Fishing through the fall heat, including a possible delay in the early C&R trout season in Illinois, leads this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report.
BoRabb Williams texted the photo at the top Thursday from 63rd and this:
Eddie Hudson got #7 along with ME now .... this morning
He’s coming for me lol
That leads right into the lead report, immediately below.
SHORELINE SALMON/TROUT
CHICAGO: Jason “Special One” Le sent the YouTube video below.
That is the next thing I am doing in my fishing life when I upgrade my kayak.
Stacey Greene at Park Bait at Montrose Harbor texted:
Good morning, Dale
Oh, this weather is wonderful for us, but the fish, I think, are confused, lol.There are still Kings, Coho and Steelhead being caught, but not consistently. It is scattered. Don’t get me wrong, they are out there anglers just have to put a little more time and effort into fishing for them. Still hitting spoons and crankbaits. Also fish slip bobber with spawn sacs, medium & large roaches (shiners) and crawlers. Also, start jigging Maribu Jigs and spinners with a wax or butter worm for Steelhead in the harbors.
WAUKEGAN: Capt. Dan Leslie at the Salmon Stop in Waukegan said shore fishing slwed with heat, when the cold weather comes back in, expect fishing to pick for shoreline salmon.
Capt. Scott Wolfe of School of Fish Charters emailed:
Hi Dale
. . .
The cooler waters have also improved the harbor fishing. Many more kings (mostly very dark now) and coho (still silver) were taken this week than any week this fall. Unfortunately snagging season began October 1 which makes actual fishing difficult. Casting spoons with orange and red/white patterns were best. Skien/spawn sacks should begin working soon.
NORTHWEST INDIANA: Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station texted:
Some kings and coho being caught in area nwi creeks casting spinners, small spoons and floating spawn saks and chunks of skein.
SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN: Staff at Tackle Haven in Benton Harbor said some salmon are in the rivers, best around the piers and turning basin at St. Joseph.
ILLINOIS EARLY CATCH-AND-RELEASE FALL TROUT
Please note the Illinis Department of Natural Resources posted this:
The early catch-and-release season, scheduled to open Oct. 7 this year, will be stocked later than expected because of forecasted and observed warm water temperatures. Trout stocked in waters warmer than 70 degrees will experience high mortality. IDNR will stock the early catch-and-release sites as soon as water temperatures cool and will provide updates on the ifishillinois.org website and social media channels for ifishillinois.org and IDNR.
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 fall trout season opens Oct. 21.
Click here for the statewide announcement.
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
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
Capt. Dan Leslie at the Salmon Stop in Waukegan said bluegills are picking up in ponds and lakes.
Ken “Husker” O’Malley of Husker Outdoors emailed the photos above and below, and this:
Hey Dale,
Here is a recap of this past weeks fishing.
Summer is back for a limited time only. Water temps have now climbed back into the mid 70’s. Fall will reappear this weekend, so get out and enjoy while it lasts.
Bluegill have been very good on micro spins. With the warmer water temps, fish have moved up shallow and are very active afternoon and evening hours. Best color has been yellow and black worked along the inside weedlines.
Smaller bass have also moved up shallow and can be caught with inline spinners as well. Better size bass can be caught on spinnerbaits and texas rigged senkos on a Vector hooks 4/0 EWG worked along the outside weedlines.
. . .
TTYL
—
Ken Husker O’Malley
Husker Outdoors Waterwerks fishing team
Pete Lamar emailed the photo above and this:
Hi Dale,
Only one outing this week, but it was a good one. Multiple species in the small lake all feeding aggressively. Most of the bluegills were small, but the green sunfish were not-I thought they were bass until I got them in close enough to identify them. Even a respectable largemouth on the last cast of the evening. All fish came on a small craft fur streamer. Good thing all this is still going on because 85 degree afternoons are not made for long hikes in the turkey woods or casting for salmon in the tributaries.
He’s got a good point.
Rob Abouchar emailed the photo above and this:
Hi Dale
It was a stay at home weekend for family get together on Saturday. We fishe a bit out back on island lake. The best bite is yellow bass hitting gulp minnows on snell hook and red worms in ice jigs. A couple hit a blue fox in line spinner. Bluegill still hitting early and late on red worms and ice jigs. The bass bite is slow with anglers reporting small bass being caught but low numbers. The severe algae may have something to do with this.
