Rapidly changing ice conditions and variable perch on the Lake Michigan lakefront lead this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report.
Adem Tagani emailed the photo at the top and a report on lakefront perch fishing.
LAKEFRONT PERCH
Some prime perch caught at the South Side slips.
Allen Shander emailed the photo above and this:
Hey Dale hope all is well, got out to the slip early Saturday morning bite was hot and heavy early. All on crappie rigs/ minnows, seemed they liked the extra large fat heads for some reason.. had my limit by 9:00 a.m. after weeding through at least a hundred fish, stuck around with a couple buddies till about 1:30 the bight slowed down significantly but they both got their limit eventually. all in all a good day and a nice perch dinner…tight lines all.
going to spend this week getting all my ice gear ready keep our fingers crossed, we’ll be drilling holes pretty soon…
On Monday, Arden Katz said, “Let me reel this in first,” before giving me the perch report for the North Slip (85th). He said, “Every cast,” on Mini-Mites and maggots, but it takes sorting for keepers.
Bucket of perch caught at Navy Pier.
Adem Tagani emailed the photo at the top and the photo above, and this report on Sunday:
Good evening Dale,
Wanted to give you a quick report on the perch fishing at Navy Pier. Last Tuesday the 3rd of December I got my limit. All fish caught on minnows and crappie rigs. Saturday I got 10 with my dad, the two biggest measuring 13 inches. Today we only got 6. Some days the bite is really good and other days it’s spotty. I’ve also noticed that at times the bite really won’t turn on till the sun comes up and around the afternoon. Hopefully the weather behaves and the perch stay in and biting.
Adem
Bob France holds a fairly typical winter yellow perch caught at Navy Pier.
Bob France messaged the photo above and this on Monday:
I just left Navy Pier. It was slow. Mostly dinks. A couple keepers were caught. One guy fishing out of a boat in the middle was catching jumbos. The switched the numbers of the poles today!
I am so glad that France messaged that photo because that is what a lot of the winter perch look like.
Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station, Indiana, texted:
Perch, perch and perch is all you hear about.
Slips for shore fisherman has been steady a lot of small perch but good ones mixed in well over 250 fishermen on 87th alone on Sunday.
Boat fisherman catching perch as far up as 106th st
The perch bite out of portage fishing in 50 to 60ft of water has been hit or miss bigger perch but must find the pods and stay on them.
Stacey Greene at Park Bait at Montrose Harbor texted:
Good morning
. . .
As for the fishing report Perch are leading the chat. Navy Pier has been hit or miss. I’ve had some good reports and also slow reports. The slip out south is better and better as the days go on. Minnows as well as plastics.
Keeper perch from DuSable Harbor.
Provided by Bridgeport Bait and Tackle
Dan Edwards at Bridgeport Bait and Tackle said they caught perch, including some jumbos, at DuSable Tuesday morning (that’s where the photo above came from) on Perch Pounders and shrimp. He said they are picking up at DuSable, but they are in and out, just like they are at the South Side slips. He also texted the photo above.
PIER PASSES
Pier passes may be bought at Park Bait, Bridgeport Bait and Tackle and Fishtech in Morton Grove. Pier passes become effective Friday, Nov. 15. The $10 pier passes allow legal access to select piers at Jackson Park, Burnham, DuSable, Diversey, Belmont and Montrose harbors.
CHICAGO PARKING PASSES
Park Bait, Bridgeport Bait and Tackle and Fishtech in Morton Grove are now selling parking passes. Email [email protected] with questions. Chicago Park District parking passes ($20 for two months) are for the anglers’ parking lots at DuSable and Burnham harbors.
NAVY PIER ANGLING
North side of Navy Pier is open for anglers. Discounted parking for anglers is $9 daily, beginning at 5 a.m.; must be out by 10 a.m. for the discount. Click here to prepay for the discounted tickets.
LAKEFRONT PARKING
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
ICE FISHING PUBLIC SITES
Ice fishing regulations for area public sites are at https://chicago.suntimes.com/outdoors/2024/12/04/updating-ice-fishing-regs-around-chicago-area-public-sites
AUGER SHARPENING
For the 25th year, Fran Connelly is sharpening auger blades. Find “Ice Auger Sharpening” on Facebook or drop off blades at either Lee’s Bait & Tackle (Elk Grove Village or Carol Stream).
AREA LAKES
Conditions changed radically, especially south, in the last few days, but it looks like the next couple days will lock things up good again for 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 on Sunday
I’ve had over 200 ice fishermen since Monday. Small ponds, back channels (Nielsens) island lake, T Channel yesterday they said 4-5 inches today they all said 4 inches panfish bite has been good!
