Getting back from Minnesota has been quite a change for my fishing. The weather here has been typical for Chicago with 20-25 degree temperature swings overnight, humidity that’s been off the charts, and none of it fits the calendar at all.
The big lake has also gone through a change that has really impacted my fishing locally. Last week on Wednesday, I had 72 degree surface temperatures early in the morning, but on Saturday morning when I went out the surface water was 54 degrees.
I thought for sure the lake had reached its fall turnover a little early this year. But fall turnover not only rolls the warm water to the bottom and the cooler water to the surface, it also brings a lot of debris from the bottom. This debris floats on the surface for a while before it sinks back down.
The problem was that the lake was crystal clear and free of debris on Saturday. In talking to some of the salmon fishermen, the warmer water just got pushed further out into the lake, and they had found the surface temp changing from the 50s to low 70s when they were 20 to 25 miles out in the lake.
All of this didn’t do much for my fishing locally. I caught a couple of small bass hiding in Wilmette Harbor; the rest were trying to adjust to the rapid temperature change and not interested in my baits.
I’ve been checking around at some of the other area lakes and most reported slowed activity except from smaller fish.
Reports from the Fox Chain was that there are some nice walleyes chasing the schools of bait fish; you’ll need a good electronic locator to catch them.
Busse Woods reported they have been catching some small muskies in the Main Pool. Lake Geneva is starting to cool down. The bass are catchable, but most are not really big. Fishermen need to move around a lot to locate them.
Everyone is waiting for cooler weather for the fish activity to pick up. Just to remind you, the Church Street boat ramp is now closed for the season, but Lovelace Park is still open and they’re catching fish. Until next time…keep a tight line.
I’ve got 99 problems and fishin’ solves all of them.
Contact Dick at hookedonfishing@comcast.net.