Bowfin, bass, bullheads and muskie (Challunge on the Chain) welcome spring fishing

Hair over 18 inches. Pond in Bolingbrook, new personal best!

This Thursday May 16 is the Chicago Fishing Advisory Committee meeting at 10 a.m. at the 31st Harbor community room hope a few anglers can come.

Hi Dale, caught these two black crappies last Monday in a lake somewhere in northern Illinois. We were so stunned by their size, we forgot to measure and weigh them! Submitted by Tim Kough and Pete Nerad

Nightcrawler bass, west suburban pond.

Three Oaks Recreation Area is seeing smallmouth and largemouths starting to get caught. Remember this is a no minnows allowed and catch and release fisheries.

Hi Dale,

Things haven’t changed much this week and that is good news: fishing was good last week and continues to be good.

. . .

Kane County Forest Preserves: still a lot of active bass and sunfish, often willing to hit on the surface. Big bluegills are starting to show themselves close to shore as they get ready to spawn. That’s true on the smaller bodies of water; the bigger lakes still need to warm up more for the bluegills to move in.

Hey Dale,

Here is a recap from this past weeks fishing.

Here’s a recap from today’s trip to the southern pits. It was a day of total junk fishing. A variety of baits produced good numbers of small male bass, but no real pattern ever developed. The day started off at first light with a buzz bait that took a few. Next up were swim baits worked along the outside weedlines. Swim jigs were next up that took a few more before going to slow rolling a spinnerbait. The winds made finesse fishing impossible today. A last ditch effort to entice those post spawn females with a 1/2 oz jig and max scent chigger craw worked along the drop off edge in 10-15 fow before dropping to 25 fow. I just couldn’t get any of the post spawners to take a bait. Water temps remain in the mid 60’s. I had a few geese wanting to move in on one of my prime spots. I also had a visit from one very large snapper as well. Still a good day on the water.

Yesterday’s outing was a quick but very productive one. Wetting a line at first light was necessary to get in a couple of hours before starting all the planned Mother’s Day events. Crappie were feeding aggressively and were not hard to spot the schools. They were pinning bait at the surface, so it was just a matter of staying with them. Throwing a Wackem and Stackem Custom Baits chow bell ahead of the school and letting the bait drop just as it got to them took a fish on almost every cast. FINS Braids windtamer braid allowed for those long cast and sensitivity to detect those bites. It was a picture perfect morning to chase down some pannies.

. . .

TTYL

Ken “Husker” O’Malley
Husker Outdoors
Waterwerks fishing team

Hi Dale,

The last of the tulips were cut this morning for one last bouqet for the teacher aides at school. Tropicals are installed and annual seeds are sprouting. The fishing is progressing into post spawn for largemouth bass and spawn for bluegill. Some big what appeared to be post spawn females were caught by my neighbor jim on Friday with the new moon before the storms hit. Over the weekend i was catching nice bass of varying sizes on beetle spin wacky rigged and unweighted texas rig senkos. The spawning beds are vacant and males are around the same areas in the shallows. Anglers reported catching a few bass. I had gene hicks of hip hop fit and dj fyre of fyre productions out Saturday for some panfish actio. Shrimp bits and red worms took some nice gills and yellow bullhead.

On the music front my friend Pete Bauschke turned in a great performance with hello dave Friday in Rosemont. Saturday June 15 a possible appearance with Indika at the juneteenth celebration at two brothers roundhouse. June 7th with conscious rockers at mso in waucanda. June 8th at mso with midnite mile. Also confirmed August 3rd at peachtree festival in kenosha with Gozortenplat. At the end of this month it’s off to Millelacs in Minnesota.

Tight lines and good health!

Rob

Hi Dale, smallmouth in the shallows and hitting Ned rigs and wacky worms, got a few in the harbor, water is crystal clear, sight fishing for cruising fish

Customers report walleye and crappies on the Chain O Lakes to be good. Fatheads under a float for the crappie. Chatter baits, spinner baits or plastics for the bass.

