The Latest Breaking News from Lake Michigan

Smelt netting opens Friday night, April 1, in Chicago and a faint hint of hope edges in this season, experts indicate; plus the Stray Cast.

Openers lead this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report with smelt netting in Chicago and Heidecke Lake opening on Friday, then inland trout opening on Saturday.

Coho action on southern Lake Michigan/Chicago lakefront lead this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report; but there is also lake trout on southern Lake Michigan, northern pike in Chicago harbors, the opening days of Braidwood and LaSalle cooling lakes, and lots of the joy of surprise catches.

CHICAGO — As ice coverage across the Great Lakes falls from winter highs with spring and summer warming ahead, Lake Michigan is likely to end up with a just-below-average season.

Elise Malary had not been seen since 9 March and was reportedmissing six days later

CHICAGO — Family and friends of Elise Malary, 31, sought answers on the Evanston activist’s whereabouts when she stopped responding to them on March 9.

Illinois’ early catch-and-release trout season opening Saturday, LaSalle Lake’s reopening, Braidwood bass, river walleye, and trout and coho on southern Lake Michigan lead this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report.

The 64-year-old man was found unresponsive in the water Sunday afternoon in the 9100 block of South DuSable Lake Shore Drive, authorities said.

Very good bass fishing at Braidwood Lake, a brief preview before the opener of LaSalle Lake next Tuesday, March 15, the spread of open-water fishing around Chicago, lake trout and coho on southern Lake Michigan, and the return of river reports lead this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report.

After going virtual last year, a shivering throng was back again to take the plunge Sunday at North Avenue Beach.

The proposed solution — a 31-mile-long pipeline draining Lake Michigan — is dividing residents of Joliet, Illinois