The Wisconsin gamefish opener is Saturday with stable and warm weather.
“It should be a banner weekend,” said “Ranger” Rick Krueger of Guide’s Choice Pro Shop in Eagle River, Wis. “People are coming in and buying a lot of fishing licenses.”
The Wisconsin opener and the promise of more spring fishing breakthroughs around Chicago fishing lead this sprawling raw-file version of the Midwest Fishing Report, which appears much condensed Wednesdays on the Sun-Times outdoors page.
One of those spring signs is big largemouth bass on local ponds and lakes, as shown by Tom Le with a big south suburban bass in a photo sent by Ken “Husker” O’Malley.
WISCONSIN OPENER
Regular fishing season opens Saturday. For the first time in three years, even far northern areas will have open water and for the first time in even more years the weather forecast is fantastic with temperatures forecast to reach 70s in many areas.
Specific prospects are listed as usual below.
PERCH NOTES
Season is closed in the Illinois waters of Lake Michigan from Friday through June 15. Keep in mind that staff at Park Bait said some are coming in at Montrose. Mike Starcevich at
Mik-Lurch texted that perch are being caught at Burns Ditch in Indiana in 40-46 feet, some limits. The full moon is coming soon, which Starcevich thinks may be the last chance this spring to catch the big girls.
LAKEFRONT OTHERWISE
Capt. Bob Poteshman of Confusion Charters said there is a good band of coho from Chicago to Kenosha, Wis. from shore to 30 feet, best on Dodgers and flies.
CHICAGO: Staff at both Park Bait and Henry’s reported some coho from shore, powerliners are doing better. WAUKEGAN: Lori Ralph at the Salmon Stop texted that weather limited pier fishing, but boaters are taking coho. NORTH POINT: Capt. Bob Poteshman of Confusion Charters said coho were very good Tuesday. INDIANA: Mike Starcevich at Mik-Lurch texted that they were catching coho around the Hole-in-the-Wall; Poteshman said the same thing.
SMELT NETTING
The last night is Thursday. Regulations on the Chicago lakefront are the same: Nets may go in at 7 p.m., no alcohol and netters must be out of the parks by 1 a.m.
AREA LAKES
Remember there are IHSA sectionals on Friday at Skokie Lagoons, Busse Main and South, and Holiday. Othewise, crappie and big bass are going, as Ken “Husker” O’Malley noted with this:
Hey Dale,
Big bass are starting to bite on area lakes. Saturday was very good between storms.
Bait of choice was a chatter bait customized with a strike king swim bait body. Working out side weed lines produced biggest bass.
The attached photo is the largest of the day. My good friend Tom Le caught this one. Weighed in at almost 7 pounds!!
–
Ken “Husker” O’Malley
Huskeroutdoors
Waterworks fishing team
There might be some trout around yet, though we are three weeks in. Here is the list of sites in Chicago-area, including the sites stocked by forest preserves and the IDNR: Area waters include Axehead, Belleau, Green, Wolf lakes (Cook County); Grove, Pickerel, Silver lakes (DuPage); Bird Park Quarry, Rock Creek in Kankakee River SP (Kankakee); Big Lake at Silver Springs SFWA (Kendall); Banana, Sand Lake at Illinois Beach SP (Lake); Lake Atwood, Piscasaw Creek (McHenry); Lake Milliken (Will). Click here for the statewide information on regulations and sites (however, it does not list the sites stocked by forest preserves).
AREA WATER LEVELS
Go to http://water.weather.gov//ahps2/index.php?wfo=lot to check area water levels and projection. To get to more specific gauges, even on creeks, in Illinois, go to http://waterdata.usgs.gov/il/nwis/current/?type=flow
CENTRAL WISCONSIN
Hooksetter’s Guide Service sent this:
(Head): Cold weather pushing walleyes into deep water, and slowing turkey hunting down; all in and amidst the lakes and the Wisconsin River in Wisconsin’s Marathon and Lincoln Counties (near Mosinee and Wausau).