Delavan Lake 5/13/24 through 5/20/24The largemouth bass has been in pre-spawn and spawn patterns for the past week. They can be caught while sight fishing or casting the shallow flats where there is a hard sand bottom. A lot of the fish are being caught on tube baits or All Terrain Sticks. The best location has been by the outlet or on the west end by the island. Many of the pre-spawn fish are over five pounds.The crappie fishing has been excellent. Most of the fish are caught pre-spawn on the first weedline break. The best bet is 12-15 ft of water. I’ve been catching most of my fish on small plastics, either yellow or purple. Yellow has been outproducing the other colors. Look for the crappies by the no wake buoys by the island or just off the gray condos.Northern Pike fishing has been great in the shallow weed flats. Trolling large spinner baits or shallow diving crank baits has been producing most of the action. Fire Tiger crank baits or white spinner baits are the best option. I also have been fishing small suckers under a slip-bobber. I work a depth between 8 and 10 ft of water.Bluegills are in a water depth of 4-5 ft. They are biting on wax worms or leaf worms. Try fishing for them with an ice jig with a bobber. They are a few weeks awayfrom spawning The best location is by the gray condos or Browns Channel.Walleyes are biting in the 8-12 ft depth range due to the water temperature. With the cooler water they are not very active. Slip bobbers fished with fat head minnows are the best bet.Good Luck and I hope to see you on the water. For guide parties, please call Dave Duwe at 262-728-8063

Downstate HatTrick

Crappie, Eyes, Srtiper, and White Bass.

I haven’t heard any good reports from bass anglers this year [2023], but the folks chasing crappie and catfish have done well. Finding the old ditches that are now underwater and fishing the bottoms for catfish or the vertical sides for crappie seems to be the strategy.

Yesterday Dupage

Hi Dale,

I got out to the Fox River, Kane County at sunrise on Mother’s Day and got a few hours of fishing in. Water level was pretty high and it was flowing a little too fast for wading. Visibility was maybe a foot and a half.

The bite was very good the first hour and then it shut down. No luck on topwater or finesse plastics ... all the smallies came on squarebills. Biggest went about 18 inches. I almost forgot what great fighters these fish are in the river.

The Fox River is still very high and I believe that the lower part is still no wake. Watch for floating debris!

Catfishing is excellent! Use cut bait or stink bait for channel cats. Live 4-6 inch suckers for the flatheads.

Hi Dale,

Things haven’t changed much this week and that is good news: fishing was good last week and continues to be good.

The Fox is running a little high, but clarity is more than good enough to use artificials-fish have no trouble finding lures and flies. The tributaries were surprisingly low and clear even after all the rain we’ve had. Smallmouths are still around. I found more of them farther upstream than last week-they’re reaching the more upper stretches to find good spawning habitat. Others have already completed spawning and have dropped back into the Fox. Suckers are finally making an appearance.

Lake Geneva 5/13/24 through 5/20/24

Bluegill fishing has been all right. Most of the fish are being caught in the bays around the marina piers. Look for the fish in Geneva Bay and Williams Bay. Most of the fish are being caught on slip bobbered red worms or leaf worms. The best depth is 4-5 ft.

Rock bass are starting to show up in the shallows. They are in the 5-6 ft depth range. Fat head minnows or nightcrawler pieces are producing most of the fish. The way to fish for them is a split shot rig, single hook with a 3/0 split shot. With the wind being such that it has, I would drift fish for them.

Perch are also in the shallows, in a 5-6 ft depth range. Look for the fish by Knollwood or Rainbow Point. The fish are being caught on slip bobbered small minnows. Most of the fish have been rather small, you will need to sort quite a few to get a decent amount to keep. Unlike the Rock bass, I would be anchoring near the scattered weeds with sand bottom.

Smallmouth bass fishing has been very slow. The fish that are being caught have been on slow rolling spider grubs on or near bottom. Some locations where you see active bait fish can be decent if you use hair jigs swimming them back to the boat. The best locations has been by Geneva Inn and Maytag Point.

