Lake Michigan (Chicago lakefront)
***
Perch action fair as season resumed. Excellent salmon action in 40 to 50 feet of water and north/northeast of downtown on dodger and flies or dark colored spoons.
Lake Michigan (Lake County)
***
Boaters south of Waukegan picking up very nice perch in 30 to 35 feet of water on softshell crabs and large fathead minnows on the bottom. Salmon and trout also biting in very early morning hours (no later than 4 a.m.) or evenings (9 p.m.). Shoreline anglers hitting perch in the middle of Government Pier and at South Rocks. Kings and browns starting to appear.
Lake Michigan (Northwest Indiana)
** 1/2
Perch have slowed throughout southern Lake Michigan, but very good trout and salmon action reported, especially out of the East Chicago marina. A mixed bag of cohos, kings, steelhead and lake trout biting in 60 to 80 feet of water northeast of the Gong and near the Indiana-Illinois state line on spoons and dodger and fly combinations.
Southeast Wisconsin
** 1/2
Inconsistent brown activity in Kenosha harbor and perch also slow. Trollers catching good numbers of chinooks and rainbows along with some lake trout in 50 to 90 feet of water. Shore fishing slow near Racine, but chinooks and rainbows active in 70 to 90 feet of water in early morning. Near Milwaukee, boaters catching fair numbers of perch while trollers catching some chinooks, browns and rainbows in depths ranging from 50 to 120 feet.
Southwest Michigan
** 1/2
Good early morning steelhead action reported by St. Joseph pier anglers. Boaters catching trout and salmon in 80 to 100 feet of water. In South Haven, fair to good trout and salmon action in depths up to 100 feet.
Chain O’Lakes
** 1/2
Walleye still active in lake channels and river despite slower currents, biting on minnows or leeches. Hotter temperatures have led to more top water bass fishing and action is reported decent. Bluegills good, but stripers quiet.
Kankakee River
** 1/2
Best action appears to be closer to shore in both Indiana and Illinois. Smallmouth and largemouth bass fair on brightly-colored lures or live bait. Some pike reported in deeper ditches on spoons and spinners. Best spots in Illinois include mouth of Iroquois River through Kankakee Dam and Kankakee River State Park. In Indiana, try the Point north of English Lake or any creek or ditch mouth.
———-
Compiled by Jack McCarthy from pro and bait shops; state natural resource reports.
EDITED BY DANIEL ELLMAN AND DAMIAN HOPKINS
