Shoreline salmon on southern Lake Michigan continue to lead the sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report, but fall fishing truly arrived with the arrival of real fall weather. That includes such things a really big bowfin caught on the Des Plaines River.
Vince Oppedisano emailed the photo at the very top and this:
Hey Dale,
. . . The attached smallmouth was fish number 1,000 for 2023 (estimating about 90% of those have come from the Fox River). This one struck a jerkbait just below a current break and made a few spectacular leaps before making its way to the net. 1,000 was my goal this year so that was a great way to hit that number. Looking forward to the rest of the fall season.
Those are the kind of feats that I admire.
His complete report is in the Fox River section.
FISH TOUR
Tour Root River Steelhead Facility event is 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday in Racine, Wis.. Details at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Fishing/lakemichigan/RootRiverOpenHouse
Always wanted to visit that, but it won’t be this year.
ILLINOIS EARLY CATCH-AND-RELEASE FALL 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 fall trout season opens Oct. 21.
Click here for the statewide announcement.
SHORELINE SALMON/TROUT
CHICAGO: Jason “Special One” Le once again texted a YouTube video for the moment.
Stacey Greene at Park Bait at Montrose Harbor texted:
WEATHER PATTERNS HAVE DEFINITELY CHANGED. I HAVE A FEELING THAT THE COOLER TEMPS WILL COOL OFF THE WATER AND FISH MAY GET MORE ACTIVE. MOTHER NATURE KEEPS ALL OF GUESSING! THERE ARE STILL KINGS BEING CAUGHT HERE AND THERE. OF COURSE SOME AREAS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS. COHO AND STEELHEAD BEING CAUGHT ON SPAWN, LARGER MINNOWS, JIGS WITH WAX OR BUTTER WORMS AND NIGHT CRAWLERS WITH SLIP BOBBER SET UPS ABOUT 8 to 12 FEET DOWN. . . . WE ARE NOW CLOSING AT 7pm.HAVE A GREAT WEEK!
BoRabb Williams texted the photo above and this:
Most of the Kings were caught with skien. ... I had no luck with that ... so I started back throwing my deep Diver Crank baits and Nailed two female salmon still silver!!
On Monday, Williams said that he with 15 salmon this fall and Eddie Hudson with 13 remain locked in a battle at 63rd.
WAUKEGAN: Capt. Dan Leslie at the Salmon Stop in Waukegan said they are here and the casters are still getting them.
NORTHWEST INDIANA: A good friend messaged this anonymous report:
Anonymous Report for Kings! Just because it’s October and King return is over, or the belief of stockings show no kings. The fresh Chrome 4 year Old Kings are in, and the real bite has just began. Harbors from Chicago to Portage. Go cast the pretty glow spoons and deep-diving jerkbaits all night!
Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station texted:
Salmon being caught on spinners and chunks of skein below lake George dam in Hobart
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 ends Sunday, Oct. 15.
AREA LAKES
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 interest in using musky size suckers went up this week with the cooling temperatures. 10-11 inch suckers are a good bet that you will at least get a hit from these big toothy critters. Many other live bait fishermen bought medium sized suckers for pike, bass and catfish.I have had reports of white bass mixed in with the walleyes on the fox Chain and river below McHenry and Algonquin Dams.Catfishing have remained good on cut bait. Use a sliding weight not a fixed one for better success.
Pete Lamar emailed:
Hi Dale,
. . .
I walked to a lake in my nearest forest preserve on Sunday afternoon. It’s 80+ acres and I could barely find open water to make a cast, that’s how thick the vegetation was. I quickly gave up and went to a couple of smaller forest preserve ponds/lakes. The smaller of the two, just a few acres, was completely devoid of vegetation, making for easier casting. The mid-sized one was at an in-between stage compared to the first two bodies of water I’d fished. Vegetation was in the process of dying but there were still a lot of green plants. Just a guess, but I’d say the largest of the lakes was taking a while to cool off and the plants were still thriving in the warmer water. The smallest pond had cooled and the plants had already died. What all three had in common was slow fishing: it was a lot of work to get some small bluegills.
