Variable shoreline salmon around Chicago fishing lead this sprawling raw-fie Midwest Fishing Report, but fall fishing patterns also set up on inland waters.
Oscar Santos messaged the photo at the top early Tuesday:
Salmon bite is OOOONNNN in Chicago,Dale!! Just POPPED 2!!! And STILL working on MORE!!! Going to take it to Henry’s after Im done getting my revenge on these fish.My last 4 fishing sessions were all SKUNKS so Ima GET MINE!!!
SHORELINE SALMON/TROUT
With the wind shifts, warmer water had come back to shore on the Illinois side and made for tougher fishing, but there have been some caught as Santos messaged above. The Chicago lakefront remains officially closed, but those walking or biking in are fishing. Capt. Scott Wolfe emailed that warmer water showed shore salmon in Waukegan. Capt. Rich Sleziak texted that some salmon in Indiana tributaries are being caught on spawn sacs or spinners, a few off Portage Riverwalk or East Chicago at night on glow spoons.
KANKAKEE DERBY
The Northern Illinois Anglers Association’s 37th Kankakee River Annual Fishing Derby ended Sunday. The glamour fish were a 34-pound, 15-ounce flathead catfish caught by Paul Smith of Kankakee and Aaron Rice’s 10-11 northern pike.
Details are at http://www.kankakeefishingderby.com/.
LAKE STURGEON
Hook-and-line sturgeon season, below the Dells dam (and other spots across Wisconsin), runs through Sept. 30. A permit is needed if you plan to keep fish, minimum length is 60 inches. For details, go to https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Fishing/sturgeon/SturgeonInlandFishery.html
Staff at River’s Edge (https://www.riversedgeresort.com/) said that it is mainly short sturgeon being caught, though there was a report of a 62-incher caught and released; water is up a bit.
Erik Brztowski messaged the photo above and this:
Got nothing huge this weekend, caught a decent amount of fish. Flow got higher hopefully fishing gets better.
Sturgeon, big or small, are still special.
ILLINOIS FROGGING
Bullfrog-only season runs through Oct. 15 in Illinois. Daily bag is eight.
A couple key notes from the Illinois DNR:
A sport fishing license is required to harvest bullfrogs. Bullfrogs may be taken by hook and line, gig, pitchfork, spear, bow and arrow, hand, or landing net.
No person shall harvest bullfrogs or any other reptile or amphibian by commercial fishing devices, including, hoop nets, traps or seines or by the use of firearms, air guns or gas guns or during bowfishing tournaments.
ILLINOIS RIVER LOCKS
Closures are on for the Dresden Island, Marseilles, Starved Rock, Peoria and LaGrange locks on the Illinois River to facilitate major repairs.
Here are the two lead paragraphs from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers:
ROCK ISLAND, Illinois – Beginning July 1, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District is temporarily closing the Dresden Island, Marseilles, Starved Rock, Peoria and LaGrange locks on the Illinois Waterway to facilitate needed repairs and maintenance. The closures, which will be conducted simultaneously to limit impacts to navigation, are scheduled to last through late October.
During the closures, no vessels will be able to pass through the closed locks. Navigation on the rest of the river, between the locks, will be able to continue without impact as water levels will be maintained at a normal level throughout the season.
Click here for details on the timing and other details on the closures.
AREA LAKES
Fall feed bag time is near or here.
Charles Zheng emailed the photo above from Lake County and this:
Hey Dale,
Apologies for emailing so late. Finished up another good day, the main thing happening…
Read More: Variable shoreline salmon (colder water would help) and the building of fall