Chicago fishing, Midwest Fishing Report: Perch, catfish smallmouth, largemouth, bluegill, lakers

Hi Dale, Perch fishing has been really good.I haven’t seen Perch this size in years. . . . Here’s a pic of Cory’s friends fish from the other evening from Diversey on a Shad Rap. 15 fish equaled 5lbs of filets.

Perch fishing ok and getting better!

Mainly gov.pier using shrimp, minnows,and some worms.

Not sure about jigging spoons.

Boat reports for perch are comming in, 30 to 60 feet of water, a bit south.

Weekend was good for perch for most this pic was Saturday morning.

Some good catches of perch in 20 to 30ft of water around the dune state park building also.

Hey Dale,

Here is a recap of the past weeks fishing.

Area lakes- the bass bite has picked up after the weekend rain and cooler nights dropped water temps.

Best bite has been during the evening hours. Work senko style baits weedlessand baby 1-minus crankbaits along the outside weedlines. Just before dark work a topwater bait in the same area.

Here is the nature pick of the week [below]. Catching a ride.

TTYL

—

Ken Husker O’Malley

Husker Outdoors Waterwerks fishing team

Hello Dale,

My son, Indra, was up for fishing Chicago River downtown today. He caught tons of panfish while I worked on some carp rigs. The highlight was this 13 crappie. He continues to be a better natural angler than me.

He caught the crappie with berkley soft minnow on a 1/32 jig. We saw some big carp too. Good times.

Thanks,

Atul

Crappie bites are getting hot, this guy was a few oz off my PB, 1 lb 8 oz from the chicago river, he choked a gulp minnow on a white jig head

my brother actually spent 2 hours to try to get a kid on a carp today, and he did it, he literally tought the basics of carp fishing

Delavan Lake 6/27/22 through 7/04/22

With the warm weather, I have been positioning myself on the deep weedlines in 20-25 ft of water. Due to the cold spring, the largemouth bass are a couple of weeks behind schedule, the bass are not very thick on the weedline yet. They are in the medium weeds between 8 and 10 ft of water.

Northern pike fishing has been fantastic. The biggest pike are in 27 ft of water. The largest concentration of fish is between 18 and 22 ft of water. The best presentation has been lindy rigging suckers or using Thill slip bobbers about ½ way down the water column. Look for the fish by Browns Channel or by Willow Point. The key I have found is keeping your bait moving. I’ve been electric motor trolling almost exclusively.

Largemouth bass have been a bit slow. I’ve been on the deep weedline. If you are targeting largemouth bass you need to be in and around the docks in 6-8 ft of water. You want to fish split shot rigged nightcrawlers or a black and blue All Terrain jig. The best location has been the North Shore from the Yacht Club down to Willow Point. The few weedline fish I’ve been catching have been over 5 lbs. I’ve been catching them by the Yacht Club or over by Browns Channel. In the next week or so, the bass will be schooled up and be very easy to catch.

Bluegill fishing has also been fantastic. The fish are in 15-18 ft of water. Look for the fish just west of the Yacht Club or by Willow Point. I’ve been catching a lot of fish throughout the lake, location doesn’t seem to matter but the depth is crucial.

Walleye Pike can be caught using two different methods. The first is trolling deep diving crank baits along the weedline in 18 ft of water. You want to use a crankbait in perch or crappie pattern. The second method is lindy rigging jumbo leeches right around the weedline also in 18 ft of water. Look for the fish by the Village Supper Club or by Browns Channel. The one key has been making sure you are fishing the windy side of the lake.

Crappie fishing has been sporadic. They are suspended over deep water. The fish are concentrating on the pods of small bait fish. They can be caught on purple or chartreuse plastic with a 1/32 oz jig. Look for the fish just east of Willow Point or just west of the Yacht Club.

Good luck and I hope to see you on the water. For guide parties, please call Dave Duwe at 608-883-2050

Report:

We got a lot of rain here on Saturday, but it didn’t affect clarity or levels on the Fox watershed much at all.I saw a lot of people fishing near the dams yesterday-they didn’t have any trouble wading out to the middle of the river.I fished a heavily timbered tributary of the Fox, mostly to get out of the wind.A couple of weeks ago, one of the contributors to the weekly report suggested that it was almost time to start fishing the riffles as the water warms rapidly (more dissolved oxygen there than in the slower water).I’d encourage anyone to put that advice into practice.All the smallmouths I caught came out of riffles or the seams right next to them.Dissolved oxygen isn’t the only reason for fish to be in riffles:as the water drops, the broken water of the riffles affords some protection against ospreys, herons and kingfishers.

Enjoy the rest of your trip.

Pete

Lake Geneva 6/27/03 through 7/4/22

Fishing remains very consistent. There are still a lot of fish being caught.

Largemouth bass fishing has been very good. The bass have been located in the weed lines in 12-13 ft. of water. The fish can be readily taken by either drop-shotting with small plastics, green pumpkins and small shiner color are the best or by nightcrawlers drifted with a small split shot. Early mornings and late afternoons when the lake calms down, top water baits have been very effective. I prefer the chrome and blue chug bug. The best location has been by Trinkes or in Williams Bay. Many people last week caught limits of nice bass.

Smallmouth bass can still be caught. They are becoming more nomadic. I have been catching them in several spots and in several depth ranges. I have not found where they are consistently schooled. Most of the bass I caught last week were 15 inches and larger. The best depth seems to be 12-15 ft. of water. Locations that have produced the most fish are by Knollwood, Rainbow Point and the beach in Fontana. Once the green algae dies off, the best approach for the smallmouth is Carolina rigging on the break line. Arkie crawling grubs or Kalin’s grubs are the most productive. I prefer a leader lench of at least 24 inches.

