T_boy
06-22-2011, 06:05 PM
LAKEFRONT PERCH: The perch run finally appears to be under way for real. Park Bait said shore fishermen are doing best on the south side of Montrose. Henry’s said Northerly Island is another top spot. There have been other good reports by the Shedd. Henry’s said bigger ones are coming at Belmont. It’s a mix of perch flies, spinners, minnows and soft shells. On Tuesday, Capt. Bob Poteshman reported good perch for boaters around the wall and the weed beds east of Navy Pier.
HENRY’S PERCH DERBY: The seventh annual Henry’s Perch Derby is 6 to 10 a.m. Saturday at Northerly Island. Registration begins at 5:30 a.m. Go to henryssports.com or call (312) 225-8538.
BOATERS’ BET: Coho (some steelhead and kings mixed in) have been outstanding off Chicago. Capt. Bill Kelly of Leprechaun Charters reported good coho at the O Marker (near Carter Harrison) in 50 feet, good coho in 50 feet southwest of the R4 and a good mixed bag at the car ferry in 70 to three miles north in 80. Poteshman reported a good band of coho in 40 to 60 feet from straight off downtown Chicago to Wilmette. He is using ‘‘100 percent Dodgers and flies.’’ Faithful reader Peter Babich e-mailed a typical catch — 27 coho, a small laker and a small king — in 45 to 60 feet on Capt. Jaime Kost’s Kingfisherman this week out of Diversey.
AREA LAKES: Lots of reports of top-waters taking bass early and late on retention ponds. Catfish are the other top bite. Some bluegills are pulling off beds, but others are still up.
AREA RIVERS: Because of possible bad weather, short river reports. DES PLAINES: Andrew Ragas of fishing-headquarters.com reported river is back to good shape; best early and late for pike (deeper pools and eddies near shore), largemouth (along the channel edges, rip-rap, downed wood, weed lines, bridges, and deeper pools) and catfish.
ILLINOIS: River spiked again to flood stage at LaSalle, but Time on the Water said boaters were taking some sauger before that happened. KANKAKEE: Norm Minas did well on smallmouth and a few walleye Tuesday in the near-bankful state-park area by working a deep-diving Wiggle-Wart against the current seams very slowly. ‘‘Catfish’’ Dave Bradigan reported good bluegills in the backwaters east of Momence before the downpours Monday. Before the downpours, Ed Mullady reported catfish and pike were good around Wilmington and pike (up to 9 pounds) were being taken from The Point near English Lake, Ind.
CHAIN O’LAKES AREA: Triangle reported bluegills were still up, but some were coming off the beds. Loon and Deep are also good options. If rain comes, current flow should spike walleye around bridges and current areas. Bass are in post-spawn; try dock fishing. Frog fishing is improving. Catfish are good on dipbaits. For white bass, work the bottlenecks on the river.
COOLING LAKES/STRIP PITS: MAZONIA/BRAIDWOOD: On cloudier days, there’s a good variety — especially bass and catfish — being caught. HEIDECKE: Variable reports for multiple species.
DELAVAN/GENEVA LAKES, WIS.: DELAVAN: Arden Katz reported outstanding crappie in 10 to 12 feet on small twister-tails and good big bass on soft plastics. Guide Dave Duwe said walleye are improved in low light off the weed lines in 14 to 16 feet. Some bluegills are spawning, while others are being caught in open water deeper than 16 feet. GENEVA: Duwe reported rock bass in 8 to 10 feet, largemouth in shallows and out to 12 feet and bluegills in 6 to 8 feet.
DOWNSTATE NOTES: SHELBYVILLE: Ken Wilson of Lithia Guide Service reported trolling is producing walleye and white bass; best white bass are busting shad on the north end. Lots of largemouth on main lake points. Trolling is producing crappie in open water. Water is in upper 70s, and lake is up 8 feet. EVERGREEN: Time on the Water outdoors reported good crappie on slip bobbers and minnows down 10 to 18 feet in 30 feet. Site staff also reported good saugeye (crankbaits or jigs with crawlers or minnows), largemouth (near weed beds and off points on topwaters), catfish and bluegills (near weeds).
LAKEFRONT: CHICAGO: See top. WAUKEGAN: Salmon Stop reported boaters are doing a bit better for perch on crab meat or large fathead. Some perch and a few coho off the end of government pier. Boaters are working in 80 to 120 feet for bigger coho and kings. NORTH POINT: Poteshman reported good coho in 80 to 140 feet straight out on Dodgers and flies. CHICAGO NOTE: You need a fisherman’s parking pass — $10 for two months and available at Henry’s Sports & Bait — to park south of the main building at Northerly Island.
NORTHERN WISCONSIN: EAGLE RIVER: The Chamber of Commerce reported muskies improving (in 7 feet or less around new weeds) and good walleye and pike. MINOCQUA: Guide Kurt Justice reported very good muskies, including a 53 1/2 -incher and a 48 1/2 -incher this month. He said bucktails and wood are working. He said largemouth (plastics around docks or pilings) and pike (over weeds in 6 to 10 feet) are very good. Walleye, bluegills and perch are good, and smallmouth are fair.
NORTHWEST INDIANA: Mik-Lurch reported good steelhead in Trail, all the way to Johnson Road. Boaters are taking a few steelhead outside of Portage on red ThinFins and J-13s. A 10-2 walleye was caught this week on the corn channel on the Indiana side at Wolf Lake.