Pete
BRAIDWOOD LAKE
Final fishing day is Tuesday, 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 texted the photo above and said that white bass, walleye, drum and yellow bass are good on 1/4-ounce blade baits, a technique he learned from Kyle “The Master” Tepper at Triangle Sports and Marine in Antioch, with the boat parked in 8 or 9 feet and casting in. The water dropped into the 60s as of Monday (probably cooler by now). “It should only get better,” Katz sai
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 interest in using musky size suckers went up this week with the cooling temperatures. 10-11 inch suckers are a good bet that you will at least get a hit from these big toothy critters. Many other live bait fishermen bought medium sized suckers for pike, bass and catfish.I have had reports of white bass mixed in with the walleyes on the fox Chain and river below McHenry and Algonquin Dams.Catfishing have remained good on cut bait. Use a sliding weight not a fixed one for better success.
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.
COOLING LAKES
Final fishing days: Heidecke closed. LaSalle, Sunday, Oct. 15; Braidwood, Tuesday, Oct. 17; and Mazonia, Tuesday, Oct. 17 (except Monster Lake is open all year).
DELAVAN LAKE, WISCONSIN
Capt. Dave Duwe emailed:
Delavan Lake 10/9/23 through 10/16/23
Walleye pike can be caught trolling deep diving crank baits or jigging in 35 ft of water. You want to be just outside the main lake points when trolling. I troll between 16 and 22 ft of water. The early morning hours are the best. You want a fire tiger or pearl colored crank bait which resembles the crappie. Look for the fish by Browns Channel or by the island. You want to get to the lake about an hour before sunrise.
Northern pike have been spotty. The pike I’ve caught were in 10-12 ft of water on the weedline. They can be caught on medium suckers fished on a slip bobber. The best location has been by the Oriental boathouse or by the Yacht Club. I haven’t been fishing suckers on lindy rigs so that might be a possibility. Keep the boat on the outside of the weed edge in 17 ft of water and back troll into the wind.
Bluegills remain suspended in the main lake basin. They are 20 ft down in 35 to 40 ft of water. A good fish locator is essential to find the active fish. The best presentation is an ice jig or a single hook with a heavy split shot. You want to fish straight lined right beneath the boat. Look for the fish by the Village or off of Willow Point.
Perch are being caught in 12-15 ft of water. The best bait is large leaf worms or small fat head minnows. Look for the fish by the outlet channel or down by the old Boy Scout camp. Fish the worms on a slip bobber rig for the best success.
Largemouth bass are in 4-5 ft of water around the boat docks. I’ve been concentrating on south shore piers. They can be caught on Senkos or All Terrain Stiks. Green pumpkin or watermelon seed are the best colors.
Good luck and I hope to see you on the water. For guide parties, please call Dave Duwe at 262-728-8063
DES PLAINES RIVER
Larry Narro messaged the photo above and this:
Big bowfin 34 inches , my guess 15 plus lbs
That would make it close to the Illinois record, which is a tie at 16 pounds, 6 ounces.
Charles R. Keller caught the first record oon Sept. 23, 1984 from Rend Lake, Dan Nugent caught the second on Sept. 14, 1992 from Bay Creek.
Narro added:
It was a really good fight , I thought I had a big pike on till I saw it
DOWNSTATE
POWERTON: Boat fishing ends on Oct. 22; the last day for bank fishing is Oct. 27.
SPRING LAKE: Oct. 20 is the last day of fishing at Spring Lake. But then bank fishing reopens from Oct. 23-27, From Oct. 28 to the end of duck season, bank fishing is alloowed after 1 p.m.
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.
SHELBYVILLE: Check with Ken Wilson of Lithia Guide Service.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS: Check with Jason Johns of Boneyard Fishing.