West of the Fox River is much colder than cook county
Making more [ice] Tuesday through Friday
A bluegill coming through the ice over the weekend.
Ken “Husker” O’Malley
Ken “Husker” O’Malley of Husker Outdoors emailed the photos above and below, and this on Sunday:
Hey Dale,
Today was all about hitting the ice at first light and getting off by lunch. Yes a 55 degree day does make for some comfortable conditions I’ll admit. However, this is not ideal for the ice. We are down to 2 1/2 and there were weak spots getting off. Another day if 50 plus will do it in. I left the auger and flasher in the truck. My holes were still open from yesterday, so it was a stealth mission to target those shallow water pannies. Sight fishing at first ice is so cool with the object of locating those green weeds that hold active fish. Scouting prior to first ice makes this task much easier. The bait of choice today was an IJO Plastics spider monkey. They were all over that bait today. When will safe ice appear again? The extended forecast does look good for that.
What seems to be natural art on the ice.
Ken “Husker” O’Malley
Dan Edwards at Bridgeport Bait and Tackle said they are catching some big crappie from the lagoon behind the Museum of Science and Industry
BRAIDWOOD LAKE
Closed.
CHAIN O’LAKES AREA
Ice should rebuild quickly over the next day or two.
A bucket of bluegills caught ice fishing at Nielsen’s Channels last week.
Arden Katz said he had great success at both Nielsen’s Channels and the T Channel last week for bluegills with Tungsten jigs and waxies. He texted the photo above.
Triangle Sports and Marine proprietor Greg Dickson in Antioch said of the brief warmup, “We had a little hiccup there for a couple days, but I think it will hold.” Spots were fishable even during the brief wamup.
NOTE: Check updates on water conditions at foxwaterway.com or (847) 587-8540.
NOTE 2: Stratton Lock and Dam closed through April 30.
CHICAGO RIVER
Dan Edwards at Bridgeport Bait and Tackle said they are catching crappie on the South Branch toward the Turning Basin area.
COOLING LAKES
Braidwood, Heidecke and LaSalle are closed.
DOWNSTATE
HENNEPIN-HOPPER: Closed.
POWERTON: Bank fishing reopens Dec. 23.
EMIQUON PRESERVE: With waterfowl season, Randy Smith, Illinois River project manager for The Nature Conservancy, emailed:
Fishing is still open, but does not start until 12 noon during waterfowl season. Waterfowl hunting stops at noon. Access permits and liability waivers are available Tuesday to Saturday at Dickson Mounts Museum, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Details at https://www.nature.org/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/documents/2024EmiquonLakeAccessRules.pdf.
SPRING LAKE: Bank fishing allowed after 1 p.m. through Dec. 24.
GREEN LAKE AREA, WISCONSIN
Guide Mike Norris (www.comecatchsmallmouth.com) emailed:
Fishing Report – 12/09/2024
Mike Norris
Big Green Lake: We had a warm-up last weekend, and there was very little wind to hamper angler effort. All boat ramps opened again, and anglers took advantage of the mild weather. As of last Sunday, the water temperature was 40 degrees, and both northern pike and smallmouth bass were biting. Sucker minnows dragged on a Carolina Rig from 14 to 31 feet of water on main lake points was the best presentation. Walleye anglers are having success after dark trolling with crankbaits in 15 – 20 feet of water along the east end of the lake. Unfortunately, freezing temperatures are forecast mid-week, with nighttime temperatures as low as minus two degrees.
Lake Puckaway: This shallow lake is one of the first lakes to freeze, but the current flow on Puckaway can make finding safe ice tricky. In two separate incidents, anglers found this out when they tried to drive their vehicles out over the ice. The $2,500.00 removal fee will make them think twice before they try doing that again.
Fox Lake and Beaver Dam Lake: There were 3 – 4 inches of good ice out from the Town Park boat launch on Fox Lake late last week. Head out beyond the weed line and jig for crappies. Ice fishing for crappies remains good on Beaver Dam Lake off Edgewater Park and Waterworks Bay with jig and minnow combinations. Look for ice anglers bunched up, and you will find the fish.
HEIDECKE LAKE
Closed.
KANKAKEE RIVER
George Peters found active smallmouth bass during the warmup on the Kankakee River.
George Peters emailed the photo above and this:
Seasons greetings! Took advantage of the warm spell to get a 18 1/2″ 4 pounder. Next stop Florida!
G.Peters.
I think by Thursday, Florida was sound appealing.
Dan Edwards at Bridgeport Bait and Tackle said some nice walleye came from the Kankakee on big roaches.
LAKE ERIE
Click here for the Ohio DNR Report.
LAKEFRONT
Capt. A.J. Cwiok holds a lake trout caught off Chicago last week.
