase since the Chicago Park District began the passes.
Parking passes for the small lots at DuSable Harbor and Burnham Harbor/Northerly Island increase from $10 to $20 for two months from the date of purchase.
Pier passes increase from $6 to $10. But the number of piers increased to 36 at Jackson Park, Burnham, DuSable, Diversey, Belmont and Montrose harbors. Pier passes become available and the piers officially open Nov. 15.
There’s another tweak. With the imminent closure of Henry’s Sports and Bait, the passes only may be bought at Park Bait at Montrose Harbor (cash only) and the Northerly Island Visitor Center (credit card only).
Stacey Greene-Fenlon at Park Bait expects to be open through at least the first week of December.
At the Northerly Island Visitor Center, passes will be available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. But call first — (312) 745-2910 — to make sure staff will be there to do the passes. If you go there, park at the 15-minute parking spots in front. In the future, local parks might carry the passes.
The money goes into the general fund of the park district.
Potties and more
A few other notes from the committee:
• QR codes are going up in many places, such as the pier gates at the harbors. When scanned, they take anglers to pages of fishing information on the lakefront.
• Portable toilets are out for the winter for 31st Street, Diversey, Belmont and Montrose. Restrooms are available Monday through Friday at the Northerly Island Visitor Center.
• Greene-Fenlon said people who use the new perpendicular parking spots on the main drive around Montrose Harbor should be aware that the setup has made it easier for break-ins. Chicago police are aware of the issue and acting on it.
Wild things
I disappeared into trying to find out whether porcupines ever lived in Illinois. I don’t know the answer.
Illinois hunting
It seems right for crow season to open Friday, a matter of days before the midterm elections.
Stray cast
I sort of had hair like Sean Manaea once, just like I could fish 15 hours straight once.
