SPOT, RATE, QUICK HIT
Lake Michigan (Chicago/Ind.)
**1/2
Harbors have skim ice, aren’t safe. Fish from pier instead. Belmont and Montrose Harbors best for perch. Spikes and small fatheads best bait. Start with spikes and switch to fatheads after finding fish.
Cook County preserves
**
Inland waters frozen over; ice just became safe in shallows. Nielson’s Channel has 4-inch ice; bluegills biting well on ice jigs and wax worms. Forest preserve lakes closed (ice not safe). Some northern pike in back waters on large golden roach minnows.
DuPage preserves
**
4-inch ice in East Branch forest preserve. Largemouth bass (roach minnows) and bluegills (small jigs tipped with spikes or wax worms) best bet.
Chain O’ Lakes
**1/2
Back water areas good for bluegills (spikes, wax worms or plastics) and crappie (minnows). Approach ice with caution, conditions still improving. Loon Lake also good.
Kankakee River
**
Walleye fair; try below Kankakee, Wilmington dams on small spinners or jig and minnow. Pike fine at mouths of creeks and ditches if river is open from ice. Use big minnows and spoons.
Lake Winnebago (Wisconsin)
**1/2
Bluegills plentiful with early ice. Try 24th Street boat landing, Sunset Bay (perch too), Lake Winneconne, Green and White lakes. SW corner of Lake Poygan (Captain’s Cove) also stocked with small and large white bass.
———-
akaschube@tribune.com
