08/14: Midwest Fishing Report 08/14: Fish of the Week
BY DALE BOWMAN For Sun-Times Media
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Midwest fishing report
LAKEFRONT KINGS? It’s early, but a few big kings came last week into Trail Creek in Indiana. An angler caught one at the Deep River dam. No reports yet from the Chicago shoreline.
AREA RIVERS: DES PLAINES: Nick Doumel,
brookfieldangler.com: Good fly-fishing (olive sculpin or three-color Clouser) for smallmouth in pools above or below rapids near Joliet. Marcus Benesch: Active pike in the Deerfield/Wheeling area and good bass in the weeds. FOX: ‘‘Johnny Sunshine’’ Pajak: Fly-fishing eddies off main channel producing smallmouth, catfish and walleye. KANKAKEE: Some algae in state park, Other areas low and clear. Norm Minas: Variety of baits working. Try buzzbaits at heads or tails of riffles, rattlebaits in faster flows. Ed Mullady, Sportsman’s Letter: Said Mike Gorman at Angelo’s Outdoor Sports reported big catfish at Wilmington.
CHAIN O’LAKES AREA: Triangle: Fishing picked up with cooler water. Bass in weeds or around docks. Walleye decent in current areas. Same with white bass, including river on north from park. Grass Lake bridge good for catfish. Muskies are very active.
COOLING LAKES/STRIP PITS: MAZONIA: Jon’s Bait, South Wilmington: A 42-inch pike came from an unnamed lake. Crappie and some nice bass being caught at North Unit. Some bluegills at Ponderosa and crappie at Monster. LaSALLE: Concessionaire is in. Water was 90 degrees at intake Tuesday but should cool quickly.
DELAVAN/GENEVA LAKES, WIS.: GENEVA: Guide Dave Duwe: Fishing remains excellent, especially for largemouth (best drop-shotting early in 18 to 24 feet), smallmouth (21 to 28 feet off main-lake points) and bluegills (20 feet). DELAVAN: Duwe: Tougher fishing. Bluegills moved to main-lake basin.
LAKEFRONT: The blow Tuesday will alter conditions. CHICAGO: Park Bait: Drum consistent. Some jumbo perch came Monday. Capt. Bob Poteshman, Confusion Charters: Some nice kings in 65 to 100 feet; best from Foster Avenue north. Some good lakers suspended out deeper. NORTH POINT: Poteshman: Big kings around but scattered. Set up early on bait, then g+o for a mixed bag later in 180 to 250 feet.
NORTHERN WISCONSIN: EAGLE RIVER: Chamber of Commerce reported pike, smallmouth, largemouth and panfish are good to excellent. MINOCQUA: Kurt Justice of Kurt’s Island Sport Shop reported water cooled to 60s, so adjust.
NORTHWEST INDIANA: The blow Tuesday will change patterns. Mik-Lurch: Earlier, some perch a mile east of the Donut in 28 feet. Bluegills and redear at Willow Slough.
SHABBONA LAKE: Catfish Contest Weekend
(heaviest cat) is Saturday and Sunday; lake record is 22.75 pounds. Go to shabbonalake.com or call (815) 824-2581.
SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN: Tyler Harmon: Perch fishing was great all over. A few big kings on Lake Michigan. Steelhead slowed in the rivers.
FISH OF THE WEEK
Tom O’Malley hauled in a backyard surprise, a 13-pound channel catfish, this
summer in the south suburbs.
‘‘The plan was to hand it off to my 4- or 7-year-old daughter after I set the hook out of the rod holder,’’ he emailed. ‘‘Once I set the hook, the fish charged hard toward me on the bank, so wasn’t sure how large it was. I reeled in very quickly to catch up to the fish, which I did about five feet from the bank, when he splashed and headed back out, peeling drag. I had to tell the girls this one was for dad!’’
The cat was released.
