Pick-up of the perch bite (with lake trout mixed in) on southern Lake Michigan and ice rebuilding on inland waters, especially north, lead this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report.
Jason Langford messaged the photo, taken by his cousin Mike Jarvis, at the top of a bonus lake trout caught while perch fishing at North Slip.
LAKEFRONT PERCH
Jason Langford messaged the photo above and this:
87th st is on fire! Lakers caught every day and limits of jumbo within hours of arrival. My cousin MikenJarvis and myself chose to fish artificial hopingbit would weed out the dinks and it payed off! Caught on bobby garland 2 plastics.
Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station, Indiana, texted:
Perch still going decent at the slips. Not as many people out as before. Easy to get a spot now.
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 ($20 for two months) for the anglers’ parking lots at DuSable and Burnham harbors are on sale at the 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.
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
PIER PASSES
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 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.
ICE FISHING
With ice fishing back in northern areas and maybe in some southern areas, (see the individual reports below), the ice-fishing regulations for public sites around Chicago are posted here.
AUGER SHARPENING
For the 23rd year, Fran Connelly is sharpening of auger blades. Find “Ice Auger Sharpening” on Facebook or drop off blades at either Lee’s Bait & Tackle (Elk Grove Village or Carol Stream).
ICE FISHING DERBY
The Island Lake Lions Club Ice Fishing Derby is Saturday, 7 a.m.-2 p.m., headquartered at Eastway Park, The benefit derby is $20 for adults, 15 and younger $5.
AREA LAKES
There’s massive difference in ice and ice fishing between northern areas and southern areas, as these reports illustrate.
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:
Absolutely Crystal Lake has about 6 inches in most places, as always common sense goes a long way to staying safe. The best bite is before 10 am and 3:30 until a little past sunset. Wax worms and spikes for panfish 4-6 feet of water. Tip ups for pike use a large golden roach minnow. 4-8 feet of water.
The west end provides the best access and close proximity of areas that are best.
The Wonder Lake Sportsman & Conservation Club is also doing an ice fishing derby for residents and guests on Sunday.
Rob Abouchar emailed from Island Lake:
Hi Dale
The ice firmed back up on Island lake last weekend enough to set some tip ups for Bass and Pike. Just as the snow started falling my neighbor Jim had a nice bass on a tip up with a medium golden roach minnow on a trebble hook. The bass had spooled the tip uo to the end but stayed hooked up. With temperatures in the deep freeze we should have good ice on the whole lake for the Island lake fishing derby this Saturday. I hit the big show Sunday and said hello to Dan Gapen and Bobber Anne at the Booth. The i saw Dan Basore who showed me his prized book of Strictky Muskie post cards. He told me how he is turning his home into a museum. Some of the lures he got from me a few years ago will be in that museum!
On the music front it was a great gig at The Wild Hare with the Conscious Rockers. We will be returning April 7th again to Bakh up artists Anotchi Fiyah Dialo St.claire and Kindred from St. Louis. After the Milwaukee Zappafest we have been invited to play in Germany at the Zappanelle festival in july. Quite a big gig to look forward to.
Tight lines and good health
My day brightened considerably when I read the music note from Abouchar.
Ken “Husker” O’Malley of Husker Outdoors emailed the photo above and this:
Hey Dale,
Here is a recap of this past weeks fishing.
Area lakes- I drove around to multiple lakes south of I-80 and found everything locked up.
Lakes not wind protected took three hits of the spud bar before going through. Wind protected lakes took four before going through.
The smaller shallower lakes took four to five.
I ventured out about 10 feet from shore but had water come up through the holes.
The forecast for the entire week will
be making ice 24/7. We have just a dusting of snow on the ice so nothing will prohibit the building. We will have a second first ice by weeks end.
. . .
Here is the nature pic of the week [above]. Holding off the ice as long as possible.
TTYL
—
Ken Husker O’Malley
Husker Outdoors Waterwerks fishing team
BRAIDWOOD LAKE
Closed. Scheduled to reopen March 1.
CHAIN O’LAKES AREA
Proprietor Greg Dickson at Triangle Sports and Marine in Antioch said, “Actually something to talk about finally.” A customer reported on Monday 4 1⁄2 inches of ice coming in from the south. “We’re in really good shape. It’s going to be here for a while.”