On the music front its a show with midnite mile at the hempfest in Waucanda on Nov. 4 that should be interesting. And the Gozortenplat rehearsals continue in Milwaukee. Ike Willis will be joining us for both shows in December. The Beatles medley is gonna be something.
Tight lines and good health!
Rob
And my Tuesday is made with the music update.
BRAIDWOOD LAKE
Final fishing day is Oct. 17.
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
Arden Katz, fishing with Kyle Tepper of Triangle Sports and Marine in Antioch, said Tepper was the master, but they were catching white and yellow bass by setting up in 11 feet and casting into 5 or 6 feet with small silver bladebaits.
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 coolest temperatures of the fall are coming this week. That should actually make fishing better as bluegill and crappies head into the channels to put on the feed bag. Both Chain O Lakes and Fox River channels will be good fishing. Wax worms, Gulp minnows would be my choices of bait.
Brennan Critzer at Triangle Sports and Marine in Antioch said crappie are picking up, some movng into channell; same with perch; a few walleye being caughtt; some muskie being caught, too.
NOTE: Check updates on water conditions at foxwaterway.com or (847) 587-8540.
NOTE 2: In October, Stratton Lock and Dam is open 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
CHICAGO RIVER
Jeffrey Williams messaged:
Fishing on the riverwalk is heating up, a mix of Largemouths, white perch, white bass, rock bass and crappies are being caught, even a occasional yellow perch, caught this chunky Rock Bass, just over a pound, one of the biggest RBs I’ve ever caught in awhile, minnows on a drop shot
COOLING LAKES/STRIP PITS
Final fishing days: Heidecke, Oct. 10; LaSalle, Oct. 15, Braidwood, Oct. 17, and Mazonia, Oct. 17 (except Monster Lake is open all year).
DELAVAN LAKE, WISCONSIN
Capt. Dave Duwe emailed:
Delavan Lake 10/2/23 through 10/9/23
We had a week of warm, consistent weather that produced some great fishing opportunities. The upcoming week is forecasted to be much cooler so that may change some of the methods but I would suspect that the fishing will remain good overall.
Northern Pike fishing was really good all week, except for Sunday when the cold front moved in. They have again been off the weedline in 20-25 ft of water. I’ve found that the larger the sucker the better. I’ve been lindy rigging 8 inch suckers. The best location is by the gray condos or by Willow Point. 30% of the fish have been legal. Once the weather stabilizes, the pike will bite up to turnover and then go on a feeding frenzy until ice up. Turnover is approximately 3 weeks away depending on the weather.
The walleye have been sporadic. The most success has come while trolling deep diving crankbaits in 22-25 ft of water or by lindy rigging nightcrawlers on the weedline. The best colors for the crankbaits are fire tiger or pearl. I’ve been catching about one out of five fish that are legal. The best location has been by the Village point and the Oriental boat house.
Bluegills are in the 12-15 ft depth range. They are not as easy to catch as they were in the past few weeks. However, with a little perseverance a limit is possible. The best bait is leaf worms straight lined beneath the boat or on slip bobbers. Good success is coming from the Browns Channel area or west of Willow Point on the flat.
Largemouth bass that I’m fishing for are coming off the deep weedline. I’m moving around a lot. There is no rhyme or reason as to their location. I just move down the weedline fishing nightcrawlers on a split shot rig. The best location seems to be from the Village Point down to the Oriental boat house. Once the water cools to about 60 degrees, I will switch from nightcrawlers to fathead minnows.
Good luck and I hope to see you on the water. For guide parties, please call Dave Duwe at 262-728-8063
DOWNSTATE
POWERTON: Currently in winter hours: 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.
HENNEPIN-HOPPER: Closed for the season.
SHELBYVILLE: Check with Ken Wilson of Lithia Guide Service.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS: Check with Jason Johns of Boneyard Fishing.
FOX RIVER
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 coolest temperatures of the fall are coming this week. That should actually make fishing better as bluegill and crappies head into the channels to put on the feed bag. Both Chain O Lakes and Fox River channels will be good fishing. Wax worms, Gulp minnows would be my choices of bait. This drop will also make the already great smallmouth bass bite on the Fox River below Algonquin dam to the Illinois River even better! Small top waters or suckers for you live bait fishermen.
