SPOT, RATE, QUICK HIT
Lake Michigan
(Chicago/Ind.) **1/2 Schools of perch (10 to 11 inches) reported at Montrose, Belmont Harbors. Get a pier pass and fish directly down. Navy Pier also good for perch; fish aren’t moving, so move along the breakwall to find a good spot. Start with spikes and then try small fatheads once fish are located.
Lake Michigan
(Waukegan) *1/2 Few reports due to icy piers and rocks. Some crappie and bluegills in back channels of Fox River using spikes and waxies. Northern pike also there on tip-ups using medium or large roach minnows from 2 p.m. until dark.
Cook
County
preserves ** Mostly safe ice, but avoid forest preserves or areas of current (bridges). Nielson’s Channel still good for bluegills using small teardrop ice jigs with maggots or ice worms.
DuPage
preserves **1/2 Mallard Lake filled with crappie, bluegills using small jigs tipped with wax worms/maggots. Walleye there in evenings on tip-ups with roach minnows. East Branch (largemouth, walleyes on roach minnows) and Pratt’s Wayne (bluegills, crappie) good spots. Deep Quarry unfishable.
Kankakee
River ** Best place below Kankakee, Wilmington dams. Look for walleye on minnows or jig/crawler. Northern pike good on red or white spoons or jig/twister tails.
Lake Winnebago
(Wisconsin) *** White bass (small, 4 to 5 inches) at Lake Poygan on castmaster jiggins spoons or Swedish Pimples tipped with spikes. Lake Butte des Mortes filled with bluegills and perch using small ice-fishing jigs and wax worms/plastics. West side of Lake Winnebago stocked with perch and bluegills; also some walleye south of Oshkosh. Not recommend using ATVs or snowmobiles on Winnebago.
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akaschube@tribune.com