ICE-FISHING ACCESS: Some options: Choppers Bar and Grill (Channel), $5, taken off bill if you patronize; Sandbar Bar & Grille (Marie), $10 or patronize; The Boatyard (Marie), $5, dropbox or online, call ahead for bait or snacks; Hermann’s Rest-A-While (Nielsen’s Channel), $5, food, drink; Lily Bug Acres (channel between Bluff and Spring), $5, bait shop, maybe a shuttle service later in the season; Musky Tales (Channel), $5 includes trailers, open 24 hours, bait shop currently closed during renovations; Pelican Bay Marina (Marie), $5, dropbox, plowed and lighted lot; Oak Park Lounge (Pistakee Bay), $5 ($10 with trailer), park in top or middle lots.
COOLING LAKES
Heidecke, LaSalle and Braidwood are closed.
DOWNSTATE
POWERTON: Bank fishing is 8 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. Boat fishing reopens Feb. 15.
EMIQUON PRESERVE: Fishing is sunrise to sunset. Access permits and liability waivers are required, remember they expired on Dec. 31 and new ones are needed. 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.
SPRING LAKE: With the closure of Canada goose season, site returns to regular hours.
HENNEPIN-HOPPER: Closed for the season.
GREEN LAKE AREA, WISCONSIN
Guide Mike Norris emailed:
Fishing Report – 1/30/2023
Mike Norris
Big Green Lake – The middle section of Big Green is still wide open though that may change with the the arrival of sub-zero weather this week. It would help if we get a windless day or two. There is six inches of ice in Beyer’s Cove to walk on, but the bluegill bite has slowed considerably.
Fox Lake – The bluegill bite is finally picking up in the Jug Try ice jigs tipped with plastics, spikes or wax worms in weed pockets. Crappies are active out from the Boat House in twelve feet of water. For crappies try fishing with a jig and minnow. Northern pike and largemouth bass are hitting medium or large shiners on tip-ups in the Town Park area. Annual American Legion Fishery scheduled for this coming Saturday.
Lake Puckaway – Northern pike and walleyes continue to bite well on medium shiners on tip-ups. For the most part the northern pike measure less than 30-inches but walleyes have ranged from 14 - 24 inches. Look for areas were the weed beds in and set your tip-ups just outside the weed line.
GREEN/STURGEON BAYS, WISCONSIN
Staff at Howie’s Tackle in Sturgeon Bay said getting close to getting started on whitefish, but it will likely be next week before being able to access safely the usual whitefish areas; otherwise, it is some perch, pike and browns in bays.
HEIDECKE LAKE
Closed. Scheduled to reopen April 1.
LAKE ERIE
Click here for the Ohio DNR Report.
LAKEFRONT
A smattering of steelhead continues as well as some (more than usual) lake trout being incidentally caught by perch anglers; but most focus remains on perch. Big question is whether ice fishing will come back in some of the harbors.
Lori Ralph at the Salmon Stop in Waukegan texted:
Good morning , Steelhead off the pier on and off. That’s about all I’ve heard
LaSALLE LAKE
Closed. Scheduled to reopen March 15.
MADISON LAKES, WISCONSIN
Click here for the update from D&S Bait, Tackle & Fly Shop .
Ken “Husker” O’Malley of Husker Outdoors emailed the photo above and this:
Hey Dale,
Here is a recap of this past weeks fishing.
. . .
Madison chain- before the storm hit Saturday, pike were very good on tip ups placed along the drop offs and weedlines. Plenty of 26-35 inch fish were caught during the Ice Junkies Outdoors meet and greet event to raise money for high school fishing teams.
. . .
TTYL
—
Ken Husker O’Malley
Husker Outdoors Waterwerks fishing team
MAZONIA
Jon Meder at Jon’s Bait & Tackle Shop in East Brooklyn said ice is not safe as of Tuesday, question is whether it will be fishable by later in the week.
If it does, it is Ice fish at your own risk.
Hours are 6 a.m. to sunset.
