Even with the extra variable weather, a mix of spring fishing—coho, steelhead, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, crappie, trout—lead this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report.
Steve Palmisano at Henry’s Sports and Bait texted the photo above Tuesday and this:
We had some fun this morning. Jonathan Lee Jr. caught this 2.85 black bullhead at Spring lake, Illinois.
He added:
It was fun identifying bullheads. Anal rays shape of tail and color of barbels played a key roll. FYI state record is 5lb 6 oz.
I thought it might be a brown bullhead, which would have been near the Illinois record.
All in all, it’s worth a family look.
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 for the fisherman’s parking lots at DuSable and Burnham harbors are on sale at Henry’s Sports and Bait in Bridgeport, Park Bait at Montrose Harbor, and the Northerly Island Visitor Center.
Readers suggest SpotHero app downtown. Otherwise, here are some basics: Foster (free street parking or pay lot); Montrose (now a mix of metered and free street parking); Belmont (pay lots on north and south sides); Diversey (pay lot or street parking); DuSable Harbor (pay lot or fisherman’s lot); Northerly Island/Burnham Harbor (meters, pay lot or fisherman’s lot); 31st/Burnham (meter parking between McCormick Place and 31st Street Harbor); Oakwood/39th (meters); 63rd Street/Casino Pier (pay lot); Steelworkers Park (free street parking at east end of 87th); Cal Park (free parking).
SMELT
No reports. Smelt season ends Saturday, April 30.
PERCH
Season is closed from Sunday, May 1, through June 15, on Illinois’ Lake Michigan.
AREA LAKES
Still a few trout being caught, but the end is near. Otherwise, it is waiting for spring to truly arrive and crappie, largemouth and bluegill to begin act normally.
Dr. Atul Mallik sent this epic (which included many photos of the many varieties of panfish and a bullhead caught, but I only included the bullhead and one of the panfish photos), and I edited it down some (some day I may go back through his whole list and see what biologists think because I enjoy stuff like this):
Hope you are well and thanks for sharing stories as always. If at all helpful, here are some multispecies panfish and one baby bullhead (not legal, I believe) from the past week. All catch and release. (Also, I have to be honest, if we limit the list to just bluegill, green sunfish, pumpkinseed, redear sunfish and say that many readily hybridize I go between not knowing enough to identify and totally overanalyzing. Even my Dad says I go overboard with my panfish ID thoughts (and don’t get me started about sexual dimorphism, and seasonal and regional variation =) Still… With the better but still variable Spring conditions, the itch to try out new tips and techniques really builds...though it can be hard to find time with grants and abstract season really picking up. So, can you even take a quick fishing trip? (My wife, wiser than me, says no.) To save time and gas, I live closest to the DPR and the Columbus Park lagoon and have variable success on both. Actually, Columbus Park Lagoon gets a bad rap if you believe everything you read online, but most of this is unwarranted (although I have had some trouble finding the panfish in the shallower end of this pond). Finally had some time to move around this weekend with an old online depth chart on my phone. Found a nice weedline near a fallen tree on the deeper side with some mystery panfish: was getting lots of nibbles on what ended up being a surpisingly dull packet of new snelled hooks. Switched over to some sharper mosquito hooks, and they were on. Found some stunted but pretty panfish:
Prominent Wavy lines on face, rounded pectoral fin, pale margin on gill flap: checks some boxes and has some conflicts for both green and pumpkin seed so, Green/pumpkinseed hybrid?) [In another photo] Pointed pec fin, red/orange crescent on gill flap, no lines on face: best guess Redear At dusk, I caught my biggest 6.5 Incher (green sunfish/Pumpkinseed Hybrid again?) so there are some nicer fish in there. (Missed a chance for a prettier pic here) . . . The next day I thought there was some debris in the water, but it was actually a school of baby catfish (black bullheads). Caught one by mistake after I thought they swam off and put it back right away.
