02/15 — Midwest Fishing Report

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Updated: March 16, 2012 8:18AM

AREA LAKES: Ice conditions are borderline to the north and west and unsafe to the south. For example, the McHenry County Conservation District had only Pleasant Valley open for ice fishing Tuesday afternoon. Areas with fishable ice should hold it through the weekend. Regulations on public area waters are posted at STRAY CASTS (blogs.suntimes.com/bowman).

CHAIN O’LAKES AREA: Triangle
reported ice fishing continuing at Deep Lake, East Loon and the south end of Catherine. Other places have variable ice conditions. There will be ice fishing in areas through the weekend.

DELAVAN/GENEVA LAKES, WIS.: On Delavan, Arden Katz reported good bluegills (take sorting) in 6 to 9 feet above the weeds. Brian Gates at
Geneva Lake Bait & Tackle said key was moving around on Delavan, which has 8 to 10 inches of ice. Gates reported bass and pike are good on Como and bluegills on Pleasant. Some boaters were taking lakers on Geneva when they were able to get out.

KANKAKEE RIVER: Ed Mullady noted the fish of the year so far is a 10-8 walleye caught Feb. 8 by Dan Davis of Manteno with a green Rapala after dark. Walleye also are being caught around creek and ditch mouths, bridge piers and in-water trees or logs in Illinois and around ditch and bayou mouths in Indiana.

LAKEFRONT: CHICAGO: Steve Palmisano at Henry’s reported powerliners taking some coho with roaches or crawlers at Montrose and Belmont; worth trying at McCormick Place, Planetarium or 39th, too. Mik-Lurch and Henry’s reported some perch in the river around 92nd or 95th, but it’s variable. WAUKEGAN/NORTH POINT: Lori Ralph at Salmon Stop reported a few browns inside the south rocks at Waukegan when ice is out. There are some pike at North Point.

MADISON LAKES, WIS.: Gene Dellinger at D&S Bait reported good ice
(7 to 9 inches). On Mendota, some pike by Governor’s Island and a few perch at Picnic Point and Second Point. On Waubesa, some perch and some walleye and pike in the main basin.

NORTHWEST INDIANA: Mik-Lurch
reported some coho, browns and whitefish from the Port of Indiana
public access. Wolf Lake has good crappie and a few walleye.