LEGEND: ***** – excellent; ****– very good; ***– good; **– fair; *– poor
Fox Chain O’ Lakes
**** Cory Yarmuth (Legend Outdoors) reports that Pistakee Bay has 4 inches of ice, and that white bass and drum have been caught on jigging spoons tipped with live bait or Gulp minnows. A few walleyes and crappies are also being caught. Bluegills are in the channels being caught with small jigs tipped with wax worms.
Nielsen’s Channel
***** Marcy Krcmar (Hermann’s Lowlife Bar & Grill) reported excellent bluegill fishing from this past weekend with some nice crappie and an occasional bass being caught. Waxworms on a jigging spoon or ice jig are working the best.
Illinois River
* The Barto Landing and State Park ramps are frozen in and there are ice flows on the river.
Hennepin Canal
** Many crappies are being caught in the canal by Rt. 40 says Jordan Hubinsky (Time on the Water Outdoors). Best baits are waxworms and minnows.
Mazonia Area
* Jon Meder (Jon’s Bait) reports that as of yesterday, portions of Monster Lake were still open. A few small pits at the South Wilmington Fireman’s Club had 2 to 4 inches of ice and a few anglers caught some gills and small bass.
Kankakee River
** Few anglers are fishing the river, says Ed Mullady (Sportsman’s Letter). But those who are have caught some good walleyes. Goods spots are the point north of English Lake, and the Rt. 55 area in Indiana and below the K-3 Dam to Sawmill Creek and at the State Park in Illinois. Use jig and minnow, crankbaits or twister tails. Catfish are good all over on big minnows. Crappie and pike are slow.
Shabbona Lake
** The lake now has 3 to 4 inches of ice in the “No Motor” zone and Somonauk Bay. Perch up to 10 inches are being caught on waxies. Try for gills and crappies too says Denny Sands (Shabbona Lakeside Bait). Use caution going toward the deep trees.
Note: Fearing a winter fish kill due to unusually low water levels, the Indiana DNR has issued new fishing limits at Willow Slough. Effective Wednesday, there will be no size or creel limit on bluegills. Crappie and redear sunfish limits will be 25, and bass limits will now be five fish and 14 inches.
Compiled by Don Dziedzina from bait shops, avid anglers, and local and state resource reports.
