Perch fishing beginning on southern Lake Michigan and pier passes beginning Wednesday, Nov. 15, lead this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report; reports of burbot build on the Chicago lakefront and the Wisconsin lakefront.
Guide and fishing teacher Mike Norris texted the photo at the top of Laura Hiestand, Schaumburg, on an outing with Norris on Big Green Lake in Wisconsin.
LAKEFRONT PERCH
CHIICAGO: Stacey Greene at Park Bait at Montrose Harbor texted:
WE HAVE PERCH ACTIVITY, BUT THEY ARE OFF AND ON. WE HAVE HAD SOME CAUGHT UP THIS WAY AT MONTROSE LAST WEEK, A LITTLE BETTER SOUTH BY THE SLIP AND 95th. ONLY NAVY PIER REPORT I RECEIVED SO FAR WAS FROM A BOAT AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A COUPLE BIG SCHOOLS RIGHT OUT IN FRONT OF THE PIER SO SHOULD BE SOON THERE ALSO. BITING ON MINNOWS, ESPECIALLY ROSEY REDS ON A CRAPPIE RIG OR PERCH POUNDER RIG, WORMS, SHRIMP AND ARTIFICIAL BAITS TIPPED WITH SPIKES OR WAXIES.
Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station texted:
Perch fishing going good most days steelworkers park bank fisherman and boats fishing around crowley’s turn around basin. Perch fly rigs and minnows and white spikes doing well.
WAUKEGAN:
Lori Ralph at the Salmon Stop in Waukegan texted:
Good morning ... My friend Jeff said he’s seen a few perch, I guess they are on the way from the south. He went the last few days, nothing worth reporting he said
PIER PASSES
Pier passes go on sale and become effective Wednesday, Nov. 15. 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.
NAVY PIER ANGLING
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
AREA LAKES
David Czuprynski emailed the photo above and this:
Dale,
In this picture is Luke, a local young man that goes to the Bridgeport Bait and Tackle every day. Gets minnows, worms, crappie bait. I told him I would send in his picture to you for fish of the week honors. He told me he is testing into Whitney Young’s eighth grade program soon.
Best regards,
David Czuprynski
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:
Several warmer days this week will give the open water fishermen an opportunity to get out fishing. Channels have bait in them which brings the crappie, bluegill, bass and pike with them. Use wax worms for panfish. Live bait fisherman should use large golden roach minnows for bass and pike. . . .
Don’t wait to get your ice tackle ready either, take a look at reels and rods. Check your line, and battery in your flasher’s.
Ken “Husker” O’Malley of Husker Outdoors emailed the photos above and below, and this:
Hey Dale,
Here is a recap of the past weeks fishing
Area lakes-
The mid-afternoon bass bite has been the best best for numbers. The jig bite hasn’t really taken off yet, but will soon with water temps hitting just under 50 degrees. A 1/2oz war eagle spinner bait with a lake fork swim’n slug trailer has been the most consistent bait. Working the bait along the weed edge in 10 fow adjacent to the 15-20 foot drop off has been the target area.
Bluegill have been on fire during the first few hours of the morning. Targeting active biters in isolated weed clumps has taken good numbers in the 7-8 inch range. The bait of choice was a Wiggleyourworm_fishing custom jig paired with an IJO Plastics quiver minnow. A winning combination. It’s shaping up to be a fantastic week weather wise to get out.
. . .
Here is the nature pic of the week [below]. Sign of summer past.
TTYL
Ken Husker O’Malley
Husker Outdoors Waterwerks fishing team
That’s a sign of things past.
CHAIN O’LAKES AREA
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:
Several warmer days this week will give the open water fishermen an opportunity to get out fishing. Channels have bait in them which brings the crappie, bluegill, bass and pike with them. Use wax worms for panfish. Live bait fisherman should use large golden roach minnows for bass and pike. This is also a great time to float a Muskie sucker for a big Muskie.
