Opening day at Lovelace Park was wonderful. The weather cooperated and gave everyone a really terrific spring morning for fishing. Twenty to twenty-five families were out enjoying an outstanding morning of catch-and-release fishing, and I think everyone was successful at catching something. Just a reminder that this year the hours at Lovelace Park for the Evanston Free Fishing Program are Saturday mornings from 10 a.m. until noon..
Fishing Reports:
Busse Lake is producing some real nice catches of largemouth bass and a couple of lucky anglers reported catches of nice pan fish in the last week.
Skokie Lagoon still is a hotspot for bass, and even some walleyes are still being reported by bank fisherman. There does not appear to be any time better than any other. One of the regulars at the Lagoon seems to have had some impressive catches at lunch time during the week. … What a great way to spend a lunch hour.
With all the rain we have had recently, the Illinois and Mississippi rivers are running on the high side, and there is still plenty of debris in the water. Anyone going fishing on the rivers should keep a clear eye out for those floating dangers.
The reports of great largemouth bass fishing in the Pool 5 area on the Mississippi have been reported by tournament anglers who boated five-pound and six-pound bass this past weekend.
Lake Geneva and Lake Delevan are both just now getting warm enough that some great fishing should be available for smallmouths and crappies.
Out on Lake Michigan the perch have been pretty good early this season. Reports from out of Waukegan and Burnham Harbors have been about limits of 12-14 inch perch in less than an hour or two, with numbers of smaller fish being thrown back, and the fish being found in 60 to 65 feet of water.
For those into travelling for fish, Minnesota’s biggest holiday – the “Walleye Opening Day” – is taking place this weekend. Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin has been producing some nice stringers of 14 inch walleyes this week, with trolling live bait the best methods.
With so much going on early in the year, it is a great time to be out there with the kids, whether at Lovelace Park, the Illinois River at Starved Rock, or one of the many lakes in the area.
Until next time, keep a tight line.
–Dick Peach