Central Wisconsin is a hot bed of activity right now with walleye fishing and turkey hunting topping the list of things to do.
This past week we have seen some dramatic climate changes with temperatures plunging from the 70’s down into the 20’s. We have had increased rain and in some areas snowfall. The intense change has basically shut down the walleye spawn and pushed fish from their traditional spawning grounds to deeper water. But don’t let that discourage you from getting out there and catching some good walleyes. We have been out and by using our electronic side imaging we have been able to locate mid Wisconsin River creases and cuts that are holding these post frontal walleyes. A lot of these areas are not large in size but by finding a few of them and thoroughly working them we have been able to produce some nice fish. Most of these locations have been in 10 to 14 feet of water with jig and minnow combinations being the best tactic for targeting the walleyes. We have even picked up a few nice catfish with this presentation as well.
CHAIN O’LAKES AREA
Staff at Triangle said that bass are moving up shallow; bluegill are also shallow; while walleye are on a post-spawn feeding frenzy. Water is normal. Remember there are two IHSA sectionals on the Chain on Friday.
For more reports, see http://www.foxlakefishing.com/
Check Chain updates from at the Fox Waterway Agency or by calling (847) 587-8540.
CHICAGO RIVER
No update this week.
COOLING LAKES/STRIP PITS
HEIDECKE: Remember there is an IHSA sectional on Friday. Crappie fishing has been good for those who find them. I would expect this to be the weekend where walleye and hybrids really kick in with the coming warmup. Click here for my preview in the March 29 Sun-Times, which is very encouraging. Launch opens at 6 a.m., shore fishing at 6:30 a.m. Close is sunset. It is open daily. LaSALLE: Continues to have a strong bite for hybrids and blues. Hours are 6 a.m. to sunset daily. There is a concessionaire with bait and food options. BRAIDWOOD: Lake is open daily 6 a.m.-sunset. Remember there is an IHSA sectional on Friday. MAZONIA: Prime time for panfish should be setting up by the weekend with the warmup. Lake is open daily 6 a.m.-sunset.
DELAVAN/LAKE GENEVA AREA
Dave Duwe of FishLakeGeneva.com said he expects bass to be shallow on Delavan in pre-spawn mode; pike in shallow weeds on medium suckers and bluegill two feet or lees; on Geneva, he expects cold water to be an impact, but smallmouth bass will be suspended in 12 -15 feet; find pods of bait then work with white hair jigs, he expects largemouth to be best in Geneva Bay; for the opener he may end up fishing Como.
DES PLAINES RIVER
Remember there is an IHSA sectional Friday out of Big Basin Marina.
DOWNSTATE NOTES
Remember, many Downstate sites have IHSA sectionals on Friday.
LAKE OF EGYPT/REND LAKE: Check with Jason Johns of Boneyard Fishing. EVERGREEN: Mike Steffa sent these reminders:
NEW SAUGEYE (WALLEYE HYBRID) REGULATIONS FOR EVERGREEN LAKE
Starting April 1, 2015 the following new regulations will take affect for Saugeye (Walleye Hybrid) on Evergreen Lake:
Minimum Length Limit – 18″ Daily Creel Limit – 3 Fish/Day
Evergreen Lake Bait Shop & Boat Rental Opens Saturday, April 4, 2015!
The Evergreen Lake Bait Shop & Boat Rental will open this Saturday, April 4, 2015! Hours are as follows:
Bait Shop: Monday – Thursday from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. & Friday – Sunday from 6 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Boat Rental: Open ONLY Friday – Sunday from 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Expanded Hours Beginning Memorial Day Weekend!
Thank you,
Mike
SHELBYVILLE: Check with Ken Wilson of Ken Wilson Guide Service. POWERTON: Both shore and boat fishing are open. Hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. HENNEPIN-HOPPER: Lakes will reopen this year at an undecided date. EMIQUON: Call (309) 547-2730.
DuPAGE RIVER
No report this week.
FOX RIVER
No update this week.