Capt. A.J. Cwiok messaged the photo above and this last week:
Chicago lake trout casting. Game on
A lakefront view from the south.
Pete Lamar emailed the photo above and this:
Hi Dale,
You know I didn’t catch anything when the only image I send is a view of the skyline from the south side lakefront. Conditions looked great, especially for early December: air temps in the 50s, water was cold but not frigid, a slight chop on the water to give the flies some action. But no fish seen or contacted. In fact, the only other signs of life were some friendly pedestrians/dog walkers and a few diving ducks offshore. Goldeneyes if I had to guess. I only see them when they migrate through in the spring and fall.
Dan Edwards at Bridgeport Bait and Tackle said they caught perch, including some jumbos, at DuSable Tuesday morning (that’s where the photo above came from) on Perch Pounders and shrimp. He said they are picking up at DuSable, but they are in and out, just like they are at the South Side slips. Otherwise on the lakefront, there’s steelhead and crappie at Diversey on hair jigs and waxies.
Stacey Greene at Park Bait at Montrose Harbor texted:
Good morning
Our season has come to an end. For those who don’t know the building is not heated so we have to winterize and the water has to go off.
As for the fishing report Perch are leading the chat. Navy Pier has been hit or miss. I’ve had some good reports and also slow reports. The slip out south is better and better as the days go on. Minnows as well as plastics.
Hope to see some of you at the next Fishing Advisory Committee meeting which will be held on Thursday January 23d at 10 am at the 31st Street Harbor community room.
Have a great and safe winter / holiday season!
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
Closed.
MADISON LAKES, WISCONSIN
Pat Hasburgh at D&S Bait, Tackle & Fly Shop said Cherokee Bay has about 3 1/2 inches of ice, good bluegills; Monona Bay has 2 1/2-3 inches, struggling with very clear ice and water; Upper Mud Lake about 3 inches; big lakes wide open.
Click here for the update from D&S Bait, Tackle & Fly Shop .
MAZONIA
Closed, except Monster remains open all year.
Hours are 6 a.m. to sunset.
NORTHERN WISCONSIN
Kurt Justice at Kurt’s Island Sport Shop in Minocqua emailed:
Wrong again!
Last week I was SO SURE we were going to have some great early ice conditions, just waiting for the wind to lay down and let the cold take over…then the snow…then the not so cold…
Was there ice fishing? Yes. Was it great? For the few that found some safe, fishable ice, not great, but good. Problem was some of the ice that started to form, unformed. Holes opened up in areas that had freshly skimmed and some areas got soft following warmth and rain Sunday (12/8).
The bright side is there are areas with 3-5+” of ice and anglers have done well for Walleye, Pike, Bluegills and Crappies where safe ice has allowed angling. All ratings where fishing is ice safe to do.
Walleye: Very Good – Shallow water, 3-6’ at and just after dusk. Shiners on tip-ups as water a bit shallow for most jigging rap techniques.
Northern Pike: Very Good – Shallow weeds from early morning on. Medium to large shiners in 3-8’ of green weeds.
Bluegill: Very Good – Good numbers of nice Gills in the 7-8” plus ranges over mud/cabbage flats in 3-8’. Starting mid-morning through late afternoon.
Crappie: Good – Not as many reports as Gills, but some anglers finding Crappies in 6-8’ weeds using Gulp Alive minnows on horizontal jigs.
We have forecast of some snow (12/10-12/11) but also of temps coming in below zero or just barely over. That should give us the base we need to lock up some good ice. Following that a mild weekend, but hopefully not so much it hurts.
Lesson is, I’m too old to use comments like “its on like Donkey Kong”, never even played it when I was young. I’ll stick to verbiage I’m used to like “23 Skidoo” and “Cat’s meow”.
Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sports Shop
– Like us on FaceBook
NORTHWEST INDIANA
Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station texted:
Perch, perch and perch is all you hear about.
Slips for shore fisherman has been steady a lot of small perch but good ones mixed in well over 250 fishermen on 87th alone on Sunday.
Boat fisherman catching perch as far up as 106th st
The perch bite out of portage fishing in 50 to 60ft of water has been hit or miss bigger perch but must find the pods and stay on them.
Everything else is on the quiet side it’s all perch.
SHABBONA LAKE
Through January 31, winter site hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Boondocks closed.
SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN
Staff at Tackle Haven in Benton Harbor said steelhead are very good in the river, variable off the pier.
WOLF RIVER, WISCONSIN
FREMONT: Guide Bill Stoeger texted:
Ice conditions are a little shaky yet. The bayous are getting some panfish action. A guy fell through , walking out on Poygon Saturday, I’ll wait awhile.