Northern pike fishing has been slow. The northerns are just starting to move out to the weed line. By the end of this week, the fish should be positioned on the 27 ft. weed line. Lindy rigs fished with chubs will produce all the action. The best locations are on the east side of Williams Bay and in the narrows.

Crappies are being caught in 15 ft. of water in the moored sailboats by Conference Point. As always the best bait is smoke colored tube baits or slip bobber fished minnows. Most of the fish are averaging 12-13 inches.

Rock Bass and Bluegills are still being caught all over the lake. Nightcrawlers fished on the split shot rig produce most of the action. The best depth has been 8-15 ft. of water. My best location has been by Coleman’s Point drifting to Knollwood.

Good luck and I hope to see you on the water. Have a safe and enjoyable 4th of July weekend. For guide parties, please call Dave Duwe at 262-728-8063.

Fishing Report – 6/26/2022

Mike Norris

Big Green Lake – Surface water temperature has risen to 72 degrees and fishing for smallmouth bass is excellent right now.The bass are post spawn and hungry.I am catching them in both emerging weed beds and over the rocks.Picking up a few good-sized largemouth bass also.Drop shot rigs with a Berkley Flat Worm and Ned Rigs are my choice for lures.Try around the Heidel Bar, Dartmouth Bay, Sandstone Point, and Blackbird Bay.Water temp is 73 degrees.Walleyes are active along the weed edge off the County K launch ramp.Try spinners and crawler harnesses over emerging weed beds.

Fox Lake – Try trolling crankbaits in the main basin of the lake for walleye.Largemouth bass fishing has slowed with the warmer weather.Working for bass around both Brushwood and Elmwood Islands should pick up now.Bluegills are active off the docks.

To book me for a guide trip reach out to me via my Facebook page at mike.norris.7773 or email me through my website atwww.comecatchsmallmouth.com

Hi Dale – Saturday morning action on Kankakee River, smallmouth Bass and channel catfish. River in good shape with slight stain and temps just reaching 80.Smallmouth were chasing chatter baits and 1/4 oz jigs black blue trailers and channel cats hitting the same. Very aggressive. Pic of Bass is dark but I did weigh it at 2.89 lbs

Hi Dale, heat back on in the kkk. Water at about 2 foot visibility. Hard to wade without tripping over a rock, which I did! Well it cooled me off ! Small bass active but big fish still on recoup from spawn. Drought could be on the way. Hope it’s not as bad as 1988. In that year there are pictures of people walking across the river below the Wilmington dam without getting their feet wet. G. Peters

Not much to report. Scattered perch reports. Not mounting to much . Regular hours thru the holiday. Everyday 6am-5 pm. Thanks. Safe travels to you

Hi Dale,Perch fishing has been really good.I haven’t seen Perch this size in years. Alot of Sheephead being caught. Some on purpose some on accident while fishing for Perch. Smallmouthare still really active. A few Trout also in the mix. Here’s a pic of Cory’s friends fish from the other evening from Diversey on a Shad Rap. 15 fish equaled 5lbs of filets.

Perch fishing ok and getting better!

Mainly gov.pier using shrimp, minnows,and some worms.

Not sure about jigging spoons.

Boat reports for perch are comming in, 30 to 60 feet of water, a bit south.

Salmon fishing has been pretty good as well, anywhere from 60 to 160 feet, again a bit south

Hi Dale

The West winds that prevailed last week did their usual magic. Fishing was excellent with many limit catches. Mostly coho in 70 to 100 feet of water. Fish were active anywhere from 20 feet to the bottom. The catch was nearly all coho with an occasional lake trout, chinook or steelhead. Best set ups were leadcores with either Stubbie dodgers and Aqua, Blue Liz or bullfrog Jimmy Flies or Warrior Steelhead Candy, Blue Dolphin, Blueberry Muffin or Blue Dragon Slayer. The same lures also worked on divers 45 to 80 out and downriggers from 30 to the bottom, but the leadcores were the best rods last week by far for us.

It looks like the West winds should predominant most of this week too so I expect that the fishing will stay very good. The Waukegan area is loaded with bait fish and they should stay in the area.

In the harbor it looks like the carp are done spawning and that should mean the bass get active. This should be a good week for the shore guys.

Capt. Scott Wolfeschooloffishcharters.com630-341-0550

Do sheepshead caught in Chicago harbor counts? Lol

Good morning dale.I was out Sunday trolling out of portage in Indiana managed only 1 waves were starting to pick up 10 lbs 4 oz trolling a stinger spoon on 6 colors of lead core. Hope you can use this thanks Robert Buckmaster

Fishing all last week good in 65 to 85ft of water straight out of burns ditch and to the west fish 30ft down to the bottom.

Silver or white dodgers and spin n glows for trout. Spoons and dodger and Flys for salmon.

Weekend was good for perch for most this pic was Saturday morning.

Some good catches of perch in 20 to 30ft of water around the dune state park building also.

Catfish going good in burns ditch on triple s stinkbait and cut bait fishing at night.

Slez’s Bait will be open all weekend and on 4th of July regular hours 5am to 6pm.

Bluegill bite on Partridge lake has picked up. Some good walleye action up river and near Lk. Poygan. Trolling on Poygan is producing walleye and white bass.