GREEN BAY
No update this week from Lance LaVine at Howie’s Tackle in Sturgeon Bay.
The Wisconsin DNR posts a report, typically updated on Tuesdays at http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/fishing/lakemichigan/OutdoorReport.html
ILLINOIS RIVER
Joe Sanderson messaged:
White bass are in full swing at starved rock.gotem on blades then turned to a.lite bite today had to drop down the a twister tail.. peeps were catching them all over the river.. river muddied up with influx of water but not bad..
Illinois Valley Outdoors (in the former Time on the Water Outdoors buildings) at Spring Valley is now open with basics, including bait, crankbaits and plastics at 5 a.m. The phone is (815) 663-1000.
INDIANA STREAMS
Access points for Trail Creek can be found on the Trail Creek Access Map.
KANKAKEE RIVER
Norm Minas sent this update on Monday:
river crested, slight drop in height and flow rate. still no visibility to speak of, highest water temp about 52 degrees about 2PM . sun shining, fished in long sleeve shirt .
a lot of surface activity and birds diving on bugs in one spot, tried surface, mid depth and just off bottom with topwaters, rattlebaits, chatterbaits, jerkbaits, sluggo and swim bait all to no avail. caught two really nice smallmouth on wacky rigged cigar type worms. Of course they were the last two I had, forgot to restock .
I did some real early morning fishing before all the doctor stuff started, got several smallmouth on topwaters in slack areas behind waterwillow patches.
these fish look to be a sustained warming trend away from spawning
peace
norm
He originally sent this weekend note:
today the river levels went from 2.1 to 2.7 and up about 3,000 cfs due to recent rains . visibility , maybe an inch or two near shore in slack water . water temps started out mid 40′s last time I took it about noon was 50.1. sun was shining but I didn’t shed the third layer until afternoon .
carp rolling , minnow activity in multiple slack areas, snagged some suckers in pools below riffles. lot of bird and animal activity, seeing more flowering plants starting to bloom . turkey buzzards overhead just about everywhere I went, not sure what that means .
wade fished a multitude of areas, started urban, worked down to wilder areas and finished up semi-urban. creekmouths, flats, slackwater from cover with a cast or three to huge, bluffs, riffles and adjacent pools. everything from silt covered bottoms to cobble to ledge rock to boulders, flooded trees, laydowns, waterwillow stubble and some flooded brush.
crankbaits, rattlebaits, singlespins, jig/pig, weighted keeper/eire darter, swim baits and sluggos to match cover/current conditions/ algae . damn stuff still not blown out in downstream stretches, thru entire water column. in those areas made short cast to highest percentage spot on spot, figured anything after a few turns of the reel or short drift was fouled. actually that worked rather well, really made me concentrate on dissecting the spot
good day, multiple assortment of smallmouth sizes, many real pigs, chowing down .
peace
norm
LAKE ERIE
Prospects look good for walleye and perch this year; smallmouth fair but improving. Click here for update. The Ohio DNR has general Lake Erie info and a fishing report.
LAKEFRONT
See report at top.
MADISON CHAIN, WISCONSIN
Gene Dellinger at D&S Bait said it is typically a night walleye bite for the opener with tight to shore fishing on Waubesa (Babcock Park, trestle bridges or Bible Camp), on Monona at the mouth of the river and in the river, and trolling in 8-12-15 off points or casting the points; muskie guys will be in Wingra; and smallmouth should go on Mendota in 8-12 feet off points.
MENOMINEE RIVER, WISCONSIN
Mike Mladenik of Mike Mladenik Guide Service sent this promise of things to come:
Get Ready For Great Fishing
With the warm weather expected this week the fishing will be fantastic! Smallmouth will be in pre-spawn and the May action should be as good as it gets. I have been on the water and have found big smallmouth stacked up and ready!! Can’t wait for the opener May 2.
Not to mention the pike action.
I still have some open dates the first 3 weeks of May. Let me know asap!
Prime time to catch a few Giant Smallmouth
Book your Spring trip Now!!!!!