Got some bigger panfish at Cermak Quarry. Reports of trophy bass (?) and crappie (?) there too. Used to be some really territorial anglers there, but they appear to have moved on Best guess: pale margin on gill spot (Green) orangish spot and the pectoral fin is pointed…hybrid? . . . And was happy to finally catch a reasonable bluegill at near the Cherry Blossoms at Jackson Park after snag after snag. . . . Finally, looking forward to targeting bigger fish: Pike again on the DPR though online sources difference between spawn and post spawn and the best. Also wonder if I need to go farther north, and if it’s not too late to head to the lakefront for Coho and Browns. Thanks as always, Atul P.S. I start by fishing for bass, mix of nightcrawlers, finesse plastics, and some faster lures …haven’t caught one in a forest preserve in a minute, but haven’t been trying too hard. Can provide some photos circa March 2020 (on faster lures surprisingly, but that was probably a combination of luck and my inexperience) To mix it up and have some fun, I switch over at some point to panfish. Everyone says they are easy and for the most part they are, so I tell myself I’m honing techniques set the kids up for reliable hook ups and bigger fish when possible. For me wax worms, nightcrawler bits or red worms work best (it’s not Delavan :), but I have finally found some soft plastics that are reasonable (still experimenting to find something better and easier than a wax worm). Smaller and sharper hooks are otherwise best. Obviously, still working on my camera and handling technique.
That may be one of the greatest reports I ever received.
Rob Abouchar emailed the photo above and this:
Hi Dale. The white Egrets have returned to the pond off Lake cook road,; blue Herrons in the backyard; and a Scarlet Tanager in the school courtyard indicate Spring. The bass were pushed off the beds and no panfish or bait were seen in the shallows at island lake after snow wind and rain. When I dropped the boat in Friday afternoon to be ready for Saturday’s high school team outing I finally got a bass on something other than a lipless crank. A small Male took a ned rig with a black and blue senko cut in half. Saturday was a great outing with the Leyden bass club. One of the guys had bass on a spinner bait and I got a couple again on the Arucu shad lipless. It’s great to see the genuine enthusiasm for even a small fish. Sunday I had a couple hours on the water and got some good largemouth again on the Arucu shad before the rain and wind. Next up High School Sectional at Busse Next Thursday. What a year! On the music front listening to the rough recordings of my original reggae has me wondering are the neighbors watching me dancing in the living room studio. Next show June 25th at Tighthead brewing company in Mundelein. Tight lines and good health! Rob
That report, complete with the natural world, youth fishing and reggae, just makes my day.
Sean Whippo emailed the photo above and this, as an aside to his report on the Des Plaines River:
Dale, I hope you’re well? It’s been awhile, and the Pike Spawn is partly responsible for that- & the up & down weather hasn’t helped. We’ve had significant rainfall & the current running through everything had the Des Plaines River close to flood stage at one point. . . . Also, to combat the flooded river issues, I’ve had luck fishing normally very clear lakes - a little murk from rain seems to have the fish less spooky, and the fun bonus of spring Piking bait size, is many bonus fat spring bass caught on the same lures (small jerkbaits twitched slow along bottom). Haven’t landed any monsters lately but on one of the warmer days after a rain two days prior, I had a 25+ bass day (Small jerkbaits) on one of the clear lakes (photo attached) and 4 Pike as well. I also made friend with a stately Heron, who happily ate one of my dead suckers and a medium sized shiner. Tight lines Dale and stay well. Kind Regards, Sean Whippo
Pete Lamar emailed:
Hi Dale, A couple of warm days and 2+ inches of rain over the weekend made a difference. Bluegills and bass got much more active in the warmed water-they were actually chasing a fly rather than waiting for it to hit them in the snout. Numbers went way up although the size, at least for the bass, was on the small side. Other anglers out included a green heron and an egret stalking the shallows for frogs and tadpoles. I was using a sparsely tied white minnow pattern. When pulling it out of the water to remove some aquatic vegetation, a huge dragon fly tried to eat it.
As for me, that dragonfly note is the kind of thing that makes the report extra special.
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. Area lakes-the past few days of warm weather is just what the doctor ordered. The bite really turned on with fish moving shallow and actually start thinking about staging for the spawn. Bass were very active chasing bluegill up in the shallows. The best presentation was a chatterbait style bait worked along spawning flats. Crappie were excellent on plastics worked under a slip float. Best bait was an IJO Plastics pannie crawler in unicorn color. The areas to focus on were bays that have been wind blown for a couple of days. . . . Here is the nature pic of the week [below]. Another sign of spring. TTYL — Ken Husker O’Malley Husker Outdoors Waterwerks fishing team
BRAIDWOOD LAKE
District fisheries biologist Seth Love would like to hear from anglers on hybrid catches at Braidwood. You can email him at seth.love@illinois.gov.