DuPAGE RIVER
Pete Lamar emailed:
Hi Dale,
As far as moving water, I did something a little different this week: The DuPage is about the same distance from home as the Fox, but I rarely fish it. I had a reliable report that the smallmouth were going well so went to the DuPage instead of the Fox over the weekend. Smallmouths were active. More useful was finding some good water for next summer when temperatures rise and oxygen levels drop. There is a lot of fast water with a lot of riffles and it figures to concentrate fish during warm water. Someone is doing something right with the DuPage. It’s a rocky bottom with very little siltation, at least where I was. I’ve seen it muddy up after a heavy rain, but it clears quickly enough. Plus there is a good food chain: there are some heavy mayfly hatches during the Summer, crayfish in the rocky areas and a lot of minnows.
. . .
Pete
FOX RIVER
Vince Oppedisano emailed the photo at the very top and this:
Hey Dale,
Fished the Fox River over the weekend from Elgin down south to Montgomery. Levels are pretty low across that stretch now and water clarity was good. Finally got a couple of consistently cooler days.
Overall the fishing has still been slower for me but I was able to pick up a lot of bass by covering water. I’m not catching big numbers lately, but the smallies that are being caught are definitely a grade up in size. Some of them are clearly feeding pretty heavily, even if they’re a challenge to catch right now.
I mostly used hair jigs, paddle tails, square bills & jerkbaits— one of which caught a hog nosed sucker below a dam. A few quillback, one drum, and the rest were smallmouth.....The attached smallmouth was fish number 1,000 for 2023 (estimating about 90% of those have come from the Fox River). This one struck a jerkbait just below a current break and made a few spectacular leaps before making its way to the net. 1,000 was my goal this year so that was a great way to hit that number. Looking forward to the rest of the fall season.
Love to hear the other species mentioned, too.
GENEVA LAKE, WISCONSIN
Capt. Dave Duwe emailed:
Lake Geneva 10/9/23 through 10/16/23
With the cooling temperatures, the fish have been aggressively biting. The best bite on the lake has been the smallmouth bass and the yellow perch.
Smallmouth bass can be caught lindy rigging in 22-28 ft of water off the main lake points. I’ve been catching most of my fish by the Yacht Club, Military Academy or in front of Gage Marine. The fish can be caught on fat head minnows or yellow perch caught in the lake. With cooler temperatures forecasted, the fish will even move shallower making the main lake points even more productive. For shallower points, try Black Point and Conference Point.
Yellow perch can be caught in 2-9 ft of water. The best location is by Knollwood, Rainbow Point or Belvidere Park. The best approach is fishing Thill slip bobbers tipped with a fat head minnow. You want to position the bait, 1 foot above the weeds or 1 foot above the bottom. There are a lot of fish in the 10-12 inch range.
Largemouth bass are in the shallows. Look for the fish in Geneva Bay around the piers or in Trinkes. With the cooler water, the fish have moved very shallow, look for them in 4-6 ft of water. The best approach is casting spinner baits or a white swim jig. This bite will be consistent for the next few weeks with the water temperatures as cool as they are.
Walleyes can be caught at night. They are being caught on large Rapallas or Smithwick medium diving rogues. The best location has been trolling from Abbey Springs to the Yacht Club or in front of Yerkes Observatory.
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 emailed:
Fishing Report – 10/08/2023
Mike Norris
Big Green Lake: Both largemouth and smallmouth bass are cruising deep weed edges in search of baitfish to eat. A variety of lures are working. Try tube jigs, swim baits, and umbrella rigs. An erratic pause, twitch, and retrieve action triggers more bass than a straight retrieve. I expect more bass to be grouped along rocky points as the cool weather moves in this week. Perch and bluegill remain good around deep-water cribs on drop shot rigs with half a red worm threaded onto the hook. Surface water temperature is down in the mid to upper 60s now.
Fox Lake: The deep-water basin’s crappies and walleyes are active. Try drifting a minnow on a jig head for crappies. For walleye, troll crankbaits in 15 feet of water off Keno Point.
Beaver Dam Lake: Crappie fishing with jigs and minnows was decent this past week. They should start moving close to shore with the arrival of cooler weather this week. The best bite will be the first and last hours of the day.
