- CHICAGO PARKING PASSES
- Email fishing@chicagoparkdistrict.com with questions.
- Chicago Park District parking passes ($20 for two months) are for the anglers’ parking lots at DuSable and Burnham harbors.
- NAVY PIER ANGLING
- No reports yet.
- LAKEFRONT PARKING
- My column from November 30, 2022, on parking the length of the Chicago lakefront is posted at https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/11/30/23485385/chicago-lakefront-parking-fishing.
- SMAELT
- Season runs through April 30.
- Chicago Park District regulations the same — nets may go in at 7 p.m., must be out of the parks by 1 a.m., no open fires, no closed tents, no parking on grass or sidewalks.
- AREA LAKES
- Brian Konet messaged the photo above and this on Friday:
- Dave Kranz of Dave’s Bait, Tackle and Taxidermy in Crystal Lake and with his You-Tube channel, Dave Kranz Living the wild outdoors, texted:
- Ken “Husker” O’Malley of Husker Outdoors emailed the photos above and below, and this:
- Some stable weather would be nice, not just for the fish but for the humans chasing them, too.
- BRAIDWOOD LAKE
- Open daily 6 a.m. to sunset.
- CHAIN O’LAKES AREA
- Staff at Triangle Sports and Marine in Antioch said bluegill and crappie are good in the channels, sometimes the crappie are deeper; bass are picking up; walleye are moving deeper.
- NOTE: Check updates on water conditions at foxwaterway.com or (847) 587-8540.
- COOLING LAKES
- Braidwood, Heidecke and LaSalle are open daily 6 a.m.-sunset.
- DELAVAN LAKE, WISCONSIN
- Arden Katz texted the photo above and this:
- Some stable weather would be nice, not just for the fish but for the humans chasing them, too.
- DOWNSTATE
- Powell: Hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Emiquon Preserve: Open sunrise to sunset. Remember to renew access permits and liability waivers, they’re available Tuesday to Saturday at Dickson Mounts Museum, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Details at https://www.nature.org/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/documents/2024EmiquonLakeAccessRules.pdf.
- Henning-Hopper: Reopens May 1.
- GREEN LAKE AREA, WISCONSIN
- Guide Mike Norris (www.comecatchsmallmouth.com) emailed:
- Green/Sturgeon Bays, Wisconsin: Guide Mike Norris (www.comecatchsmallmouth.com) emailed about the smallmouth bass fishing in this area.
- Some stable weather would be nice, not just for the fish but for the humans chasing them, too.
- HEIDECKE LAKE
- Open daily 6 a.m. to sunset.
- LAKE ERIE
- Vince Oppedisano emailed the photo above and this:
- Some stable weather would be nice, not just for the fish but for the humans chasing them, too.
- LAKEFRONT
- Capt. Ernesto Amparan of Thin Blue Line Fishing LLC emailed the photo above and this:
- Some stable weather would be nice, not just for the fish but for the humans chasing them, too.
- LAKE ERIE
- Capt. Bob Poteshman of Confusion Charters said they were done in an hour Tuesday out of North Point; fishing is good on the Kenosha, Wisconsin, side, too; remember to have both licenses if you are fishing around the state line; tons of bait around North Point. “Bottom line is there is fish.” On Saturday, out of Montrose, caught coho with a couple browns near the harbor. Fishing is good around Chicago, really good around North Point.
- LA SALLE LAKE
- Open daily 6 a.m. to sunset. As a perched lake, boating is closed when winds top or will top 14 mph. Check daily updates on boating at (815) 640-8099.
- MADISON LAKES, WISCONSIN
- Mazonia: Hours are 6 a.m. to sunset.
- Reminder: The area around Ponderosa and Eagle lakes at the South Unit remains closed for construction.
- Some stable weather would be nice, not just for the fish but for the humans chasing them, too.
- NORTHERN WISCONSIN
- Kurt Justice at Kurt’s Island Sport Shop in Minocqua emailed:
- Some stable weather would be nice, not just for the fish but for the humans chasing them, too.
- NORTHWEST INDIANA
- NOTE: Spring stream trout season opens Saturday, April 26. Fancher Lake in Lake County is stocked with Rainbows.
- Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station texted:
- ROOT RIVER, WISCONSIN
- SHABBONA LAKE
- Pete Lamar emailed:
- Some stable weather would be nice, not just for the fish but for the humans chasing them, too.
- SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN LAKEFRONT
- Some stable weather would be nice, not just for the fish but for the humans chasing them, too.
- SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN
- Staff at Tackle Haven in Benton Harbor said dredging is being done in the river; some steelhead at the Berrien Springs dam.
- WISCONSIN RIVER
- Guide Mike Norris (www.comecatchsmallmouth.com) emailed:
Lakefront and Inland Fishing Reports
“It was a very productive day on the water.”