Vince Oppedisano emailed the photo below and this:
Hey Dale,
Water levels have been up a couple of inches over the past weekend at the Fox River in Kane County. Levels appeared similar to what they were around May this past spring. Still lots of loose and floating weed growth from the past rainfall throughout the river. Water was pretty clear in most areas I fished.
Bass have not really been in the mood to chase any moving baits the past couple of weeks, at least for me. I think the cooler nights and continuing hot, sunny days are shutting them down a little.
Haven’t been catching big numbers lately, but the fish caught have almost all been good size. Got some really fat ones yesterday, hair jigs & paddle tails were the ticket. Biggest was this 19 incher from St. Charles that felt like my heaviest bass of the year. Had a really nice pattern on it.
Also, Len Cajic caught this one in Kane County a few days ago, his biggest smallmouth of the year.
GENEVA LAKE, WISCONSIN
Arden Katz said night fishing they caught walleye (16-18 inches) drop-shotting a a third of crawler in 18-22 feet and also bass on Berkley Flat Worms on points only; days, rock bass and pumpkinseeds very good in 18-20 on maggots on drop-shots.
Capt. Dave Duwe emailed:
Lake Geneva 10/2/23 through 10/9/23
The smallmouth bass are in 20-25 ft of water. They can be lindy rigged with small yellow perch or nightcrawlers. Look for the fish by the South Shore Club or by the Fontana Beach. With a good fish locator, you will be able to see the suspended fish about 2-3 ft above bottom. With the cooler temperatures, as the fall progresses, the fish will be moving to the main lake points.
Rock bass have been biting in the 12-15 ft depth range. They can be caught on small hair jigs. The best hair jig color is white with a pink head or orange with a brown body which imitates a crayfish. Look for the fish by Linn Pier and by Maytag Point. If you aren’t getting fish in the shallows, slide out a little deeper and check for them there.
Bluegill fishing has been alright. However, finding the bigger fish has been the trick. The best location was Geneva Bay or by Elgin Club. You can catch smaller bluegills in the 5-6 ft range, however, the bigger fish have been found in the 20-25 ft range. The best approach has been fishing leaf worms straight lined beneath the boat.
Largemouth bass fishing has been very good. With the cooler water temperature, the fish have moved shallow and are around the boat docks. They can be caught flipping All Terrain flipping jigs with a crayfish trailer. Most of the piers I like to fish are on the north shore between Knollwood and the Narrows. Nightcrawlers fished on a split shot is still a good approach. You want to drag them in about 10-12 ft of water. Look for the fish by Trinkes or by Belvidere Park.
Northern Pike fishing has been improving with the colder water. They have again moved shallow. They can be caught on slip bobber rigged large golden shiners. You want to position the boat on the outside weed edge in about 17 ft of water and cast to the shallows. I’ve been positioning the bait about 1-2 ft above the weed tops.
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 – 10/2/2023
Mike Norris
Big Green: Fishing pressure was down this last weekend as many Wisconsin sportsmen enjoyed the duck hunting opening last Saturday. Fortunately, for guides like me who would rather fish, it was an amazing weekend for catching smallmouth bass. As is typical in the fall, many smallmouths roam sand grass flats in 8 – 12 feet of water in search of food. And with fishing pressure down and a warming trend in the works last weekend, my clients and I had them all to ourselves. On last Saturday’s outing, my clients hooked and released 24 smallmouth bass between 3 and 5 lbs. My Sunday clients landed another 16 smallmouth bass up to 4.25 lbs. in a half-day outing. The surface water temperature is holding steady at 68 degrees, but that should change with the impending cold front later this week.
Fox Lake: There were more duck hunters out than fishermen. For the few fishermen that were out, the early morning bite for largemouth bass and northern pike fishing was decent. Try fishing around the islands and under piers along the north shoreline.
GREEN/STURGEON BAYS, WISCONSIN
Click here for the Wisconsin DNR weekly report.
HEIDECKE LAKE
Bob Johnson emailed;
Hi Dale - Fished Heidecke lake early Sunday morning with my oldest son Jake. Water temps popped back up to mid 70’s. The warm weather has slowed the bite however we did catch 7 smallmouth fishing rip rap to 6 feet out. First fish of day was solid falling for a jack hammer bladed jig, black / Blue with a craw trailer. We also caught a few on Ned rigs including 2 freshwater drum. Lake should be prime for remaining open days.
