Power plant was recycling water and releasing some very hot water, too hot for fish to be in the discharge. Action will be improving as they return to normal operations. A few anglers were trying for brown trout with mixed results.
LAKE MICHIGAN (CHICAGO) **
The perch in Belmont Harbor have brought a few more anglers out. Small minnows and small jigs are the key to fish now. Burnham Harbor reported brown trout at the pipe and off some of the docks. Golden roaches were the best baits for a few anglers.
COOK COUNTY FOREST PRESERVE *+
No ice is safe in the forest preserves. At Busse Lake, the warm-water discharge below the main dam is still the only place to try for fish while waiting for ice to get better. Nightcrawlers, wax worms and minnows are the better baits. Small walleye, a few bluegill and an occasional crappie have been taken. All other lakes are poor or unfishable.
DUPAGE FOREST PRESERVES *+
DuPage has no restrictions on ice conditions. You are at your own risk when venturing out. Always check and have proper safety equipment.
ILLIANA *+
Streams in northwest Indiana have been slow, but good stream anglers are reporting improved numbers of fish in the stream. A quiet presentation is required because shore anglers can spook fish in the stream.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER **
More fishing pressure has hit the area as ice conditions improved. Backwaters and side cuts out of the current are yielding crappie and bluegill. Small baits are your better offerings, wax worms, maggots, wigglers and small minnows.
CHAIN O’ LAKES **+
Reports of better ice conditions are coming from many areas of the Chain. T-channel and many other back cuts out of the main current areas are pulling ice fishermen to them. Most common fish taken have been bluegill, crappie, yellow bass and a few northern if the area is not heavily fished. While ice may be OK in some areas, a short distance away ice can be only an inch or less in thickness. Colder nights have helped, but cold days will be welcomed by many anglers. Light lines and live bait on small hooks will be your better bet.
KANKAKEE RIVER *+
While fishing pressure is light, a few good river anglers are working this open river and bringing in a few nice walleye after dark. Light pressure below Wilmington Dam this week. Most anglers that are catching fish from Indiana and Illinois water are staying with a simple jig and minnow.
ILLINOIS RIVER **
Sauger will still hit a jig and minnow worked vertically on the edges of the holes. Fish have continued to hold in the shallower ends of the deeper holes. Shore fishermen are still reporting poor fishing. A very slow presentation is really needed. Some anglers continue to troll and are getting a few hits, but vertical jigging will beat trolling almost every time. All others are slow.
FOX RIVER *+
Very light fishing pressure this week. Small walleye were hitting a jig and minnow or just a straight hook and minnow and a few split shots.
EAGLE RIVER (WIS.) ***
The tip-ups are popping around the green weeds, where northern are found holding close to them but more often in the weeds. Walleye are most active on Seven Mile, Lac Vieux Desert and Rainbow Flowage with golden roaches and sucker minnows being your better choices in baits on tip-ups. Best times are still from 4-11 p.m.
MILWAUKEE COUNTY *+
Only the mouth of the river was open due to shore ice building up. Anglers did take a few brown trout, but the numbers were down from last week. Spawn sacs and minnows were most often used bait.
ROOT RIVER (WIS.) *+
Water levels have dropped and ice is closing up some areas. A few steelhead and brown trout were willing to hit a spawn sac or flies.
WISCONSIN RIVER (DELLS DAM) **
Water levels continue to be fine and walleye are active, but size is still a problem. Local anglers seem to feel a few more keepers are being taken, but a stinger hook seems to be needed to hook these bigger fish. Mason Lake has good ice and ice fishermen are taking better-than-average numbers.
WINNEBAGO (WIS.) *+
Very light fishing pressure continues. If cold continues, more ice will form and more ice anglers might come out.
ST. JOSEPH RIVER (MICH.) **+
More steelhead are walleye are still working from the I-94 bridge down to the Sportsman Club; spawn sac have been the hot bait for the steelhead. Some backwaters could be safe by weekend with more ice forming every day. All others are slow.
MUSKEGON RIVER (MICH.) **
Fishing pressure has increased with reports of seeing good numbers of steelhead throughout the river. Spawn should be No. 1 choice.
PERE MARQUETTE (MICH.) **+
The steelhead run may be late, but it finally came in. Spawn sacs are good. Artificial spawn sacs seem to work, but not as well.
PORT SHELTON (MICH.) ***
Brown trout and steelhead are still being fished for by boaters in 30 feet of water. Try to stay in the top 20 feet of water but do not go past 50 feet.
HOLLAND (MICH.) ***+
Many lakes in the area will be fishable by weekend for ice anglers. Gull Lake is yielding some nice walleye on minnows. Deer Lake bluegill are the most active with first ice now forming. Eagle Lake is also giving up bluegill in the half-bucketloads for a few hours of fishing. While not frozen over yet, looks like this is the weekend for first ice bluegill at Lake Mach.
KALAMAZOO RIVER (MICH.) ***
Anglers are finding steelhead below the dam. Spawn sacs on floating jigs have been taking the most fish this week. Fishing pressure has increased with the number of fish increasing in the river.