Open daily 6 a.m.-sunset.
CALUMET SYSTEM
BoRabb Williams texted on Tuesday:
Went yesterday....Bad.... the water is in the mid 50’s at Wolf Lake.... same in the Calumet River with white bass starting
CHAIN O’LAKES AREA
Arden Katz said that he and Roger Jackson found a good weekend spot where the “bluegill were insane, all different sizes,” and some crappie, too, on maggots on white Jigabite jigs under small bobbers.
Tucker Siminak at Triangle Sports and Marine in Antioch said bass starting to go; some are good perch are in the channels with some big crappie and bluegill.
NOTE: Lower river (Stratton Lock and Dam to Algonquin Dam) is no-wake; and the entire system is under a debris advisory. Check updates on water conditions at foxwaterway.com or (847) 587-8540.
NOTE 2: The Stratton Lock and Dam reopens Sunday, May 1. Normal daily operating hours will be 8 a.m. until midnight through Sept. 30.
CHICAGO RIVER
Jeffrey Williams the photo above and this on Thursday:
caught 23 in total was targeting bass and crappies
When I asked if he caught them downtown, he replied:
yes sir, caught me off guard
COOLING LAKES
Braidwood, LaSalle and Heidecke are open daily 6 a.m.-sunset.
DES PLAINES RIVER
Sean Whippo emailed :
Dale, I hope you’re well? It’s been awhile, and the Pike Spawn is partly responsible for that- & the up & down weather hasn’t helped. We’ve had significant rainfall & the current running through everything had the Des Plaines River close to flood stage at one point. Most previous deep, slack holes that hold gators have current running through them now which has made locating the now post spawn Pike gang difficult. I’ve had a little luck in shallower, slack backwaters however - but a pair of waders was usually key to these exploits & willingness to fish in some muck. The river has gone down significantly so Pike have been more willing to party the past week, and after this rain relaxes, I expect the post spawn (post flood) bite to be fantastic with the Pike needing to regain that lost spawn weight. One note- in line with the season, matching the hatch and utilizing bass sized lures (4.25 Vision 110s, X Raps vs huge jerkbaits) has been key, with a slightly more aggressive approach vs the early spring. . . . Tight lines Dale and stay well. Kind Regards, Sean Whippo
DOWNSTATE
POWERTON: Goes to summer hours 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday, May 1. .
EMIQUON PRESERVE: Hours are sunrise to sunset. Access permits and liability waivers are required. They 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.
HENNEPIN-HOPPER: Reopens May 15. Check regulations at http://www.wetlands-initiative.org/dixon-paddling-fishing.
FLORIDA
George Peters , who contributes to the Kankakee River report for much of the year, emailed the photo above and this from Florida, in one of his periodic check-ins:
This is a big Redfish. It took out near 100 yds. Of line and took 20 min. To get in on 30# test line. Get those I’ll. Fish going! G. Peters
He originally emailed the photo below and this from Florida:
. . . I see the spring has been tough so far [in northern Illinois]. This is about a 10# Jack. They pull like a 10# Bluegill.
Apparently I like torturing myself and readers.
FOX RIVER
Pete Lamar emailed the photo above and this:
Hi Dale, Sunshine and daydreams on a 4/20 afternoon. Not the biggest smallmouth in the Fox watershed, but the first of the year. I’d say nobody is migrating up from the Fox just yet, neither suckers nor big smallmouths. I fished just a few hundred yards up a tributary and the water was clear enough to count rocks. Last year at this time the bottom was obscured by so many spawning suckers. Maybe as soon as this weekend with the rain and projected warmth? Have a great weekend. Pete
GREEN LAKE AREA, WISCONSIN
Guide Mike Norris emailed:
Fishing Report – 4/22/2022 Mike Norris Big Green Lake – Shore anglers are catching perch up to ten inches long in Dartmouth Bay float fishing with small jigs tipped with minnows. Boat anglers fishing under piers in Beyers Cove are catching bluegills up to nine inches with small jigs tipped with half of a redworm suspended from a float. The trick here is to cast upwind from the dock and let the float drift back underneath the pier where the bigger bluegills lie. Beaver Dam Lake – Shore anglers are still catching crappies up to twelve inches float fishing with small jigs tipped with minnows. Try fishing tight to the carp fencing where the lake funnels beneath County Highway D. Peshtigo River – Good numbers of post spawn walleyes up to twenty-eight inches are in the stretch of river from the Peshtigo Dam downstream to the Bay of Green Bay. Cast and work a jig tipped with small fathead minnow, or a jig and plastic curly tailed worm, through shoreline eddies.
