Perch and lake trout action continues on ice-free Lake Michigan while ice fishing should rebuild across at least northern areas for this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report.
Photo at the top is from Kurt Justice at Kurt’s Island Sport Shop in Minocqua, Wisconsin.
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 fishing@chicagoparkdistrict.com 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 of 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
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:
Give Mother Nature a week or less and we will have fish able ice. Happy New Year!
Ken “Husker” O’Malley of Husker Outdoors emailed the photos above and below, and this:
Hey Dale,
The long rods were back at it this morning as the ice is off for now. Started off dragging a jig with a max scent chigger craw along the ledge in 8 fow dropping into 13. That took a few smaller bass but not the ones I was looking for. I decided to switch gears and focus on areas with inflows from the past few days of rain. Bass were stacked up in those areas and plenty of smaller bass were caught. Even though I couldn’t land any decent ones, it was good to set the hook on some. Here’s a recap from today. The bite was very slow and had to work for every one of them. Water levels were up and dirty with about 6 inches of visibility from yesterday’s rain. Pitching a chigger craw into flooded shoreline cover took a few. The sensitivity of FINS Braids infinity braid helped detect those light biters. I’m taking advantage of the open water for now as the extended forecast has ice returning.
Here’s the nature pic of the week.
TTYL
Ken “Husker” O’Malley
Husker Outdoors
Waterwerks fishing team
Rob Abouchar messaged:
Happy new year Dale
In island lake it’s a waiting game for open water or ice whichever comes first. Most of the lake is open but our cool corner resembles a grinch slurpee. With the fillamentous algae still thriving and mixing in with the slush.
I made a trip to Merrill Wisconsin to check on things at the fishing house and shut off the water. The river was not frozen and there was no snow. I thought it was quite unusual. I took a few casts in the river not really expecting anything and nothing hit. An eagle was on the wing as I approached the river and disappeared into the misty fog.
On the music front Uroy the singer of Indika reggae band called me to invite me out for their show to do something but I was on the road to Wisconsin. Hopefully next time. With the conscious rockers it’s about time to possibly get some recording in. And Ray White of Zappa fame loved the shows with Gozortenplat and would love to have us out to Las Vegas. Music things still happening and giving thanks for it!
Tight lines and good health!
Rob
BRAIDWOOD LAKE
Closed.
CALUMET SYSTEM
Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station, Indiana, texted:
Since last report perch fishing is about all you hear about.
. . . boat fishermen fishing crowleys and all the way past 106th street. Some very nice perch being caught but you will have to weed thru the small ones.
. . .
Slez’s Bait Shop will be open on New Years Day from 5am till 3pm.
CHAIN O’LAKES AREA
Staff at Triangle Sports and Marine in Antioch said they expect to be ice fishing again by the weekend.
CHAIN ACCESS: For some access and parking spots, go to https://chicago.suntimes.com/outdoors/2024/12/11/accessing-ice-fishing-on-the-fox-chain-olakes
COOLING LAKES
Braidwood, Heidecke and LaSalle are closed.
DOWNSTATE
POWERTON: Bank fishing is open 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
EMIQUON PRESERVE: Open sunrise to sunset. Remember to renew access permits and liability waivers, they’re 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.
HENNEPIN-HOPPER: Closed.
GREEN LAKE AREA, WISCONSIN
Guide Mike Norris (www.comecatchsmallmouth.com) emailed:
Fishing Report – 12/29/2024
By Mike Norris
Big Green Lake: With warm weather and sunshine this past weekend, the Dodge Memorial Park and Hoerner’s Landing boat launches, and 95% of the lake is ice-free. Nonetheless, there are very few to no anglers fishing out of boats on Big Green Lake. Beyer’s Cove was iced up, but the ice quickly deteriorated over the weekend. Subfreezing temperatures will return to the area by mid-week, and shallower portions of the lake should ice back up.
