A smattering of ice fishing around Chicago and the rebuilding of perch fishing on southern Lake Michigan lead this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report; plus the first mention of coho in 2023.
Mike Chioros provided the lead on the photo at the top and John Berg emailed this:
Hi Dale:
That is me holding the laker. My nephew, Erling Berg, is standing next to me. We were fishing with my brother (and Erling’s father) Matthew Berg. We launched out of Racine in the early afternoon on New Year’s day at the Pershing Park Boat Launch. The Pershing Park harbor is clear but we did push a couple ice floes out of the way out of the way to clear the harbor. The Bender Park launch site just north is silted in and too shallow to use. The fish were biting better away from shore, in around 30 feet of water, down deep, with spoons being the hot bite. Green, gold and something with glow were the best colors. The spoons on dipsey divers were doing better than those on planers. Plugs were not catching anything. We had tried fishing near the Oak Creek power plant, thinking the warm water discharge would attract the fish due to the water being so cold (34.7 F), but he fish thought otherwise. We did catch a few browns there, but nothing more than anywhere else as the fish were deeper than expected.
Have a great day!
ICE FISHING
Updates on the status of ice fishing around the Chicago area are included in the individual repots.
The updated 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).
LAKEFRONT PERCH
Weather forecast favors shore fishing holding up for a long stretch for this time of year.
Jason Langford message Monday:
Dale Bowman , went to Dusable on Monday. Fishable water around the docks with ice within feet. The end of the pier has all open water for casting.
Dusable parking is a great deal except the guys that are using it are fishing at navy pier leaving no spots for guys trying to fish for where it’s intended. Because of that we went and fished open water at the Calumet River. We did pretty good. They hit on everything with a lot of sorting. Less bites on plastic but all bigger fish! Tight lines
Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station, Indiana, texted:
Perch still being caught most days at the slips and farther up the river xl fatheads and Rosie reds doing best.
Some perch for boaters fishing out of portage and east Chicago fishing in 50 to 55ft of water must cover lots of water and find em.
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.
AREA LAKES
These two reports indicate the differences between waters to the north and to the south when it comes to ice fishing.
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:
I am hearing 5-6 inches on Crystal Lake and same on many smaller lakes and ponds in Northern Illinois. . . .
Ken “Husker” O’Malley of Husker Outdoors emailed the photo above and this:
Hey Dale,
Here is a recap of this past weeks fishing.
We are awaiting winter to make an appearance again.
Here is an update on the ice conditions.
Most lakes have some form of open water. A few areas have skim ice from the last two nights. Many shoreline areas have very questionable ice. Smaller wind sheltered lakes are locked up still but have cloudy and honeycomb ice. Areas that have springs have skim ice.
Our overnight temps, while below freezing the last few days is not enough to build any ice. The constant overcast conditions we have been experiencing are not allowing the temps to drop where we need them.
The ice is just not safe to go on in my opinion.
Here is the nature pic of the week [above].
This guy must think it’s March already.
TTYL
—
Ken Husker O’Malley
Husker Outdoors Waterwerks fishing team
CHAIN O’LAKES AREA
Arden Katz said on Monday that ice fishing was good for bluegill and crappie on the south end of Channel Lake, jigging small ice jigs (especially Wonder Bread) and red spikes down; be careful of first several feet of ice near shore, otherwise about 4 1/2 inches of ice.
Rick at Triangle Sports and Marine in Antioch said shorelines are bad everywhere, be careful going out; out of Pelican Bay walleye and yellow bass being caught.
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: Site superintendent Thad Cook emailed:
Bank fishing and boat fishing at Spring Lake after 1:00 during the late Canada Goose season.
HENNEPIN-HOPPER: Closed for the season.
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:
. . . Some walleye fishermen knocked out the ice at the boat launch at Rt. 176 so they can get to the McHenry Dam. They are using extra large fatheads or half a night crawler on a jig head with good success.
GREEN LAKE AREA, WISCONSIN
Guide Mike Norris texted the photo above and emailed this:
Fishing Report – 1/9/2023
Mike Norris
Big Green Lake – The main lake basin is still wide open, but the ice fishing action is excellent in Beyers Cove. Ice anglers are catching limits of bluegills eight and a half inches or bigger on small tungsten jigs tipped with plastics. Perch in varying sizes are everywhere. Ice thickness in approximately four inches. Dartmouth Bay has also iced up but the ice there is sketchy and only a few brave souls are venturing out on it.
Beaver Dam Lake – Ice anglers are still targeting walleye and northern pike from just before sunset into the evening hours with medium shiners on tip-ups. Try the east side of the lake near Edgewater Beach where the ice averages around five inches thick.
Lake Puckaway – Northern pike, walleye and bluegill continue to bite well on the south end of the lake just outside of Miller’s Resort. Use medium or large shiners on tip-ups for the pike and walleye. Try small tungsten jigs tipped with plastic or spikes and waxworms for the bluegill. Ice thickness varies from five to eight inches.
GREEN/STURGEON BAYS, WISCONSIN
Click here for the Wisconsin DNR weekly report.
Lance LaVine at Howie’s Tackle in Sturgeon Bay emailed on Thursday:
Hi fellas….