GREEN/STURGEON BAYS, WISCONSIN
Click here for the Wisconsin DNR weekly report.
HEIDECKE LAKE
Ken “Husker” O’Malley of Husker Outdoors emailed:
Hey Dale, Here is a recap of this past weeks fishing. . . . Heidecke Lake-slow. A few fish being caught but water temps need to warm up. Water temps before the weekend were 46 and very clear. . . . TTYL — Ken Husker O’Malley Husker Outdoors Waterwerks fishing team
Open 6 a.m. (6:30 bank fishing) to sunset.
KANKAKEE RIVER
Bob Johnson emailed the photo above and this:
Hey Dale -Heidecke closed due to winds did not stop me getting a morning of fishing in. On to the river!Kankakee still in good shape with water temps climbing towards upper 50’s and still slight stain. Old school twister tails and 1/8 ounce jig heads worked best. Bass are starting to group and feed with rising temps. The Bass in pic topped scale at 3 lbs 18. Hopefully I’ll get this bass again in fall and that much bigger.
Staff at Kankakee River Trading Post in Altorf said some are still trying for trout at Rock Creek.
LAKE ERIE
Arden Katz said, when weather allowed them to get out last week, they “tore up” the walleye trolling Bandits; his best was a 32-inch spawned-out female weighing 9.12 pounds; they also caught a few jig fishing.
Click here for the Ohio DNR Report.
LAKEFRONT
Weather has been the limiting factor, but there are still variable reports of salmon and trout on the lakefront.
Quinn Wunar tweeted the photo below, and this last Tuesday:
Coho are definitely picking up This steelhead today was my Willis Reed/Kirk Gibson game.
By now, most of you should know that analogies like that for me are like being served two pieces of cheese cake.
And Wunar went all in:
Jordan flu game, Willis Reed hitting the first two baskets of a game 7 on a busted knee, Kirk Gibsons one legged 9th inning pinch hit home run, Quinn Wunar landing a big steelhead with too small a net and one working ACL. ^the Mount Rushmore of heroic sports performances many people in my household are saying.
a buddy had this chair made for me for this spring. The powerliners at 63rd get a big kick out it.
So do I.
Then on Monday, Quinn Wunar tweeted a photo of a good buck steelhead, followed by this and the photo below:
And a feisty momma make this a good Monday. Plus the White Sox didn’t lose!
The Sox didn’t lose because they didn’t play. My hopes for the Sox is falling faster than water levels on Lake Michigan.
Ah, but Wunar wasn’t done, he tweeted this and the photo below Tuesday afternoon:
Best time of the year IMO
Stacey Greene at Park Bait at Montrose Harbor texted:
Hey Dale, not much to report this week things kinda slow with these up and down weather patterns. I know of just a few fish caught here and there this past week. No Smelt to report. There was a guy that tried Perch fishing last week with his powerline and did catch one after fighting off the gobies. Have a good week.
Capt. Bob Poteshman of Confusion Charters said that Chicago fishing is OK and when the weather allows lots of lake trout out deeper in 60-70 feet, though some days as shallow as 30; a few salmon mixed in; some mixed results off Navy Pier. He said he is waiting with “baited breath” for fishing to really kick in off Chicago. Yes, he said that.
Poteshman said that out of North Point, it’s mostly coho and browns, better on the Wisconsin side of the state line.
Lori Ralph at the Salmon Stop in Waukegan said there were lots of reports from powerliners on coho with extra-large and large fatheads or night crawlers; casters not doing as well; weather limited boaters.
LaSALLE LAKE
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.
MAZONIA
Hours are 6 a.m. to sunset.
