Illinois snagging for coho and chinook salmon on Lake Michigan opens on Oct. 1 and ends Dec. 31. Snagging is permitted in the north basin of Waukegan Harbor, the Winnetka Power Plant Discharge, from the Fullerton Ave. Bridge to the southern end of the Lincoln Park Lagoon and in the inner and outer harbors at Jackson Harbor. Snaggers must have an Illinois fishing license and salmon stamp. They may take no more than five salmon per day and may not snag within 200 feet of moored boats. No trout may be taken snagging.
Lake Michigan (Chicago/NW Ind.) (star)(star) 1/2
High waves (up to 10 feet) pushed trout and salmon to deeper water. Fish will return for trollers as bait fish begin to school up again. Before and shortly after dawn, kings were hitting glow-in-the-dark spoons at the harbor mouths of Montrose, Belmont, Diversey and behind McCormick Place. Perch are slow, but hand-size rock bass have been taken inside harbors.
Lake Michigan (Winthrop Harbor/Waukegan) (star)(star) 1/2
Bait fish have scattered, along with salmon and trout, with the high waves. As soon as the lake settles, trollers will be at the Waukegan Reef working spoons and flies from 70 to 90 feet down for lake trout. Glow-in-the-dark spoons are very good before dawn and after 7 p.m. for Waukegan pier anglers casting for salmon.
Cook preserves (star)(star)(star)
Bluegill are best on wax worms on a small ice jig under a slip bobber in most lakes near weeds or fallen trees in the water. Large catfish were still taken this week on Skokie Lagoons, while a Little Mac Action worm was perfect for bass fished without a weight but slowly retrieved back. At Tampier, bass early in the morning are hitting a surface bait or an Ike-Con Big eight worm (black and chartreuse) fished in and around the weeds. Maple Lake bass anglers switched to plastic baits to keep the northern pike from hitting the large golden roaches they were using. Bluegill are small but fun for young anglers on small hooks and wax worms.
Chain O’ Lakes (star)(star) 1/2
Bluegill action should continue close to shore and shoreline structures on wax worms and small jigs on Petite, Bluff, Marie and Pistakee. If the bluegill are in these areas the muskie should be close by. Try casting to the deep sides of the weedbeds and work a muskie bait before moving in closer for the bluegills. Crappie are suspending over deeper water and are best on minnows and small gold or silver spoons.
Braidwood Lake (star)(star)(star)
Shore anglers still are taking catfish in good numbers, while boaters continue to pick up more bass and bluegills as well as catfish on artificial baits.
Fox River (star)(star)
The river levels are low and perfect for wading and marking future fishing spots when water levels are up. Catfish and drum are the most active for shore anglers near dams. Smallmouth bass are very spooky with the low water levels and best after the sun sets behind trees later in the afternoon.
Kankakee River (star)(star)(star)
Catfish are best right at dusk and into the night on large minnows, softshells, cheesebaits and chicken livers. Smallmouth bass are hitting both topwater and diving baits. Largemouth bass are best near the mouths of bayous and ditches, especially in Indiana, on crankbaits, plastic worms and Rapalas. Northern pike have been taken throughout the river on big minnows and Mepps #5 spinners.
Illinois River (star)(star) 1/2
Catfish and drum have been taken by shore anglers on nightcrawlers, while white bass are best first thing in the morning till around mid-morning, depending on how cloudy the day.
Wisconsin River (Dells Dam) (star)(star)(star) 1/2
Crappie were active below the Dells Dam and downriver past River’s Edge Resort on small minnows and jigs. Small sturgeon and drum are hitting nightcrawlers fished in the deeper holes in the river at night. Larger sturgeon have hit baits better during the daylight hours than in the evening. Drift fishing nightcrawlers in the deeper river cuts, from where the tour duck boats enter the river to down past the resort, produced mostly male walleye about 15-to-20 feet off the shore .
Mississippi River (Pools 9 to 15) (star)(star)(star)
White bass, bluegill, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, and sauger are all being caught in good numbers in Pools 9-11. Smallmouth bass are holding in swift current areas with rocks. Look for main channel rocky habitats, bank stabilization rock piles, day markers or wing dams for fish. Drum fishing is best along the wing dams and side sloughs using a nightcrawler in Pools 12 to 15. Bluegill are active in Pools 12 to 15. Bluegill are being caught in the main channel edges, side sloughs and in the backwater sloughs with little or no current.
———-
Chaunceyn@aol.com