Largemouth bass fishing has been sporadic. The only active fish that are being caught are in Abbey Harbor or Geneva Bay. This year Trinkes bay was dredged out and the water clarity is very low. The shallow fish I’ve been catching have been on split shot rigged nightcrawlers in 4-5 ft of water. The key to the largemouth at this point, is finding the warmest water on the lake.

Good Luck and I hope to see you on the water. For guide parties, please call Dave Duwe at 262-728-8063.

Fishing Report – 5/13/20245By Mike NorrisBig Green Lake: A heavy algae growth has hampered anglers trying to fish bottom-hugging baits for smallmouth bass. Combine that with a water temp in the mid-50s, and it becomes evident that horizontal baits that suspend and don’t touch the bottom are the way to go. Jerkbaits that imitate injured baitfish are popular this time of year. But bass can still be lethargic this time of the year with cool water temps, so work them with frequent pauses. Swimbaits are also a good choice. Try a chatterbait in and around shoreline piers and timber if slow is not your style. The vibrating blade often lures nearby bass into striking the bait. Look for the heavy algae to burn away in two to three weeks. Head to the bays if the weather is warming. Bass will move up and prepare to spawn during the next several weeks.Fox Lake: The surface water temperature on Fox Lake reached into the mid-60s last week, and largemouth bass are starting to make spawning beds. The recent wind has stained the water, though, and the beds are hard to see visibly. I prefer to ride around the lake and look for cleaner water, which can be found where creeks enter the lake. My clients and I can quickly cover a lot of water by working swim baits or chatterbaits on weed flats where bass traditionally spawn. This strategy worked perfectly for my clients and me last weekend. Anglers can find crappies along shorelines with fallen timber. Try working a jig and plastic trailer along rock piles near the islands for walleye.

Hey Dale - Smallmouth and walleye mostly at Heidecke this week. Water temps rising and algae clumps starting to take over in parts of lake. Caught a decent largemouth on jig/craw trailer along with a second walleye on same flippin jig. Good action on Ned rigs fished in 5' to 8’ on windy side of lake. Late evening winds fired up the bite. Catch and release.

Got out first time this year. River coming down, 65 degrees. Got 2 like this 18 1/2" on crank baits. G. Peters

Coho have moved out deeper and up north (Waukegan area). Perch season is closed through June 15th, if caught you need to release. Season opens back up on Sunday June 16th which just happens to be Father’s Day. Smallmouth are hitting here and there around the harbors. Riverwalk starting to get more active with a variety of fish, Crappie, carp, bluegill, bass etc…. Water temps going up shouldn’t be long before the sheephead are biting on the Horseshoe!This Thursday May 16th is the Chicago Fishing Advisory Committee meeting at 10am at the 31st Harbor community room hope a few anglers can come.

Waukegan 5/13Hi Dale. The lake continues to show a normal pattern about a month early. Highland Park to well north of the state line was great for coho fishing. Chicago slowed. Coho are pushing out to deeper water and schooling up into tighter schools. We usually see this about June 1, not May 13.Last week we continued to fish off Great Lakes in 25 to 45 feet of water and had limits of coho every trip. Some other boats did well North of Waukegan in 50 to 90 feet. If you get a couple of hits in an area, troll through it a few times. The coho schools were tight this week.Purple flies took over as the go to color after an entire season of dark green. The Purple Liz, Purple and Gold and Mardi Gras flies from Jimmy Fly were best. Yellow birds, 2 to 5 color leads, divers 17 to 40 feet out and Downriggers 12 to 40 feet with short stretches off the ball worked.This week there are a lot of switching winds forecast which could further scatter the fish and make working small areas even more important.Capt Scott Wolfe312-933-0552

Menominee River water temp 60-64.

The topwater bite is anticipated to continue for the foreseeable future. The stained water creates perfect conditions for topwater fishing, with prop baits proving to be the most effective. |

I have open dates next week do to a cancellation.

715-927-1987

Good Walleye & Slallmouth bite on the Menominee River

I found a load of walleyes in one of my Honey holes. Walleyes were in 8-10 feet of water holding tigh to a rock ledge. Jig and minnow got the job done.

