Salmon trollers are working from 80 feet of water early in the morning out to 190-plus feet later in the day. Skilled charter captains are finding large kings willing to hit spoons and flys behind dodgers. Some king salmon are huge, with most boats taking a mixed bag of steelhead, coho and brown trout. Perch action in Waukegan has been rated as spotty, but bluegill and rock bass are both very active. Largemouth bass in Waukegan are better than any other harbor.
LAKE MICHIGAN (CHICAGO) (STAR) (STAR) +
Perch fishing in Chicago is still on the spotty side. Bluegill have been chasing baits near weeds and piers in Montrose, Diversey and Belmont harbors. Boaters working deeper water off of breakwalls have taken a little better size perch. Salmon trollers working out of Chicago harbors have been starting to fish in 130 feet of water and going out with flys, spoons and dodgers on down riggers set from 50 to 90 feet down. Kings and coho are making up most of the catch with an occasional steelhead or lake trout. Rock bass are willing to chase a small spinner, Cubby Mini Mite or a piece of nightcrawler.
ILLIANA (ILLINOIS & INDIANA) (STAR) (STAR) +
Perchers working Indiana waters have noted more perch moving closer in as water temperatures begin to drop. Wind direction is always the key to this area. Salmon trollers are working in deep water for more action. Many Illinois and Indiana fishermen are in the same waters way out. Steelhead in the creeks are doing well, but fish every hole and undercut thoroughly.
COOK COUNTY FOREST PRESERVES (STAR) (STAR) (STAR)
Sag Quarry West: Fair numbers largemouth bass are being taken on crank baits, plastic worms, live minnows and Snag Proof lures fished over the tops of weeds and near the island. Tampier Lake: Catfish are good, on night crawlers later in the afternoon or early in the morning on sunny days. Best baits have been nightcrawlers, stink bait or fresh shrimp. Saganashkee Slough: Carp, catfish, yellow bass and bluegills have all been taken by shore anglers. While boaters working the stumps and the southwest corner are popping largemouth bass. Busse Lake: Largemouth bass on live bait near the weeds or a weedless lure dragged over the top of the weeds has produced fish. A few more crappie were taken this week from the South Pool.
DUPAGE FOREST PRESERVES (STAR) (STAR) (STAR)
Woodale Grove: Small bass on plastic worms. Blackwell Silver Lake: Largemouth bass near the island on minnows, plastic worms and spinners. Bluegill are also active on small baits. Herrick Lake: Anglers found catfish and largemouth bass both willing to take a bait. The shoreline also is yielding bluegill in very respectable sizes.
FOX RIVER (STAR) (STAR) (STAR) +
River levels look good, catfishermen are going with stink baits, nightcrawlers, fresh shrimp and catalpa worms. Smallmouth bass had been hitting small spinners, Baby Minus ones and soft shell crayfish near dams and within a half a mile of the dam down river are also working. Those soft shell crayfish will also get a number of catfish if left in one spot.
CHICAGO RIVER (DOWNTOWN) (STAR) (STAR)
Carp fishing west of Ashland Avenue along the river walk was rated good on corn kernels. In Downtown east of Michigan Avenue, anglers found bass, bluegill and a few perch willing to strike at small baits
KANKAKEE RIVER (STAR) (STAR) (STAR)
River conditions look good. Catfish on shrimp, chicken livers and hamburger seem to be hungry all over the river. Smallmouth bass were active on soft shell crayfish, rattle baits, or twister tails fished early or late in the day along any current break. Rock bass want a minnow or a Cubby Mini Mite. Largemouth bass are striking a surface bait fished under the trees along the shore or the mouth of a creek or drainage ditch.
ILLINOIS RIVER (STAR) (STAR) (STAR) (STAR) +
Catfishing continues to be king on the river. Best baits have been shad gut, stink baits, nightcrawlers, shrimp and soft shell crayfish. Sauger and walleye action still has plenty of room for improvement but the locals report some have been taken near the clam beds.
