LEGEND: ***** – excellent; ****– very good; ***– good; **– fair; *– poor
Lake Michigan
*** – Steve Palmisano (Henry’s Sports) reports perch being caught on minnows at Navy Pier and DuSable Harbor. Ice is not safe in the harbor; anglers are fishing from shore or piers. Very few coho salmon are being caught on spoons, crankbaits or powerlines. This should improve soon.
Fox Chain O’ Lakes area
** – Rich Popowczak (Chain O’ Lakes Sports) reports that few anglers have been getting out but those who fished Pistakee Lake are doing well and are catching crappies. Channel Lake has been good for gills and channel cats. Long Lake has been good for gills and perch.
Calumet River
*** – Shore anglers are catching perch on minnows off the bottom of the river from 92nd to 95th streets.
Illinois River
* – Fishing is very slow in the Spring Valley area because the river is very high. Jay Angel (Jay Angel’s Guide Service) reports that the water is not dirty and the temperature is in the high 30s. Give the river another week to recede.
Des Plaines River
* – Dan Sims (Sims Spinners) has been wading the river in the Lemont area. The river is up but receding slowly. Artificial baits caught nothing, however a mix of fish were caught using a live minnow below a float.
Shabbona Lake
*** – Many holes had to be drilled to keep catching crappie, says Ken O’Malley (Mokena). Fish were caught by cribs and brush piles in 12 to 20 feet of water using multiple spikes and a small jig with a Little Atom plastic tail. Ice may be good for one more week.
Nielsen’s Channel
**** – About 75 anglers fished the channel Sunday for the ice fishing derby and everyone caught fish. Wayne Krcmar (Hermann’s Lowlife Bar & Grill) reports that crappies, gills, stripers, perch and bass were caught. Two anglers caught 85 crappies. Best action was early morning and just before dark. Ice is 14-inches thick in the middle of the channels.
Rend Lake
**** – Crappies are taking small tubes and twister tails. Most fish are more than 10 inches.
Note: Braidwood Lake opens Tuesday at 6 a.m. and will close at 6 p.m. Both ramps will be open. The south ramp area will have warmer water and most likely more activity.
Compiled by Don Dziedzina from bait shops, avid anglers, and local and state resource reports.
