Rapidly changing ice conditions and variable perch on the Lake Michigan lakefront lead this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report.
Adem Tagani emailed the photo at the top and a report on lakefront perch fishing.
On Monday, Arden Katz said, "Let me reel this in first," before giving me the perch report for the North Slip (85th). He said, "Every cast," on Mini-Mites and maggots, but it takes sorting for keepers.
Adem Tagani emailed the photo at the top and the photo above, and this report on Sunday:
Bob France messaged the photo above and this on Monday:
I am so glad that France messaged that photo because that is what a lot of the winter perch look like.
Dan Edwards at Bridgeport Bait and Tackle said they caught perch, including some jumbos, at DuSable Tuesday morning (that's where the photo above came from) on Perch Pounders and shrimp. He said they are picking up at DuSable, but they are in and out, just like they are at the South Side slips. He also texted the photo above.
PIER PASSES
Pier passes may be bought at Park Bait, Bridgeport Bait and Tackle and Fishtech in Morton Grove. Pier passes become effective Friday, Nov. 15. The $10 pier passes allow legal access to select piers at Jackson Park, Burnham, DuSable, Diversey, Belmont and Montrose harbors.
CHICAGO PARKING PASSES
Park Bait, Bridgeport Bait and Tackle and Fishtech in Morton Grove are now selling parking passes. Email [email protected] 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
North side of Navy Pier is open for anglers. Discounted parking for anglers is $9 daily, beginning at 5 a.m.; must be out by 10 a.m. for the discount. Click here to prepay for the discounted tickets.
LAKEFRONT PARKING
My column from Nov. 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
ICE FISHING PUBLIC SITES
Ice fishing regulations for area public sites are at https://chicago.suntimes.com/outdoors/2024/12/04/updating-ice-fishing-regs-around-chicago-area-public-sites
Conditions changed radically, especially south, in the last few days, but it looks like the next couple days will lock things up good again for ice fishing.
Dan Edwards at Bridgeport Bait and Tackle said they are catching some big crappie from the lagoon behind the Museum of Science and Industry
Ice should rebuild quickly over the next day or two.
Arden Katz said he had great success at both Nielsen's Channels and the T Channel last week for bluegills with Tungsten jigs and waxies. He texted the photo above.
Triangle Sports and Marine proprietor Greg Dickson in Antioch said of the brief warmup, "We had a little hiccup there for a couple days, but I think it will hold." Spots were fishable even during the brief wamup.
Dan Edwards at Bridgeport Bait and Tackle said they are catching crappie on the South Branch toward the Turning Basin area.
Fishing is still open, but does not start until 12 noon during waterfowl season. Waterfowl hunting stops at noon. Access permits and liability waivers are 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.
Dan Edwards at Bridgeport Bait and Tackle said they caught perch, including some jumbos, at DuSable Tuesday morning (that's where the photo above came from) on Perch Pounders and shrimp. He said they are picking up at DuSable, but they are in and out, just like they are at the South Side slips. Otherwise on the lakefront, there's steelhead and crappie at Diversey on hair jigs and waxies.
Pat Hasburgh at D&S Bait, Tackle & Fly Shop said Cherokee Bay has about 3 1/2 inches of ice, good bluegills; Monona Bay has 2 1/2-3 inches, struggling with very clear ice and water; Upper Mud Lake about 3 inches; big lakes wide open.
Through January 31, winter site hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Boondocks closed.