ROCK RIVER (STAR) (STAR) (STAR) (STAR)
Most anglers are still catfishing and ignoring the walleye in the river. Catfish numbers are very good for channel or flat heads. Channel catfish have been hitting most standard catfish baits while the big flathead catfish preferred live bait.
HEIDECKE (STAR) (STAR) (STAR)
Lake water temperature has come up from last week to 86 degrees this week. Bluegill were found along the rip rap with a few smallmouth bass thrown in. Hybrid stripers seemed to be more active on the north side of the lake along with a few yellow bass. Carp anglers report fish willing to hit corn kernels threaded on a single hook near the bridge.
LA SALLE LAKE (STAR) (STAR) +
Water temperature is over 100 on the hot side and 95 on the cool side of lake. Every smart fish is on the cooler south end of the lake. Smallmouth bass still preferred the southeast corner of the lake and would hit a small crank bait or plastic worm fished close to the shore. Yellow bass were picked up by shore anglers and boaters in the southwest corner near the concession stand. Bullhead and catfish are being taken all over.
SHELBYVILLE (STAR) (STAR) (STAR)
White bass are good on roadrunners and blade baits at near flats in evening, largemouth bass are only fair to spotty, best to fish after dark. Crappie on minnows and or tinsel jigs in brush at 4-10 feet down.
SHABBONA LAKE (STAR) (STAR) (STAR)
Largemouth bass are still active along the west shoreline in and around the deeper sides of the weeds. Best to go with surface baits, nightcrawlers and plastic worms. Smallmouth bass were holding along the dam and catfish were holding in just a little deeper water near the smallmouth along the dam. Catfish are active all over the lake. Crappie are in the deeper water near the trees and above the trees. Minnows, Cubbys and small plastic twister tails worked well.
BRAIDWOOD (STAR) (STAR) +
Water temperature is 95 on the hot side and 87 on the cool side. Bluegill were popping red worms and Mini Mites tipped with a wax worm all over. Largemouth and smallmouth bass were spotty to fair along the eastern shoreline. Catfish are good all over the lake. Crappie in the northeast corner were hitting small baits.
MAZONIA (STAR) (STAR) (STAR)
Catfish are tops now on a wide variety of baits. Bluegill are fair on wax worms and red worms. Largemouth bass seem to be looking for a plastic worm or a golden roach but they have been spotty.
CHAIN O LAKES, (STAR) (STAR) (STAR) (STAR)
Catfish are the cat’s meow on the Chain, with Grass, Marie and Fox as the top producers. Walleye are good in the river and on Marie this week. Muskie were very good on Channel, and Catherine on live bait, bass baits and smaller Ghost Tails lures. Yellow bass were hitting spikes and minnows on Bluff. Largemouth bass are fair on Channel and Catherine around the weeds and piers. Bluegill early in the morning have been good.
EAGLE RIVER (WIS.) (STAR) (STAR) (STAR)
Signs of fall are starting to appear. Musky are being caught on surface baits at night on small bucktails, crankbaits and large jerk baits in the morning. Water levels are still up. Smallmouth and largemouth bass were being caught on leeches under slip bobbers along shorelines, under piers, trees, logs and in brush piles. Smallmouth are found in deeper water over hard bottoms in 8 to 15 feet of water. Walleye are suspended on the clear deeper lakes and hard to locate. The best fishing has been on jigs and minnows or leeches in the low light periods. Jumbo perch were being caught in the cabbage on nightcrawlers and wax worms. Bluegills have been hitting along shorelines on worms, waxies and small leeches.
WINNEBAGO (WIS.) (STAR) (STAR) (STAR)
Perch action continues in depths of 6 to 11 feet. White bass action is picking up more and more. Walleye seem to want a minnow or a leech.
GENEVA (WIS.) (STAR) (STAR) (STAR)
Walleye, smallmouth and Northern pike are holding on the humps near the deep water dropoffs. Smallmouth are better in the morning than any other part of the day. Northern Pike are very active all over and like a good size minnow that swims very erratic. Perch are in the 10 to 15 foot depths all over the lake and in a wide variety of sizes.