ST. JOSEPH AREA, MICH.: Tyler Harmon reported pier fishing was good for a few days, but ‘‘one day a bunch of steelhead may be hooked, the next day only one.’’
SHABBONA LAKE: Lakeside had an outstanding bass open Saturday with a 5-pounder topping the results.
HENRY’S PERCH DERBY: The seventh annual Henry’s Perch Derby is 6 to 10 a.m. Saturday at Northerly Island. Registration begins at 5:30 a.m. Go to henryssports.com or call (312) 225-8538.
BOATERS’ BET: Coho (some steelhead and kings mixed in) have been outstanding off Chicago. Capt. Bill Kelly of Leprechaun Charters reported good coho at the O Marker (near Carter Harrison) in 50 feet, good coho in 50 feet southwest of the R4 and a good mixed bag at the car ferry in 70 to three miles north in 80. Poteshman reported a good band of coho in 40 to 60 feet from straight off downtown Chicago to Wilmette. He is using ‘‘100 percent Dodgers and flies.’’ Faithful reader Peter Babich e-mailed a typical catch — 27 coho, a small laker and a small king — in 45 to 60 feet on Capt. Jaime Kost’s Kingfisherman this week out of Diversey.
AREA LAKES: Lots of reports of top-waters taking bass early and late on retention ponds. Catfish are the other top bite. Some bluegills are pulling off beds, but others are still up.
AREA RIVERS: Because of possible bad weather, short river reports. DES PLAINES: Andrew Ragas of fishing-headquarters.com reported river is back to good shape; best early and late for pike (deeper pools and eddies near shore), largemouth (along the channel edges, rip-rap, downed wood, weed lines, bridges, and deeper pools) and catfish.
ILLINOIS: River spiked again to flood stage at LaSalle, but Time on the Water said boaters were taking some sauger before that happened. KANKAKEE: Norm Minas did well on smallmouth and a few walleye Tuesday in the near-bankful state-park area by working a deep-diving Wiggle-Wart against the current seams very slowly. ‘‘Catfish’’ Dave Bradigan reported good bluegills in the backwaters east of Momence before the downpours Monday. Before the downpours, Ed Mullady reported catfish and pike were good around Wilmington and pike (up to 9 pounds) were being taken from The Point near English Lake, Ind.
CHAIN O’LAKES AREA: Triangle reported bluegills were still up, but some were coming off the beds. Loon and Deep are also good options. If rain comes, current flow should spike walleye around bridges and current areas. Bass are in post-spawn; try dock fishing. Frog fishing is improving. Catfish are good on dipbaits. For white bass, work the bottlenecks on the river.
COOLING LAKES/STRIP PITS: MAZONIA/BRAIDWOOD: On cloudier days, there’s a good variety — especially bass and catfish — being caught. HEIDECKE: Variable reports for multiple species.
DELAVAN/GENEVA LAKES, WIS.: DELAVAN: Arden Katz reported outstanding crappie in 10 to 12 feet on small twister-tails and good big bass on soft plastics. Guide Dave Duwe said walleye are improved in low light off the weed lines in 14 to 16 feet. Some bluegills are spawning, while others are being caught in open water deeper than 16 feet. GENEVA: Duwe reported rock bass in 8 to 10 feet, largemouth in shallows and out to 12 feet and bluegills in 6 to 8 feet.
DOWNSTATE NOTES: SHELBYVILLE: Ken Wilson of Lithia Guide Service reported trolling is producing walleye and white bass; best white bass are busting shad on the north end. Lots of largemouth on main lake points. Trolling is producing crappie in open water. Water is in upper 70s, and lake is up 8 feet. EVERGREEN: Time on the Water outdoors reported good crappie on slip bobbers and minnows down 10 to 18 feet in 30 feet. Site staff also reported good saugeye (crankbaits or jigs with crawlers or minnows), largemouth (near weed beds and off points on topwaters), catfish and bluegills (near weeds).
LAKEFRONT: CHICAGO: See top. WAUKEGAN: Salmon Stop reported boaters are doing a bit better for perch on crab meat or large fathead. Some perch and a few coho off the end of government pier. Boaters are working in 80 to 120 feet for bigger coho and kings. NORTH POINT: Poteshman reported good coho in 80 to 140 feet straight out on Dodgers and flies. CHICAGO NOTE: You need a fisherman’s parking pass — $10 for two months and available at Henry’s Sports & Bait — to park south of the main building at Northerly Island.
NORTHERN WISCONSIN: EAGLE RIVER: The Chamber of Commerce reported muskies improving (in 7 feet or less around new weeds) and good walleye and pike. MINOCQUA: Guide Kurt Justice reported very good muskies, including a 53 1/2 -incher and a 48 1/2 -incher this month. He said bucktails and wood are working. He said largemouth (plastics around docks or pilings) and pike (over weeds in 6 to 10 feet) are very good. Walleye, bluegills and perch are good, and smallmouth are fair.
NORTHWEST INDIANA: Mik-Lurch reported good steelhead in Trail, all the way to Johnson Road. Boaters are taking a few steelhead outside of Portage on red ThinFins and J-13s. A 10-2 walleye was caught this week on the corn channel on the Indiana side at Wolf Lake.
ST. JOSEPH AREA, MICH.: Tyler Harmon reported pier fishing was good for a few days, but ‘‘one day a bunch of steelhead may be hooked, the next day only one.’’
SHABBONA LAKE: Lakeside had an outstanding bass open Saturday with a 5-pounder topping the results.