Lake Puckaway: The low-pressure system with clouds, fog, and light rain was the perfect recipe for tip-up fishing for northern pike with medium-sized shiners. The pike bite throughout the lake was excellent, with fish up to thirty-eight inches caught. The best bite was in four feet of water on flats adjacent to the main current areas.
Beaver Dam Lake: A mixed bag of crappies and walleyes were rated good last week on tip-ups rigged with minnows. Over the weekend, the ice got honeycombed and soft. When safe ice returns by mid-week, try fishing Waterworks Bay, accessible from Edgewater Park.
HEIDECKE LAKE
Closed.
LAKE ERIE
Click here for the Ohio DNR Report.
LAKEFRONT
It’s perch and some lakers, especially for boaters.
Allen Shander emailed the photos above and below, and this last week:
Hey Dale, hope all’s well with you.
was able to get out Saturday and Xmas eve. The slip has been pretty good if u have a few hours to weed through em. Saturday all on minnows. Xmas eve morning bigger fish liking 1/2 crawlers on a crappie rig. Got a solid 12 incher on that set up. Go figure. My buddy Doug was getting em on shrimp also.
Merry Xmas and tight lines all.
Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station, Indiana, texted:
Since last report perch fishing is about all you hear about.
Slips for shore fisherman and boat fishermen fishing crowleys and all the way past 106th street [on the Calumet system]. Some very nice perch being caught but you will have to weed thru the small ones.
. . .
Slez’s Bait Shop will be open on New Years Day from 5am till 3pm.
LaSALLE LAKE
Closed.
MADISON LAKES, WISCONSIN
Arden Katz texted the photos above and below. He said that on Monona Bay, which had 5-6 inches of ice on Monday, he was catching bluegills with a few crappie, jigging all the way down with tungsten Widowbread jigs and waxies; others are catching them on plastics. Lots of anglers fishing.
Click here for the update from D&S Bait, Tackle & Fly Shop .
MAZONIA
NORTH UNIT: Fishing is open. Any ice fishing is at your own risk. Don’t expect any ice fishing this week.
Monster at Mazonia South remains open all year.
Hours are 6 a.m. to sunset.
NORTHERN WISCONSIN
Kurt Justice at Kurt’s Island Sport Shop in Minocqua emailed at the photo at the very top and the photo above, as well as this report:
Another strange week of weather. Should we expect anything else? Warm (above freezing for three days) and rain ate up whatever snow cover we had. Lake tops have been wet and slippery. Luckily, we didn’t lose much ice, its more about getting on the ice and staying on your feet! While some anglers reported just fair fishing in spots, overall fishing this past weekend was very good. I’m sure this new moon period combined with mild weather and lots of anglers on the ice helped pump up the successful reports. Lots of good catches (and releases) this past holiday weekend.
Walleye: Very Good – Evening bite hot with reports from anglers both using tip-downs with live shiners and those jigging Raps, Hyper Glides and Tikka Minnows. Best action coming just at dark and next 1½-2 hours after. The few willing to get out a couple hours before light in the morning being rewarded with nice Eyes on tip-up in 6-8’ weeds. Evening fish a bit deeper at dusk in 10-14’. With lots of good catches and some very nice fish over the “eater” slot, top honors go to 5 yr old Clara of Hinkley, IL with a 29” C&R trophy Eye, while out with Dad and Grandpa after dark…on Banana Lake of course.
Northern Pike: Very Good – Good numbers and some exceptionally nice Pike taking the largest of golden or river shiners and big suckers on tip-up rigs in 6-12’. Tops for the week was 14 yr old Molly of Madison, WI with a 39” C&R Banana Lake beauty!
Crappie: Very Good – Two areas to target! Standing tall weeds of 10-14’ slow dropping plastics or tip-downs with minnows. The basin Crappies have been roaming in 20-28’ mud flats. A jig with a rattle (Rattlin Kastmasters) or blade (Tikka Flash) to lure fish in have been best. Tip either with a waxie or spike. Tip-downs with small rosies also working, setting at correct depth for suspended fish is the trick.