With water temps hitting 60 degrees the smallmouth action on the Menominee River will explode. Most of the smallmouth we are catching are shallow and aggresive. Use a combination of swimbaits, swimjigs, jerkbaits and wacky worms.

Open May Guide Dates 5/17, 5/21, 5/22, 5/23 5/30, 5/31.

I also have some June dates open Book a river smallmouth trip or a combination smallmouth/walleye trip.

Things are looking up for fishing in the Lakeland Area. Following a slow week at times last week (magnetic storm in outer space, how’s that sound?), the forecasted lows seem to be rising, so mornings should get better. Prior it has been afternoons that were better fishing as lake temps would rise, then fall again with the morning’s air temps dropping into the 30’s.

Crappie: Good-Very Good – Good reports from Crappie anglers finding pre-spawn (many VERY pre-spawn) Crappies in 7-10’ weeds and shallower at times. Kalin Crappie Scrubs, Charlie Bee’s, Garland Itty Bits and small tube jigs as well as small minnows on slip-floats. Very reliable source also reported Crappies bedding already on a few smaller lakes. Once they’ve committed, these bedders won’t leave. With forecast, expect a lot more similar situations.

Largemouth Bass: Good-Very Good – Most activity in shallows with dark bottoms on warming afternoons. Wacky Worms, light weighted Ned rigs, 4” plastic worms producing action with nice fish of 18-20” reported.

Bluegill: Good – With no report last week, readers let me know they did in fact find Gills and its only getting better! Mostly in 5-8’ using leafworms, Mini-Mites tipped with waxies or the tiniest of tube jigs. Not warm enough for top-water popper fishing, but one good report from an angler using wet flies.

Northern Pike: Good – As weeds slowly green and grow, anglers finding more opportunities in 6-10’. Spinners (#3-#4 Mepps) spinnerbaits, swimbaits and chub/jig combos. Good action and nice size of 24-30” fish reported.

Smallmouth Bass: Good – Not as many targeting (still only catch and release) but some very nice Smallies being caught by anglers using tube jigs, Ned rigs and Jigging Raps/Shiver Minnows along breaks outside of spawning areas. Twitching X-Raps and Husky Jerks working just at the areas where the shallows fall to deep also.

Walleye: Fair-Good – Had a lull last week it seemed. Mornings were toughest with action improving in afternoons. Water temps playing big roll, but that looks to level off. Green weeds, jig and bait time. Dace, fats, smaller chubs and even leeches working well. Anglers casting stickbaits (Rapalas, Thundersticks, Rattlin Rouges) also picking up nice catches towards dusk in shallower weeds (7’ less).

Surface temps ranging 52-58 degrees on most lakes. It’s been either windy or flat most days (both on some days). Small fronts moving through bring rain and temperature changes. Look forward to a nice consistent week with lows in the 40’s and highs mid to upper 60’s bringing some consistency. Great time to get out on the water as fishing good, temps nice and bugs low.

Kurt Justice

Kurt’s Island Sports Shop

Few coho and a king here and there being caught from portage to Michigan city in 45 to 50ft of water.

Lakers and a few coho being caught in 65 to 75 feet of water straight out of portage.

Bluegills on crickets and jumbo red wigglers fishing the valpo chain of lakes.

Few walleye being caught on wolf lake in the evening using leeches under slip bobbers.

Few walleye being caught on wolf lake in the evening using leeches under slip bobbers.

Hey Dale
With my brother Mike Lenc long time wolf river rat in Fremont.
White Bass are in the the river.
Catching plenty all week, but have to work for them.
Typical wolf river rigs with minnow and fly.
Changing fly colors each day.
Today hitting good on green.
Fish are at least a week away from spawning.
Almost all males were caught.
Only a few out of 200 in last 3 days were female.
Fish are starting to move in to shallow water whereslip bobbers and minnows are working.

Water temp Monday morning was 63.2 degrees. We had 132 white bass in 3 hours. Most females, spawning in the shallows. The catfish are also biting very good. Biggest was 18 pounds on Sunday.