NORTHERN WISCONSIN
Kurt Justice at Kurt’s Island Sport Shop in Minocqua emailed Monday:
Prognosticating is tough! Especially with relatively short term guessing! (I’d prefer to be like the Aztecs, predict the end of the world centuries in advance, then not be around to answer Why are we all still here?). But here we are! Everyone wants to know if we will have soft water in the Northwoods for the Walleye Opener. With such a late opener (as late as it can be in Wisconsin) we all thought sure, why not? But here we are 13 days away and what do we have? While I can’t be on every lake to check, I do get reports from customers coming into the shop to update us on their lake. We also do drilling reports of our own out on Lake Minocqua. This past Saturday morning (4/23) at approx. 10 am, loyal and gullible employee Cole Will drilled four holes out from Torpy Park, each measuring 17 thick. This ice was porous (punky), but still a lot for the 24th of April. We had as much in 2020 on the same date and actually 24 in 2018. Warm temps over the weekend and strong southwest winds opened shorelines and made the ice we were on just a day prior, unapproachable. Looking good! But…the forecast for this week…lows at night in the 20’s, Tuesdays (4/26) high of 32 degrees will keep a grip on the ice. Luckily the seal around most lakes has broken, shorelines pulling away, so wind, rain and sun can get in and open things up. Fishing right now? Big Arb’s South end for Crappies, but can’t recommend venturing out anywhere else. Watch our Facebook page for more updates. Kurt Justice Kurt’s Island Sport Shop - Like us on Facebook
Obviously next week, we will do an update looking at opening weekend.
NORTHWEST INDIANA
NOTE: Inland stream trout opens Saturday, April 30. Click here for details.
Jarmes Baranski messaged photos and this on Thursday:
Lake Michigan Smallie report out of East Chicago. Morning and early afternoon was just horrendous. 1 small pike and 1 smallie. Then a window opened and I got about 25 in a hour span and missed a boatload with about 5 unbuttoning. Largest was 4.65lbs with bunch of 2 and 3 pounders. The Wolfpack made the day
Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station texted:
Trollers fishing from east Chicago to Michigan city has seen action get tougher most days since last report. Seems fishing shallows on the beach 10 to 15 ft of water being the way to save the day. Thinfish and small spoons best. Crappie slay fest at Willow slough last few days jigs tipped with beemoth doing really well. Look for all area lakes and ponds to turn on with the steady weather coming at the end of the week.
I think he nailed the possibilities with that last paragraph.
Christina Petrites at Stan’s Bait & Tackle Center in Hammond emailed:
Hi, Dale! Here’s what’s been happening in the fishing world: Fishing on Lake Michigan remains very good, with limit numbers of Coho & Lake Trout. Trollers are using ThinFish & small spoons. Inland lake fishing is slowly picking up, with Crappie being the fish of choice. Walleye & stream fishing opens up in Michigan this weekend, so a lot of anglers will be out pounding the waters while the lake anglers are fishing the Hoosier Coho Club Classic Tournament. The tournament season kicked off in Michigan city over the weekend starting on Friday April 22 with the Buffalo Bill Tournament. Harry Stevens won on his on boat Osprey. Then, on April 23 & 24, the Pro Am tournament took place. Josh Wilson won the Amateur category on the boat Underdog; in the Professional category, Brad Kreighbaum won on the boat Fin Fire.
ROOT RIVER, WISCONSIN
Click here for the Wisconsin DNR’s report, usually on Tuesday or Wednesday.
SHABBONA LAKE
Shannon Hindson reported a hybrid striper of 18-20 inches was caught while an angler was catfishing with worms over the weekend.
Summer hours—6 a.m.-10 p.m.—run through Oct. 31.
Bait Shop is open 6 a.m.-7 p.m. daily; restaurant, 11-8 daily.
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 said, when weather allows, the coho (2 1⁄2 to 6 pounds), steelhead and a few kings (12-15 pounds) are being caught in 30 feet, up and down the coast from New Buffalo to South Haven; pier fishing is good when weather allows; in the river the sucker run is mostly done and it is waiting on walleye season on Saturday, April 30.
Paddle and Pole hosts the Berrien Springs Fish Ladder Camera.
WOLF LAKE
BoRabb Williams texted on Tuesday:
Went yesterday....Bad.... the water is in the mid 50’s at Wolf Lake.... same in the Calumet River with white bass starting
WOLF RIVER, WISCONSIN
Guide Bill Stoeger in Fremont texted:
53.5 degree water this morning. Walleye action has been good . With the spawn about over, the river is full of fish. White bass are scattered throughout the river, mainly deep water, and rigs working best.