Don’t wait to get your ice tackle ready either, take a look at reels and rods. Check your line, and battery in your flasher’s.
Kyle Tepper at Triangle Sports and Marine in Antioch said bigger walleye are going on Rippin’ Raps, big blade baits or suckers in 15-20 feet, there’s a shallow bite for walleye, tooo; crappie pushed up into the channel (3 feet or deeper), use tubes or slip-bobber and minnow; white bass slowed some, but plenty being caught; muskies are going on suckers in 8-15 feet, Channel, Catherine and Marie are best; perch and bluegill are going good in 2 feet or less on ice jig and waxies under a small float; channel catfish continue on mnnows, chicken liver or cutbait.
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.
COOLING LAKES
Braidwood, Heidecke and LaSalle are closed.
DES PLAINES RIVER
Mitch Brown, one of my pastors, emailed the photo above of this:
Urban fishing and I do mean urban! a silver creek under 1st avenue.
The angler must know something, he looks intent as if he expects to catch something.
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.
HENNEPIN-HOPPER: Closed.
SPRING LAKE: Boat fishing is closed. Through the end of duck season, bank fishing is allowed after 1 p.m.
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 a shallow stretch on the Fox River in Kane County on Saturday for a couple of hours. Levels were very low and the water was mostly crystal clear. Water temperature around 45 degrees. Caught one quillback on a white & gray hair jig.
On Sunday I fished for about 4 hours before sunset and found 14 smallmouth and a drum. I wasn’t catching anything until I switched to a ned rig. Just casting and letting the ned drift downstream.....caught about 10 that way. Then about an hour before sunset, found a good jerkbait bite with 4 decent sized smallmouth hitting the lure one after the other in heavy current. Those were the best size from the weekend, all about 14-16 inches. Water temp on Sunday was about 45-48 degrees.
The upcoming forecast looks it might keep the water temps around that range for another week or so...
GENEVA LAKE, WISCONSIN
Kyle Tepper at Triangle Sports and Marine in Antioch said walleye going at night, mostly trolling bays or casting the humps in 30 feet.
GREEN LAKE AREA, WISCONSIN
Guide Mike Norris texted the photo at the very top and emailed this:
Fishing Report – 11/13/2023
Mike Norris
Big Green Lake: The surface water temperature has dropped to the upper 40s but the big bass bite is still on. When weather and wind permits, I am guiding clients to catches of smallmouth bass up to five pounds. I am finding them searching for food in water as shallow as five feet, while other smallmouths have set up on primary break lines in 21 – 35 feet of water. With the cooler water, live bait dominates the shallow water catches, and Carolina rigging with plastics is my best choice for fishing for the deeper smallmouth bass. Walleyes are also active and catchable from sunset through the early evening hours. Try trolling with #7 Shad Raps or # 8 Countdown Rapalas over deeper green weeds in 10 to 15 feet of water.
Little Green Lake: Anglers are casting and catching muskies on suckers. A few others are trolling for muskie. Crappies up to 10 inches are biting out over the deeper water. Try drifting in 15 – 20 feet of water with minnows suspended 5 feet from the bottom.
Beaver Dam Lake: Crappies up to 12 inches and perch up to 10 inches are the best bet for shore anglers. Look for neckdown areas where current exists. Suspend a minnow below a float for boat species.
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 water temp dropped below 50, 49 degrees on Sunday and water looking very clear just down from normal pool. Fishing is good these days both Walleye and Smallmouth fattening up for winter ahead and I’m loving it!! Catching both species on swim baits, deep diving craink baits and swim baits however on Sunday the hot bite was jerk bait. Mornings are the best window to find them. I’ve located a couple spots in 8 to 12’, Anyway the walleye measured 22 and 19 so were released due to the slot limit and Smallmouth never go home with me. Taking my son out Tuesday most likely his last day out, a sure sign season is almost over. I’ll fish to ice on river puts an end to it. Smallmouth in pic measured 18 but average bass Sunday was 15 to 17
Ken “Husker” O’Malley of Husker Outdoors emailed the photo below, and this:
Hey Dale,
Here is a recap of the past weeks fishing
. . .