Mike
GREEN/STURGEON BAYS, WISCONSIN
Click here for the Wisconsin DNR weekly report.
HEIDECKE LAKE
Closed
LAKE ERIE
Click here for the Ohio DNR Report.
LAKEFRONT
Stacey Greene at Park Bait at Montrose Harbor texted:
WEATHER PATTERNS HAVE DEFINITELY CHANGED. I HAVE A FEELING THAT THE COOLER TEMPS WILL COOL OFF THE WATER AND FISH MAY GET MORE ACTIVE. MOTHER NATURE KEEPS ALL OF GUESSING! THERE ARE STILL KINGS BEING CAUGHT HERE AND THERE. OF COURSE SOME AREAS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS. COHO AND STEELHEAD BEING CAUGHT ON SPAWN, LARGER MINNOWS, JIGS WITH WAX OR BUTTER WORMS AND NIGHT CRAWLERS WITH SLIP BOBBER SET UPS ABOUT 8 to 12 FEET DOWN. NO PERCH,SMALLMOUTH OR NORTHERNS TO REPORT.WE ARE NOW CLOSING AT 7pm.HAVE A GREAT WEEK!
WEATHER PATTERNS HAVE DEFINITELY CHANGED. I HAVE A FEELING THAT THE COOLER TEMPS WILL COOL OFF THE WATER AND FISH MAY GET MORE ACTIVE. MOTHER NATURE KEEPS ALL OF GUESSING! . . . . NO PERCH,SMALLMOUTH OR NORTHERNS TO REPORT.WE ARE NOW CLOSING AT 7pm.HAVE A GREAT WEEK!
Capt. Bob Poteshman of Confusion Charters said rough weather kept most off the water in the last few days.
Capt. Dan Leslie at the Salmon Stop in Waukegan said they are here and the casters are still getting them.
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).
LaSALLE LAKE
Final fishing day is Tuesday, 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 Tuesday, Oct. 17, except Monster Lake is open all year.
Hours are 6 a.m. to sunset.
NORTHERN WISCONSIN
Ken “Husker” O’Malley emailed the photos above and below, and this:
Hey Dale,
Here’s the Northwoods Wisco report from the week.
It was the tale of two seasons. Two days of record highs led into a crash in temperatures to mid 40’s and on and off rain. Winds of 15-20 also kept boat control a challenge at times. Water temps started out around 68 degrees and dropped to 60 in a matter of days.
Bass- smallmouth were stacked on the ledge of rock humps adjacent to deep water. Best bait was a husker bug paired with a lil general. As the water temps dropped they started to pull off the ledge edge. A Mepps #4 was the best bait until they started to suspend into deeper water. A 110 BPF Lures jerkbait took a few more nice fish.
Northern pike- active fish were found anywhere green weeds could still be found. Better fish were on rock humps and drop offs. A Mepps #5 and jerkbaits were the best baits worked just on top of the weeds and rock.
Bluegill- green weeds in 10-12 fow held active biters. Best bait was an IJO Plastics quiver minnow in unicorn under a slip float.
Fall colors were at peak or just past. They were not as vibrant as years past due to the spring drought, summer temps, and Canadian fires.
TTYL
—
Ken Husker O’Malley
Husker Outdoors Waterwerks fishing team
Kurt Justice at Kurt’s Island Sport Shop in Minocqua emailed:
Looks as if we are into a typical October, unlike last year’s Augtober. Temps for the next two weeks forecasted to barely break fifty, mostly mid to upper 40’s. Lows in the mid-30’s to lower 40’s. We lost, on average, 8-10 degrees of surface temp since last week’s highs of 68 degrees, getting close to turn-over time on some lakes by this weekend. With these temps and the focus on certain fall species, the report is as follows…
Musky: Good-Very Good – With water temps dropping, the sucker bite has picked up. Fish still relatively shallow on suckers (8-14’). With all the wind (and rain) the top-water bite seemed to have fallen off (when turn-over hits I typically put them away) but bucktails were still scoring in water as shallow as 3’! Report from guide Jake Smith holding a low 40 fish caught on a Smity Large Jointed Crank, just this am (10/10) with reports of surface temp at 56 degrees shows just how close we are to turn-over. It will be gliders, jerks, twitches and suckers this weekend!