The fish are starting to show up in the Midwest, but a stable weather pattern is needed to get them biting. Anglers need to be patient and prepared for the changing conditions. The Midwest fishing report is a comprehensive guide to the latest fishing conditions, reports, and updates across the region. From lakefront and inland fishing to reports from local tackle shops and fishing guides, this report provides anglers with the information they need to plan their next fishing trip. The fishing season is in full swing, and anglers are starting to catch a variety of species, including coho, smallmouth bass, and largemouth bass. The fish are active in the waters of Lake Michigan, inland lakes, and streams. The lakefront areas are reporting good fishing conditions, with anglers catching coho and smallmouth bass. The inland lakes are also producing, with reports of largemouth bass and walleye. The fishing guides and tackle shops are reporting good fishing conditions, with anglers catching a variety of species. The fishing reports are coming in from local guides, tackle shops, and fishing organizations, providing anglers with the latest information on fishing conditions and reports. Some stable weather would be nice, not just for the fish but for the humans chasing them, too. Anglers need to be prepared for changing conditions, and a stable weather pattern would make it easier to plan their next fishing trip.
Reports
“It was a very productive day on the water.”
Brian Konet messaged the photo above and this on Friday:
Dave Kranz of Dave’s Bait, Tackle and Taxidermy in Crystal Lake and with his You-Tube channel, Dave Kranz Living the wild outdoors, texted:
Ken “Husker” O’Malley of Husker Outdoors emailed the photos above and below, and this:
Some stable weather would be nice, not just for the fish but for the humans chasing them, too. Pete Lamar emailed the photo above and this:
Rob Abouchar messaged the photo above and below, and this:
Braidswood Lake is open daily 6 a.m. The Chain O’Lakes area is reporting good fishing conditions, with staff at Triangle Sports and Marine in Antioch saying bluegill and crappie are good in the channels, sometimes the crappie are deeper; bass are picking up; walleye are moving deeper. The Chicago Park District regulations the same — nets may go in at 7 p.m., must be out of the parks by 1 a.m., no open fires, no closed tents, no parking on grass or sidewalks. The Smelt season runs through April 30, and Chicago Park District regulations the same — nets may go in at 7 p.m., must be out of the parks by 1 a.m., no open fires, no closed tents, no parking on grass or sidewalks. The area lakes, such as Braidwood, Heidecke and LaSalle, are open daily 6 a.m.-sunset. Delavan Lake, Wisconsin, is reporting good fishing conditions, with Arden Katz texting the photo above and this:
Some stable weather would be nice, not just for the fish but for the humans chasing them, too. The Downstate lakes are reporting good fishing conditions, with Powell hours being 8 a.m.-4 p.m., and Emiquon Preserve being open sunrise to sunset. Henning-Hopper reopens May 1. The Green Lake area, Wisconsin, is reporting good fishing conditions, with guide Mike Norris emailing:
Green/Sturgeon Bays, Wisconsin: Guide Mike Norris (www.comecatchsmallmouth.com) emailed about the smallmouth bass fishing in this area. Heidecke Lake is open daily 6 a.m. Lake Erie is reporting good fishing conditions, with Vince Oppedisano emailing the photo above and this:
Some stable weather would be nice, not just for the fish but for the humans chasing them, too. Capt. Ernesto Amparan of Thin Blue Line Fishing LLC emailed the photo above and this:
Capt. Fishing is good around Chicago, really good around North Point. Tim Frey’s story of a kid catching a 22-pound king outside Montrose on a trip with Bookmeaboat.com is part of my column tomorrow. Scott Wolfe texted the photo above and this:
LaSalle Lake is open daily 6 a.m. Check daily updates on boating at (815) 640-8099. The Madison lakes, Wisconsin, are reporting good fishing conditions, with Mazonia hours being 6 a.m. Reminder: The area around Ponderosa and Eagle lakes at the South Unit remains closed for construction. Northern Wisconsin is reporting good fishing conditions, with Kurt Justice at Kurt’s Island Sport Shop in Minocqua emailing:
The Northwest Indiana lakes are reporting good fishing conditions, with the spring stream trout season opening on Saturday, April 26, and Fancher Lake in Lake County being stocked with Rainbows. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station texted:
The Root River, Wisconsin, is reporting good fishing conditions, with SHABBONA LAKE being reported good with a photo emailed by Pete Lamar. The Southeast Wisconsin Lakefront is reporting good fishing conditions, with some stable weather would be nice, not just for the fish but for the humans chasing them, too. The Southwestern Michigan is reporting good fishing conditions, with staff at Tackle Haven in Benton Harbor saying dredging is being done in the river, and some steelhead at the Berrien Springs dam. The Wisconsin River is reporting good fishing conditions, with guide Mike Norris emailing:
Lakefront and Inland Fishing Reports
The fish are starting to show up in the Midwest, but a stable weather pattern is needed to get them biting.