NORTHERN WISCONSIN
Kyle Lamm tweeted the photos above and below, and this from Hayward last week:
Hey Dale, Just got back from fishing Hayward Area for a week and the main takeaway was SLUSH. Every Lake has slush and it was a rough go dragging gear. We couldn’t get any machines out on any Lake. The locals seemed happy about less pressure with people not really going out fishing as much. They also think the snowpack will never freeze up this winter. We still found spots and located fish.
Lamm explained the photo above:
Our crew which we have nicknamed Tres Holes all bought knee high rubber boots to avoid wet feet.
Kurt Justice at Kurt’s Island Sport Shop in Minocqua emailed:
Taste of some real Northwoods winter temps as thermometer readings fell into the negative teens with wind chills in the mid-twenty below range. This shut down outdoor activities for the most part by Sunday (1/29). As much as the cold, the high pressure (which typically go hand in hand this time of year) really had an impact on fishing as decent reports from anglers on Saturday (1/28) shut down quickly since.
Northern Pike: Good-Poor – What seemed like a good bite for those on Saturday shut down by Sunday. Prior to super high pressure, reports of Pike activity were good with anglers getting good numbers with several sizable Pike to 40 on large shiners. Weeds have (and always will be?) key from 5-12’ depth.
Yellow Perch: Good-Poor – Good bite with nice eaters in shallow weeds of 5-8’. Taking minnows, small shiners. Mud flat bite was also good using wigglers on Halis and Pimples in 18-28’.
Crappie: Good-Poor – Best over basins of 20-35’ using rattle spoons (Kastmaster) to draw in fish. Too cold for tip-downs, so jigging providing best action.
Bluegill: Good-Poor – Weedy bays or flats of 7-12’. Early AM for larger Gills, but action good mid-morning and again mid-afternoon on K&E Pelkie jigs tipped with wax worms or red plastic.
Walleye: Fair-Poor – Action picked up later in week. Best window at dusk. Tip-ups baited with 3 suckers or jigging Raps or Tikka Minos over humps rising from 40’ to 22-25’ with sandgrass or rocks.
Largemouth Bass: Poor – Largemouth don’t seem to respond well to cold snaps!
The cold has definitely put a hurt on the local fishing for now. If there is any silver lining, it’s that we could use some more ice to allow for truck travel. Can’t recommend as most lakes have an average of 10 of clear, good ice, with grey ice and slush coverings to add up to 14-18. Whether or not this could can add to our ice remains to be seen. Snow can really insulate, and despite these next few days of extreme cold, we won’t know the results until it happens. Also, as temps get back into the low 20’s as forecasted by this weekend and the barometer drops some, fishing (and catching) should improve.
Upcoming Ice Fishing Tournaments
Feb 11th – Plum Lake Ice Fishing Tournament
Feb 18th – Lake Tomahawk Family Fisheree
Feb 18th – Mercer Lions Club Jamboree
Feb 25th – Northwoods Chapter of Muskies Inc. – Kids Ice Fishing Day
Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop - Like us on Facebook
NORTHWEST INDIANA
Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station texted:
Perch still going decent at the slips. Not as many people out as before. Easy to get a spot now.
Some steelhead being caught in nwi tributaries using jigs and waxworms and spawn saks. You must cover lots of water to be rewarded.
We shall see how the ice sets up lots of groups waiting for decent ice to get out. Please be careful out there.
Slez’s Bait and Tackle is open 5 to 5 daily this time of year.
SHABBONA LAKE
Site hours in February are 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Boondocks is closed
SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN
Proprietor Phil Schuman at Tackle Haven in Benton Harbor said walleye are being caught in the river and some nice steelhead, too. Some launches are icing, but the river isn’t expected to ice up.
Paddle and Pole hosts the Berrien Springs Fish Ladder Camera.
WINNEBAGO SYSTEM, WISCONSIN
Sturgeon spearing season opens Feb. 11. Previous permits required.
WOLF RIVER, WISCONSIN
Guide Bill Stoeger in Fremont texted:
Vehicles are showing up on the lakes now. Remember, no ice is safe. Some walleye and white bass action on Poygan. Northern and gills on Partridge and Partridge Crop. River water is dropping, perch action should pick up in the bayous