Walleye: Good-Fair – With noticeable thermoclines on many lakes about to break (due to turn-over) Walleye locations that have been relating to gravel/mud transitions of 18-30’ could break open into deeper depths. So far chubs and suckers on 1/4 – 3/8 oz jigs or fished Lindy rig style as well as Shiver Minnows and Jigging Raps have produced. Some Walleyes weed related, but could change for a while after turn-over. Check out deep mud of 30-40’, but be slow on presentation and especially bringing up fish from such depths. Flowage Walleyes relating to wood, but all are low. Even the Turtle Flambeau Flowage is lower than usual.
Crappie: Good-Fair – While some anglers on lakes have been reporting nice catches of very shallow cabbage 3-6’, using 1 Berkley Gulp Alive Minnows, that bite will probably peter out with cold. Drowned wood, cribs have been holding Crappies for anglers using medium fatheads.
Northern Pike: Good-Fair – Active with cooler temps. Mepps #4 spinners, spinnerbaits and live chubs or suckers on jigs. Keep eye on bays with green weeds of 6-10’
Yellow Perch: Good-Fair – Relating to outside weed edges taking medium fats or 1/2 crawlers on slip-float rigs or 1/16 oz weedless jigs.
Smallmouth Bass: Good-Fair – Gravel humps of 18-30’. Ned rigs, drop-shot rigs with 3 Gulp Minnows producing some decent catches.
Bluegill and Largemouth – No report
With turn-over approaching, anglers should not be afraid to continue fishing here in the Northwoods. All lakes don’t turn at the same time and there are always lakes that don’t (too shallow - less than 24’ or Flowages with moving water that won’t stratify) or haven’t (large lakes take longer).
It’s definitely sucker time for you Musky anglers. Action typically best when water is in 50’s to low 60’s so take advantage.
Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop - Like us on Facebook
NORTHWEST INDIANA
Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station texted:
Salmon being caught on spinners and chunks of skein below lake George dam in Hobart
Wolf lake more on Illinois side than Indiana giving up a variety of fish pike, walleye, crappie.
Loomis lake in valpo giving up good numbers of bluegill for those putting in the time.
Slez’s Bait Shop hours are 5 to 5 daily now till spring.
ROOT RIVER, WISCONSIN
Click here for the Wisconsin DNR’s report, usually on Tuesday or Wednesday.
SHABBONA LAKE
John Honiotes at Boondocks reported some muskie are starting to be active.
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.
WISCONSIN RIVER
Rob Abouchar emailed the photo above and this:
Hi Dale i made it back to Merrill Wisconsin for the long indigenous peoples day weekend. I had an extra day to fish and check out a home on the river with a million dollar view. Michael the realtor had a Bill dance hat...possibly a sign. As for the fishing i hot Alexander flowage on the Wisconsin river as the first frost hit . The water temp was 61 Saturday and possibly into the 50s on Sunday but my hummingbird quit on me so im not sure but air temperature was 32
The fall feedbag is on and toothy critters and big bass were hitting a variety of baits . I got a muskie on kvd 1.5 squarebill early. The pike were giong on Slobberknocker spinner bait and wacky rigged senko. I put a wire leader on and my catch rate went up on the esox. The smallmouth also were hitting the senko. I was wondering if the bass would hit with a wire leader and they did. Had a big muski swirl on Saturday indicating big ones starting to go into fall pattern.
On the music front its 7 weeks to zappafest with ike willis. A gig with midnight mile at the hempfest in waucanda. This the place with the steer and buffalo. . Also a show at the Irish mull where it all started with midnite mile. As greggoey pecvary said.. phew! Tight lines and good health
And my Tuesday morning is complete with the music report.
WOLF LAKE
Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station texted:
Wolf lake more on Illinois side than Indiana giving up a variety of fish pike, walleye, crappie.