Kankakee River-
Wading conditions are perfect. Water temps were 55 and very clear. I started out throwing topwater baits in hopes of hitting a mid-morning bite window. That window never developed. Next up in the lineup was the husker bug, but I found that many areas had too much moss on the bottom and the winds were going to be an issue as well. So I tied on a bandit 100 paired with Vector Hooks tornado trebles. The running depth was perfect as the bait stayed just off the bottom. That took a few decent bass. In the hopes of tying into better fish, the switch to a All-Terrain Tackle swim jig paired with Keitech impact swimmer in white. I dipped the tail in chartreuse spike it for some contrast. That took a few more but just couldn’t find the big ones today. It was still a nice change of pace wading the river today.
. . .
TTYL
Ken Husker O’Malley
Husker Outdoors Waterwerks fishing team
LAKE ERIE
Click here for the Ohio DNR Report.
LAKEFRONT
Dave Dempsey messaged on Instagram:
Jigging a gulp at the lighthouse. Also castmasters too. All Lakers and one brown
Jeffrey Williams messaged the photo above and this:
Easily say we are getting better and better at salmon fishing, caught around 7 cohos but kept 3, and was able to hook into a king, she was slowly getting into the Zombie Phase but i got nice eggs out of her, relased back so she could live whats left of her life. She was caught on a minnow under a slip bobber and the cohos were caught with Shrimp also under a slip bobber
Stacey Greene at Park Bait at Montrose Harbor texted:
WE HAVE PERCH ACTIVITY, BUT THEY ARE OFF AND ON. WE HAVE HAD SOME CAUGHT UP THIS WAY AT MONTROSE LAST WEEK, A LITTLE BETTER SOUTH BY THE SLIP AND 95th. ONLY NAVY PIER REPORT I RECEIVED SO FAR WAS FROM A BOAT AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A COUPLE BIG SCHOOLS RIGHT OUT IN FRONT OF THE PIER SO SHOULD BE SOON THERE ALSO. BITING ON MINNOWS, ESPECIALLY ROSEY REDS ON A CRAPPIE RIG OR PERCH POUNDER RIG, WORMS, SHRIMP AND ARTIFICIAL BAITS TIPPED WITH SPIKES OR WAXIES.
THERE ARE STILL SALMON AROUND. SOME OLD ZOMBIE KINGS, A FEW NICE COHO AND SOME REALLY NICE STEELHEAD/ RAINBOW. STILL CASTING LURES AND CRANKBAITS ALSO USING LARGER ROACH MINNOWS, NIGHT CRAWLERS, SHRIMP, WAX WORMS WITH HAIR/TINSEL JIGS. A FEW BURBOT HAVE BEEN CAUGHT AS WELL AS NORTHERNS. NO SMALLMOUTH REPORTS. AS I ALWAYS SAY WHEN YOU GET A BITE YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU WILL HAVE ON THE END OF THAT LINE.
PIER PASSES GO ON SALE THIS WEDNESDAY NOV.15th AT 6AM WHEN WE OPEN. THEY ARE $10 WITH A VALID FISHING LICENSE. THIS ALLOWS ANGLERS ACCESS TO FISH DESIGNATED PIERS IN EACH HARBOR THROUGH MARCH 31st 2024. OUR HOURS ARE STILL 6AM to 5PM 7 DAYS A WEEK. WE WILL BE OPEN THANKSGIVING DAY. I WILL POST THE HOURS NEXT WEEK WHEN IT IS CLOSER.
Have a great week
Lori Ralph at the Salmon Stop in Waukegan texted:
Good morning, browns and steelies very speradict. My friend Jeff said he’s seen a few perch, I guess they are on the way from the south. He went the last few days, nothing worth reporting he said
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
Jerry Borst, the spoonplugger, sent the photo above and this:
Hello Dale
After getting home from Canada and still not feeling completely satisfied, haha, I took a new Spoonpluger out on a Madison lake to show him what it’s all about. Things were extremely slow but did manage to scratch out a 43 and a 45er. We ran depths from 18’- 52’ with large crankbaits and JB Spoonplugs.
