outdoors
Dale Bowman biography
Outdoors columnist Dale Bowman began his reporting career as a correspondent covering state government for WTAJ-TV in 1982. While in graduate school in 1984, he …
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Life-savers coming in handy in year of especially dangerous ice
Six or so years ago, Arden Katz was ice fishing on Delavan Lake in Wisconsin with a buddy. As night came, they walked in. ‘‘All these ATVs were coming in,’’ Katz said. ‘‘Guys who fish there a lot are going on shore to avoid this …Read More
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USA Ice Team headed to Kazakhstan for World Ice Fishing Championship
In more civilized forms, the Cold War lingers on ice. With that in mind, Mike McNett, the captain of the USA Ice Team, is taking a Russian translator to the 2012 IX World Ice Fishing Championship next week in Kazakhstan. Fishing will be in the …Read More
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02/01 — Fish of the Week
With the mild winter, Jeff Nolan and Tony Klancnik of Bridgeport Bass fished downtown in early January. Nolan was casting an XPS deep-diving crankbait near Wolf Point on the Chicago River when a brown trout hit, and the battle had an audience. ‘‘The Wendella slowed …Read More
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02/01 — Midwest Fishing Report
AREA LAKES: Conditions are extremely variable. Safe ice is gone south of Chicago. Pockets of safe ice west and north might linger until the major cold snap next week. AREA RIVERS: With springlike conditions, boaters started Tuesday. Time on the Water Outdoors in Spring Valley …
Turns out the new Rosemont offering is show enough
Ernie Marvin ticked off the hides at his Two Bears Trading Company: bear, wolverine, musk ox, buffalo (starting at $850), elk, fisher, marten (‘‘Most people don’t even know what they are’’) and the usual mink, muskrat and ermine. Then he launched into a tale of …
Chicago Outdoor Sportsmen Show ready to debut
Dan Basore will have cash in hand at his Historical Fishing Display at the Chicago Outdoor Sportsmen Show. For willing sellers who catch Basore’s interest with their fishing memorabilia, he will peel off walking-around money for the show at the Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. …
1/25: Fish of the Week
Like all of us, Carlton Lasker and Ray Hinton got a late start to ice fishing, finally getting out Friday. It started slowly on the Illinois side of Wolf Lake, with a few crappie and a perch. ‘‘Then it died again, and . . . I was …
1/25: Midwest Fishing Report
AREA LAKES: Travis Brasfield and others noted creepers are important with slick ice. But Steve Palmisano at Henry’s noted there is a good base of ice down. Lakes to the north and west are in better shape than those south. Brasfield reported some good bluegills …
Most hunters don’t cull herd
I’ve shot the same number of deer in the last decade as my wife or I have hit with a car. That thought struck me Thursday when the Illinois Department of Natural Resources released the deer harvest for all hunting seasons in 2011-12. The preliminary …
Paul Pezalla keeps 12-year run alive because he loves it
A small carp caught near the graffiti wall on the Chicago River downtown at about 9:45 a.m. on Jan. 8 kept Paul Pezalla’s big streak alive. The 7-pound, 6-ounce carp marked the 144th consecutive month that Pezalla has caught a carp from Chicago-area waters — …
TranX reel steals the show
The public debut of Shimano’s TranX reel at the Chicago Muskie Show highlighted the biggest weekend of outdoors shows in the Chicago area. Shimano piled in staff for the debut. Show-goers tested it in the pool at Harper College in Palatine. It works. Mechanical advancements …
Jan. 18: Midwest fishing report
ICE FISHING NIGHT AT SHABBONA: Lakeside will have its 1st Night Ice Fishing Event Sponsored by Cabela’s on Saturday at Shabbona Lake. Updates on ice conditions are on Facebook, where Tuesday Lakeside reported 2-4 inches in Somonauk Bay, geese are swimming open at the north …
Wooden-boat exhibit among highlights at Chicago Boat Show
Bill Gage leaped up and down on a mahogany counter inside the wooden boat Major Kinzie. ‘‘You could dance to the B-52’s on this,’’ he said Thursday, the opening day of the Chicago Boat, Sports & RV Show. Roam if you want to. Roam around …
It’s the fish that keeps on giving: A massive muskie makes an encore appearance
As fish stories go, Johnny Dadson has the biggest one for the biggest show weekend of Chicago outdoors. The same 50-pound-plus muskie was caught and released from his boat last summer while he was fishing the fabled Canadian waters of Georgian Bay. It’s an unmatched …
1/11: Midwest Fishing Report
GOOD TIMING: Tony Boshold holds an ice-fishing seminar from 6 to 8 tonight at Anglers International Resources in Palatine. AREA LAKES: At least some areas will have safe ice for the weekend. Regulations on public-area waters are posted at STRAY CASTS (blogs.suntimes.com/bowman/). CHAIN O’LAKES AREA: …
1/11: Showtime
Progressive Insurance Chicago Boat, RV & Outdoors Show McCormick Place, Thursday-Monday, ChicagoBoatShow.com. Bowman’s bets: Dream boats; Drew Gregory on kayak fishing, 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday. All-Canada Show Pheasant Run, St. Charles, Thursday-Sunday, allcanada.com. Bowman’s bet: Fly fishing for lakers, John Cleveland, 6 p.m. Thursday …
Kayaker Drew Gregory defines cool-water fishing
Drew Gregory likens kayak fishing to snowboarding. Falls in the snow are part of the experience, part of the learning for snowboarders. Tipovers or rolls in the water are part of learning to kayak, especially for those learning to fish from a kayak. ‘‘The brain …
Lake Michigan offers endless mysteries, joy
It’s one thing for a cormorant to plunge into the winter waters of Lake Michigan; it’s quite another for humans to do it. The mysteries and madness in and along Lake Michigan continue to fascinate me. And those mysteries haven’t been restricted recently to human …
1/4: Fish of the Week
Marcin Szydlowski of Arlington Heights started the year off right, earning FOTW honors with a 22-pound, 7-ounce carp caught on New Year’s Day.‘‘I was fishing in downtown Milwaukee on the Menomonee River, very close to Valley Power Plant, 200 yards west from the Harley Museum,’’ …