Not much to report here other than some shallow bay Perch and Pike fishing. Little Sturgeon, Riley’s Bay and Sawyer Harbor. There were a few folks that snuck off onto the big bay and caught a few Whitefish and Walleyes near shore, but that ice has now blown away unfortunately. The Perch that are getting caught have been on Rosy Reds and shiners under tip-ups and hand lines along with an assortment of jigs tipped with waxies and spikes. The Pike have been fairly aggressive and they have been coming on large golden shiners under tip ups and Auto fishermen. Hope we get some cold weather and the reports will get better. Dean, let me know on a new schedule/rotation as my calendar was thrown away and do not have it anymore
Thanks;
Lance LaVine Howie’s Tackle & Archery LLC 1309 Green Bay Rd Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 Ph: 920-746-9916
KANKAKEE RIVER
See Chris Strand’s walleye day that earned Fish of the Week.
LAKE ERIE
Click here for the Ohio DNR Report.
LaSALLE LAKE
Closed. Scheduled to reopen March 15.
MADISON LAKES, WISCONSIN
Click here for the update from D&S Bait, Tackle & Fly Shop .
MAZONIA
Jon Meder at Jon’s Bait & Tackle Shop in East Brooklyn said some of the lakes are refreezing but no where safe. When there is safe ice, it is ice fish at your own risk.
Hours are 6 a.m. to sunset.
NORTHERN WISCONSIN
Kurt Justice at Kurt’s Island Sport Shop in Minocqua emailed the photos above and below:
Minocqua Fishing Report 1/09/2023
It’s been a wonderful week weatherwise. I’ve even got to see the sun the past few days. The Lakeland area got fortunate not getting the deep heavy snow our neighbors to the west received last week. Conditions and temps have been mild allowing anglers to spend lots of time on the ice.
High pressure coupled with full moon, may have slowed things a bit, but overall fishing and opportunities to fish have remained good.
Crappies: Good – very good.
Well it doesn’t feel like mid winter with daytime highs in the mid 20s, Crappies on lakes with good depth 24’+ have shifted out to the mid lake basin haunts. Check depths of 24 to 38 feet.
watch for school suspended for 4-10’ off the bottom. Spoons to give flash, rattles even better, tipped with spikes, waxies, plastics or minnow heads. Tip downs working well also. In along weeds of 8 to 12 feet, slow drop lethal Cecils tipped with waxies on jigs with light colored plastics.
Northern pike: good – very good
From as shallow as 4 feet out to 12 feet, tip ups and lively shiners and suckers have continued to have flags flying.
Yellow perch: good
Sand and sand grass flats of 15 to 22 feet holding perch. taking small spoons tipped with waxies. These schools are roaming so sit and wait – or start drilling and chasing (not so bad in this weather).
Over mud in 22–34 feet, pound the
bottom with heavier jigs or spoons
tipped with the red spikes or wigglers.
Bluegills: Good
Sticking to green weeds in 6–12 feet.
Fiska’s and other tungsten jigs, size 3mm tipped with waxies or red, brown or purple plastics. Some reports of suspended gills mixing it up with Crappies and Perch out over mud flats.
Walleye: good – fair
High pressure seemed to narrow the bite window, but suckers over mid – lake humps with rocks best. Dusk (4:30 to 6:00 PM) best. With another bite I am told between 10 PM - 11 PM (past my bedtime!)
Travel and access have been the most asked question. Lakes appear to have a good 10–16 inches of ice. There is some slush, but snow depths on the lake run only 3 to 4 inches on average with drifts that can go 6–8 inches plus. Be aware of drifts, they will hide the most slush. The forecast for the rest of the week looks great, Lows most mornings in the lower 20s with highs of upper 20s to low 30s most days. Possible 40° on Martin Luther King day. We don’t often get such stretches of nice weather in January, get out in and enjoy!
NORTHWEST INDIANA
Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station texted:
Perch still being caught most days at the slips and farther up the river xl fatheads and Rosie reds doing best.
Some perch for boaters fishing out of portage and east Chicago fishing in 50 to 55ft of water must cover lots of water and find em.
Steelhead In nwi tributaries again you must cover water and put some time in to be rewarded. Jigs tipped with waxworms best but some fish have been caught using spawn saks.
SHABBONA LAKE
Site winter hours—through Jan. 31—are 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Boondocks is closed
SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN LAKEFRONT
See the photo that tops this posting for a Racine report.
Jerry Borst emailed the photo above and this:
Hi Dale
Just wanted to send you a report from the Milwaukee harbor where the open water season has not ended. My friend Paul Stanek and I trolled over the New Year’s weekend where 37 Lake Trout were landed. We trolled a combination of Spoonplugs, crankbaits and 1oz spoons. As you can see these fish haven’t missed many meals, lol!
Thanks for what you do,
Jerry Borst
SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN
Staff at Tackle Haven in Benton Harbor said there’s some coho and browns around the Cook plant; some steelhead in the river.
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:
Mother Nature is not making ice right now. ATV travel is good with 6 to 8 of ice. Poygan has been giving up some nice catches of white bass along with a few walleye. Best access is the south shore. A few gills, perch, and northerns on Partridge.