Thanks again for your reports,
Jerry Borst
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:
With most outdoors people thinking gun deer season opener coming up, not a lot of anglers hitting the water. Those that did were finding surface temps of 40-44.5 degrees on average. Yet following last week’s cold snap, with ice forming on shallow ponds and bays had anglers thinking early Ice! Now, with forecasts of highs in the 50’s (57 for 11/16) don’t expect it to cool off fast enough for Deer stands and tip-ups this year.
Musky: Good – Actually fair to great depending on the day and the angler. One angler boated three Muskies of 42, 48 and 49 ¾ on Saturday (11/11). That’s an incredible feat, let alone single handed? While suckers have scored the majority of the Skies caught, rubber baits have put some fish in the net also. Unlike the angler with the 3-fish day, most anglers happy to get one opportunity as the colder water has fish slowing down. That particular day (11/11) had several reports of multi-opportunities (figures I was in the shop all day)!
Did see some anglers baiting up for a final shot at Walleye as it warmed Saturday. Expect a few more as those who haven’t put their boats away will want to take advantage of the warm spell.
Deer opener this Saturday (11/18). Rut starting to wind down, wish we had some snow (didn’t need it last week). May see some Thanksgiving.
NORTHWEST INDIANA
Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station texted:
Perch fishing going good most days steelworkers park bank fisherman and boats fishing around crowley’s turn around basin. Perch fly rigs and minnows and white spikes doing well.
Lake trout and whitefish being caught off Michigan city lighthouse pier. Blade baits and spoons for lakers and small peices of skein or single eggs for whitefish fishing the bottom.
Crappie at lake George in Hobart around the bridges using minnows.
Few steelhead being caught on the lower stretches of salt creek floating spawn saks or voodoo jigs tipped with waxworms
Slez’s Bait Shop will be open 5am to 2pm on Thanksgiving Day
Christina Petrites at Stan’s Bait & Tackle Center in Hammond emailed:
Dale,
Just wanted to inform you of your friend Orrin Brand is in tough shape. He has been in ICU since Thursday and he is now on a Ventilator His wife informed me yesterday that they will be deciding when to take him off the machine once all his family arrives. Just wanted you to know, I will let you know if and when things change. Stay well my friend, Life is to Short.. Always wishing you the best.
JG
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
Andy Mikos emailed the photo above on Saturday and this:
Slow today but managed 1 pretty female brown. Missed a few more. Wisconsin is awesome. Happy early Thanksgiving.
Kyle Tepper at Triangle Sports and Marine in Antioch said burbot are starting in Racine and Sheboygan.
SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN
Staff at Tackle Haven in Benton Harbor said some whitefish off the pier, “they’re big;” there’s some steelhead in the river.
Paddle and Pole hosts the Berrien Springs Fish Ladder Camera.
WISCONSN RIVER, WISCONSIN
Rob Abouchar messaged the photo above and this:
Hi Dale
I headed to the north woods over the weekend to bring the boat home for the season. I had time to fish for a couple hours as the water had not started to freeze. The water temp was at 40 degrees the temp that seems to shut down the bite. I think i was lucky to get a couple small pike on my new found bait the rapala og Rocco squarebill. Both fish bit in 5 feet of water near still green vegetation. As the snow began to fly aroynd 4pm it was time to call it a season on the flowage. I already have a guide trip for mext spring with Dave Colombo and sons. He is the one who got me up on a stage for the first time years ago. He asked the price of the trip i replied a six pack and a Brain Massage CD.
. . .
Rob
WOLF LAKE
Randy Shomo messaged a photo of a nice walleye caught by Pat Renwck:
24in Walleye Wolf Lake IND. Side!