Largemouth Bass: Very Good – Not a typical target through the ice. Yet with the warm weather and so much “bait” to look at, anglers reporting lots of “green bass” activity on tip-ups with medium shiners and also taking jigs with waxies meant for Gills. Lots of 14-16” being reported with fish to 20” also being C&R.
Bluegill: Very Good – Deeper weed edges of 8-12’ producing nice Gills in the 7-8½” range. Several photos of 9-10”+ fish at shop showing the positive side of selective harvest. Plastics in red, purple, motor oil on #3mm tungsten jigs in subtle colors proving best.
Yellow Perch: Good – Not as many anglers targeting Perch with Crappie action being so good. Those targeting Perch doing well using wigglers on small spoons (Pimples, Bull Spoons, Northland Forage Minnows). Medium fatheads on tip-downs also working up closer to weed edges, about 1 foot off bottom.
With no snow on the ice to impede access, anglers are finding a lot of areas to fish by foot travel (with cleats), ATV and snowmobile. Still can’t recommend car or truck travel (though some people are, I know). Most lakes supporting an average of 8” with larger lakes as little as 4”. Parts of our local flowages have reports of 11-12”, but always use caution as these bodies of water also have current.
As the late, great Merle Haggard one wrote – “If we make it through December”, (and we almost are as of this report), “everything’s gonna be alright I know!” Following this recent warm spell, which left enough ice for us to continue fishing, we got some cold coming in! Starting 12/31, forecast has 14 straight days below freezing, with at least 12 nights in single digits and below! With no snow on the lakes as of now, and very little snow in the forecast, we should see good ice building weather from her on out!
…everything’s gonna be alright I know…
Hope you all have a very Happy New Year!!
Ice Fishing Tournaments
January 4th – 74th Annual Rib Lake Area Fishing Contest – Rib Lake
January 11th – 17th Annual NCO Club & AMVETS Post 724 – Lake Nokomis
January 11th – 31st year – Rainbow Ice Jamboree – Rainbow Flowage
January 18th – Kurt’s Minocqua Madness – WIFA Highschool – Minocqua Chain
January 18th – 10th Annual Iceholes of the North – Sponsored by Team Retreat Musky Club – Various lakes
March 1st – KISS – WIFA Highschool – Minocqua Chain
Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sports Shop
– Like us on FaceBook
NORTHWEST INDIANA
Kyle Kirchner, the Frankfort man who caught the Fish of the Week, first limited on perch, then caught four lakers before the walleye for Fish of the Week. He noted:
We got on the water at 11:45, limited out on perch first then went casting for lakers, landed 4 of those before this guy hit
Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station texted:
Since last report perch fishing is about all you hear about.
Slips for shore fisherman and boat fishermen fishing crowleys and all the way past 106th street. Some very nice perch being caught but you will have to weed thru the small ones.
The 50 to 60ft of water straight out from Gary light that most call the clay flats gave up bunches of big perch since last report. The wind is here for a while now making that a no go for now.
Seems like winter is coming so maybe some ice fishing will start up here in nwi. Got all the ice gear loaded up in the shop now.
Slez’s Bait Shop will be open on New Years Day from 5am till 3pm.
SHABBONA LAKE
Site hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. through Jan. 31. Boondocks is closed.
SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN
Staff at Tackle Haven in Benton Harbor said steelhead continue good in the St. Joseph River; walleye are fair. Winds will likely make the pier a no-no.
WISCONSIN RIVER
Rob Abouchar messaged:
Happy new year Dale
. . .
I made a trip to Merrill Wisconsin to check on things at the fishing house and shut off the water. The river was not frozen and there was no snow. I thought it was quite unusual. I took a few casts in the river not really expecting anything and nothing hit. An eagle was on the wing as I approached the river and disappeared into the misty fog.
. . .
Tight lines and good health!
Rob