1. Monster Chicago walleye
Besides being a monster, Leo Garza’s 14.3-pound walleye, caught Nov. 23 off downtown Chicago, represents the potential of the fishery.
That’s not the biggest walleye swimming in southern Lake Michigan. I, like others, think the Illinois-record walleye and smallmouth bass will come from Lake Michigan in the next year or two.
Garza’s walleye was the third-heaviest caught in Illinois and weighed on a certified scale (by Brian Fenlon at Park Bait). It trails only the Illinois-record 15.08-pounder Jim Zimmerman caught on March 11, 2012, from the Pecatonica River and the 14-pound, 12-ouncer Nick Tassoni caught Jan. 7, 2012, from the Pecatonica.
Garza’s catch started innocuously. While jigging for lake trout with a spinning rod with 17-pound monofilament and a half-ounce jigging spoon dressed with white tinsel hair near Chicago Light, he thought he was hung up on a rock.
His brother, Capt. Ernesto Amparan of Thin Blue Line Fishing, and his buddy David Vasquez had taken Garza on a fishing outing for his birthday.
‘‘There may be a bigger walleye out there, but it is really hard to say if and when another one will be caught,’’ emailed Vic Santucci, the Lake Michigan program manager for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
2. North Point
It’s a developing story, but Suntex ended its contract to run North Point Marina, the largest marina on the Great Lakes. The IDNR doesn’t know whether North Point will reopen in time for the 2026 boating season.
‘‘I am already looking for other locations,’’ said Rob Wendel of Lake Michigan Angler, the premier tackle shop around southern Lake Michigan.
Wendel mirrors what is happening with boat owners and other Winthrop Harbor businesses (charters, eateries, taverns, hotels and gas stations).
Suntex operates the Chicago Park District harbors.
3. ‘Fishes of the Chicago Region’
After decades of work by Francis Veraldi, Stephen Pescitelli and Philip Willink, the University of Chicago released ‘‘Fishes of the Chicago Region’’ on June 3. It’s a guide book, but, as I wrote in my review, that’s ‘‘like simply calling Pete Crow-Armstrong a ballplayer.’’ It’s a must-have for any Chicago-area angler.
4. Updated endangered-species list
On Oct 31, Illinois updated the state endangered-species list (as is done every five years), offering a glimpse at what is rebounding and falling back in our wild world.
5. IHSA bass fishing
After years of justified complaining by coaches, anglers and fans, the Illinois High School Association finally moved the state finals for bass fishing from Carlyle Lake, where it had been since the start in 2009. The first year at Lake Shelbyville proved to be good, with all boats weighing fish and 17 limiting both days.
Sophomores Hudson Von Qualen and Charles Stevens led St. Charles North to second place, and Sandburg senior Adrius Stankus, fishing solo, took third.
6. Showtime
In January, the Chicago Boat Show was held outside the city for the first time. The 93rd Boat Show settled in at the Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. It worked well, but it lacked views of Lake Michigan and Lake Shore Drive.
7. Navy Pier Marina
Navy Pier Marina opened to transient boaters in late spring, then opened its piers to fishing with a pass in late November. The pass is good through Feb. 28. Apply for a pass at navypiermarina.com.
8. Climate change
The latest example of climate-change effects on the outdoors came when stockings of rainbow trout for the fall trout season were interrupted by heat-related issues again. Stockings were interrupted statewide, and the start was delayed at some downstate sites. Rainbows can’t survive in water warmer than the upper 60s. What about moving the fall start date to late October or November?
‘‘We currently do not have any official plans to move the fall start date, but it is certainly under evaluation, given the number of times we had to delay stocking due to temperature extremes in the last decade,’’ fisheries chief Mike McClelland emailed.
9. Piping plovers
The National Audubon Society reported that, for the fourth consecutive year, piping plovers set a record for unique pairs nesting around the Great Lakes with 88. That’s the highest count since they were listed under the Endangered Species Act in 1986. The most famous piping-plover pair remains the late Monty and Rose, who in 2019 were the first pair to mate in Chicago in decades.
10. O’Hare mediation
In January, Openlands officially closed the books on a 20-year restoration project funded by $26 million from the O’Hare Modernization Mitigation Project. Openlands, with multiple partners, oversaw the five projects: Hadley Valley Preserve, Deer Grove Forest Preserve, Bobolink Meadow Land and Water Reserve, Messenger Woods Nature Preserve and Drummond Floodplain.