Open 6 a.m. (6:30 bank fishing) to sunset.
Final fishing day is Tuesday, Oct. 10.
KANKAKEE RIVER
George Peters emailed the photo above and this:
Hi Dale, [Kankakee] still very low and clear. Tough fishing with bright sun and green bottom moss . Coming cold front could bring some much needed rain and overcast. It’s wait and see now G. Peters
LAKE ERIE
Click here for the Ohio DNR Report.
LAKEFRONT
Stacey Greene at Park Bait at Montrose Harbor texted:
Good morning, Dale
Oh, this weather is wonderful for us, but the fish, I think, are confused, lol.There are still Kings, Coho and Steelhead being caught, but not consistently. It is scattered. Don’t get me wrong, they are out there anglers just have to put a little more time and effort into fishing for them. Still hitting spoons and crankbaits. Also fish slip bobber with spawn sacs, medium & large roaches (shiners) and crawlers. Also, start jigging Maribu Jigs and spinners with a wax or butter worm for Steelhead in the harbors.
There are still a few Smallmouth here and there. No perch reports. Some nice Northerns in the mix.Have a great week!
Capt. Bob Poteshman of Confusion Charters said fishing is changing, mornings OK on lakers out of Chicago, afternoons tough, in 150-200; out of North Point, it’s lakers on the South Reef. “The reefs are the program.”
Capt. Dan Leslie at the Salmon Stop in Waukegan said shore fishing slwed with heat, when the cold weather comes back in, expect fishing to pick for shoreline salmon;boaters pcking up some coho and young salmon in 140-180 and lake trout “are off the hook” good.
Capt. Scott Wolfe of School of Fish Charters emailed:
Hi Dale
We finally, finally got some good weather to really run a few trips and get a look at the patterns on the lake.
For boaters lake trout fishing is as good as it gets with easy limits on any of the reefs off Waukegan. Jimmy Fly mo rigs on the bottom are best but spoons and flasher fly presentations worked well too. Every trip last week had quick limits. You know its good when charters from Kenosha and Racine are running all the way down here.
For boaters looking for 2 and 3 year old kings, 2 year old coho and browns, they have moved shallower with the cold water. 20 - 55 feet has these fish scattered and feeding on schools of alewife and shiners. Spoons have out-produced flasher fly presentation with Warrior Ultraglow in Watermellon, blueberry muffin and bloody nose bring best. Orange spoons have been very good for most boats too. The lake trout have begun moving into these shallower waters too. It appears they spawn on the offshore reefs and after they spawn they move into the shallower waters.
The cooler waters have also improved the harbor fishing. Many more kings (mostly very dark now) and coho (still silver) were taken this week than any week this fall. Unfortunately snagging season began October 1 which makes actual fishing difficult. Casting spoons with orange and red/white patterns were best. Skien/spawn sacks should begin working soon.
The weather this week looks great and should keep the fish shallow.
Capt. Scott Wolfe312-933-0552
SALMON SNAGGING: Warm weather since the start of snaggng season on Sunday has led to slower than expected 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).
LaSALLE LAKE
Final fishing day is Oct. 15.
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
Final fishing day is Oct. 17, except Monster Lake is open all year.
Hours are 6 a.m. to sunset.
NORTHERN WISCONSIN
Brian Athern texted the photo above and this:
Fishing report from Northern WI Antigo area...largemouth bass hitting topwater early and late. Yum Dinger/Senko style stick worms fished weightless, wacky rig and jigs in 10-20 feet near weedline and drop off transitions. Caught pb walleye 25 inches about 5 lbs
On a shaky head jig and 4 inch Yum Dinger watermelon red flake
This was a fin clipped fish either stocked or already surveyed. Forgot to ask DNR guy doing fish info survey
Kurt Justice at Kurt’s Island Sport Shop in Minocqua emailed:
Looks as if Mother Nature is going through the Change! You know, hot (10/1 – 88 degrees) to cold (10/5,6,7 – highs of upper 40’s, bbbrrrr!) Short sleeves, sunburn, swatting flies to pull out the long johns! It’s that time of year, we should expect anything to happen.