NORTHERN WISCONSIN
Kurt Justice of Kurt’s Island Sport Shop in Minocqua sent this:
Finally! Accessibility will not be an issue for the opener, a first in the past couple years.
With ice out in the rear view, most all but a few large lakes are done with the walleye spawn and a gradual warming trend for the weekend means things look good for opener.
While cold nighttime temps and mild daytime temps saw surface water lose about 5-6 degrees from the highs of a week and a half ago, plenty of sunshine is bringing some of that warmth back to the lakes.
On lakes without major deep water, walleye spawn is over and recovery is on the way. Key in on any bright green weed patches, using light weight jigs to thread large fatheads through the weeds. Also try casting minnow style stick baits (Rapalas, Rattlin’ Rouges, Thundersticks) over tops of these weed beds. Slip-bobbers with fats are also effective, but use one of the afore mentioned first to locate green weeds.
On certain larger, deeper lakes (and a few mid-sized lakes further north) the spawn is just wrapping up. Deeper water just off the edges of the spawning areas will hold some fish. Use 1/8-1/4 oz jigs tipped with chubs or 3-5” suckers.
As usual, redtail chubs and dace are in short supply to start the season. Blacktail chubs, walleye suckers and rainbow chubs will be a little easier to find. For most use, large fatheads are a very good bait. Due to the early ice out and warming trend, leeches are also a viable bait choice.
New regulations for a 3 fish (walleye) limit across the Ceded Territory brings some new size limits, most notably any lake with a 15” minimum will also carry a protected 20-24” slot with only one fish above the slot (24”) allowed.
Concerns about the zero bag limit on the Minocqua/Lake Tomahawk chain affecting fishing elsewhere? Due to an extreme lack of walleyes (DNR nets found mostly old females or small, recently stocked fish) very few anglers have been charging the chain for walleyes. There are a lot of lakes to fish walleyes up here and with the increased bag limits (plus the Lac du Flambeau lakes have a reduced size limit from 18” to the new 15” with 20-24” slot) there are plenty of places to fish while the Minocqua chain has a chance to recover.
Best of Luck to all anglers for this 2015 opener!!!
Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop
www.kurtsislandsports.com
EAGLE RIVER: “Ranger” Rick Krueger of Guide’s Choice Pro Shop said it should be a good opener. The ice went out two weeks ago and the water is in the upper 40s to 50. He thinks some weeds might be popping by the opener. The forecast is for a beautiful sunny weekend and warming into the 70s, all of which is following a week of cooler but stable weather. He said walleye will be post-spawn except on the deepest clearest lakes.
“Everything else is biting–bass, walleye, crappie–everything is biting,” he said.
NORTHWEST INDIANA
See report at top for lakefront. Panfish reports are good for Willow Slough. NOTE: Indiana’s trout stream (harvest) season opened on Saturday. Click here.
ROOT RIVER, WISCONSIN
The Wisconsin DNR Root River Report is generally posted on Tuesday.
ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN
Phil Schuman at Tackle Haven said weather is limiting effort and success, especially on Lake Michigan.
ST. JOSEPH RIVER, INDIANA
Click here for reports from the Indiana DNR.
SHABBONA LAKE
Via a tweet from Larry Green, Charlie Mack caught a 45-inch muskie on a white bucktail.
Staff at Lakeside said that crappie are best in cribs by the campground and crappie could come up shallow by weekend; smallmouth are good by the dam; water is warming back through 50s.
Lakeside is open 6:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
For more information and reports from Lakeside, go to shabbonalake.com or call (815) 824-2581.
SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN
The Wisconsin DNR report is at http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/fishing/lakemichigan/OutdoorReport.html. They are generally posted by Tuesday afternoon. Stream flow info is at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/wi/nwis/current?type=flow.
WOLF LAKE
No update.
WOLF RIVER, WISCONSIN
FREMONT: Arden Katz said that river rigs are catching both walleye and white bass in 10-14 feet; he said he would expect white bass to peak in about 10 days. That is right about the usual Mother’s Day peak for them.