We're talking plenty of doe and big bucks

Bowhunter Jimmy Lenz took down one of the area's mythical bucks, an 11-pointer with a 19-inch spread, last week in McHenry County.

Midwest fishing report

BOAT FISHING FOR PERCH: There have been two hot spots: in Cal harbor from the green buoy east as far as 21/2 miles or off Gary Light. On Friday and Saturday, there was a major school of big fish (Mike Starcevich weighed one 15 7/8-inch perch caught by Art Book at 1 pound, 14 ounces). Burbank fisherman Tom Zeman has much sage advice on fishing the school of big fish in deep water (48-52 feet) clay flats off Gary Light. ''You want to be on one of those subtle bottom changes,'' Zeman said. ''If you can find those subtle changes or convergences, you are on fish.'' He said the biggest school is about 11/2 to 2 miles off Gary Light. His bearing was 41 degrees, 39.757 minutes north, 87 degrees, 18.876 minutes west. Key is to keep moving. Capt. Chuck Weis, who is keeping his boat going, said, ''I had a quarter mile of fish in one area, then the next day those fish weren't there.'' He didn't notice any difference in minnows, and was using plain hooks. Starcevich said fly rigs with glow beads have been the hot ticket. On Friday, Starcevich said his group had 30 longer than 14 inches, including 10 longer than 15. He said fishermen need a seminar on how to anchor or drag anchors on the clay flats and on reeling up perch slow in the deep water so the air bladders don't distend. CLINE AVENUE NOTE: With the Cline Avenue bridge closed for six weeks, don't use East Chicago Marina unless you know the area. Mik-Lurch plans to prepare maps and have them shortly. Zeman said he launched from Portage and came west. Or launch from 95th.

Lake-trout fishing shore was great for Hintons

Ray Hinton began one of Chicago's historic fishing streaks with a lake trout weighing 17 pounds, 6 ounces on a Rapala hand-held scale on Oct. 30.

Zooming in on big picture

Rich Josepher had enough. ''I just can't understand how guys can spend thousands of dollars on equipment, hunting trips and land along with countless hours in a deer stand, but not take 15 minutes to capture good photos that will last a lifetime,'' he said a couple of weeks ago.

Outdoor notes
BUCK OF THE WEEK: UNPLUGGEDNot sure this strictly fits as Buck of the Week: Unplugged, which is for live bucks around Chicago and the suburbs, but avid bowhunter Dave Olzeski sent this. The buck was one of two 10-pointers and three eight-pointers around a doe in northern Illinois on Nov. 6. ''Both of the big 10's were hyperventilating throughout,'' the Park Ridge Realtor said.