Water temps, thanks to the heat of late, have risen into the mid-upper 60’s. Following a wet week, it’s hard to believe things didn’t cool off more. Once Saturday (9/30) mornings storm moved out, conditions have become very nice as people were seen taking advantage of what might have been the last nice weekend. We’ll see.
Bluegill: Good–Very Good – Sunny, warm weather following all that rain has the Gills fired up. Great catches of 7-9, thick Gills with a few honest 10 measured to send off September. Crawlers and floats. Weeds of 8-12’ or available cribs or drowned wood.
Yellow Perch: Good-Very Good – Cabbage edges in the same 7-10’ depths as well as cribs or wood. Nice Perch to 12 taking 1/2 crawlers or medium fatheads on 1/16 oz jigs or under slip-floats.
Smallmouth Bass: Good-Very Good – Big bronze backs still hitting Whopper Ploppers and Choppo’s in shallow, 3-8’ depths. Twitchbaits (X-Raps, Husky Jerks) also producing in these areas. Nice, fat Smallies to 21 this past week.
Largemouth Bass: Good – Green weeds holding plenty of Largemouth. Wacky Worms, jig and Sweet Beavers as well as chatterbaits and spinnerbaits all producing well.
Crappie: Good – Lake fish still suspending outside weeds. Work from 5’ to as much as 15’ down outside coontail edges of 18-24’. Wood holding some fish. Medium fats, small jig/plastics and 1/16 oz beetle spins working best.
Northern Pike: Good-Fair – Not as much, as water warmed past couple days, but should pick up on spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and 4-5 swimbaits this weekend.
Walleye: Good-Fair – Rain and overcast last week helped until lightening storm shut fishing down on Saturday (9/30). Still, Shiver Minnows (#2.5-#3), Jigging Raps (#7’s & #9), 1/4 oz – 3/8 oz jigs tipped with crawlers, fatheads or chubs along gravel/mud transitions in 18-30’. On flowages, fish light, weedless jigs with 3-4 redtail or black chubs through timber along river channels.
Musky: Good-Fair – Electric storm hurt, but still some good action on bucktails and top-water this past week. A few reports on sucker action, but with this weekend’s outlook for a sharp drop in highs (88 to 48) expect the sucker bite to get hot!
Fishing pressure on some species such as Bass and Gills will likely drop following the cold to come. On the other hand, Musky, Walleye, and for a while, Crappie action should pick up.
Colors still beautiful, with more to come. Bundle up and come see for yourself.
Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop - Like us on Facebook
NORTHWEST INDIANA
Jim Treacy emailed the photo above and this:
My grandson with monster carp cought in a pond in Valpo.hooked on fishing forever
Yes, that should be a breakthrough moment.
Bob Johnson emailed the photo above and this:
Hi Dale - Fished a couple discharges and off spots on break wall waters with Tom Spence Saturday evening. We were able to catch 10 smallmouth on Ned rigs, crainkbaits and jig with trailers. The warm weather has kept the bigger fish out but the fish we caught were all solid fighters. Water temps in mid 70’s lake was clear.
Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station texted:
Some perch action in deeper water outside of Michigan city. Boats are working hard for them but some dandy perch are being caught. Must move around and cover water 35 to 58ft back and forth.
Some kings and coho being caught in area nwi creeks casting spinners, small spoons and floating spawn saks and chunks of skein.
Crappie at lake George in Hobart fishing the bridges and log jams using minnows.
ROOT RIVER, WISCONSIN
Click here for the Wisconsin DNR’s report, usually on Tuesday or Wednesday.
SHABBONA LAKE
John Honiotes at Boondocks reported a few smaller muskies, still catching largemouth and catfish; water is around 70.
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, Friday through Sunday.
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 they are “killing the perch,” started last week in 60 feet, on Tuesday it was in 35, both north and south of St. Joseph, on minnows; some salmon in the river, best around the piers and turning basin; boaers catching lakers in 150 with a few young salmoon mixed in.
Paddle and Pole hosts the Berrien Springs Fish Ladder Camera.
WOLF RIVER, WISCONSIN
Guide Bill Stoeger in Fremont texted the photo above last week, then the report below on Tuesday:
White bass are still biting near sand bars associated with deep water. Crappie action is good, and some walleye are showing up. Water temp. is still in the mid 60’s, and fishing should get better as it cools into the 50’s.
