CHAIN O’LAKES AREA
Art Frisell at Triangle Sports and Marine in Antioch said catfish are unbelievable, try stinkbait or crawlers; bluegill are excellent on ice jigs tipped with waxies or spikes, use light line and small bobbers, shallow; walleye are great on leeches and fatheads on a split and hook; muskie are fair on topwaters or big bucktails, especially on Fox; look for white bass in 8-15 feet, try Cubby jigs tipped with small fatheads or spikes, no bobber, just cast out and let it sink.
NOTE: Check updates on water conditions at foxwaterway.com or (847) 587-8540.
NOTE 2: The Stratton Lock and Dam is open 8 a.m. to midnight through Sept. 30.
Ken Gortowski
It’s big-fish time for multiple species around Chicago fishing and the time of the year with big weather changes to lead this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report.
Ken Gortowski sent the artful smallmouth photo at the top from a weekend outing on a Fox River tributary.
LAKEFRONT PARKING
Chicago Park District’s parking passes for the fisherman’s parking lots at DuSable and Burnham harbors are on sale at Henry’s Sports and Bait in Bridgeport and Park Bait at Montrose Harbor.
Readers suggest SpotHero app downtown. Otherwise, here are some basics: Foster (free street parking or pay lot); Montrose (free street parking); Belmont (pay lots on north and south sides); Diversey (pay lot or street parking); DuSable Harbor (pay lot or fisherman’s lot); Northerly Island/Burnham Harbor (meters, pay lot or fisherman’s lot); 31st/Burnham (meter parking between McCormick Place and 31st Street Harbor); Oakwood/39th (meters); 63rd Street/Casino Pier (pay lot); Steelw
Provided by Chris Belz
This sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report contains everything from a Chicago actor meeting a king to big bass pulling up to lots of varied big fish at Clinton Lake.
Actor
Joseph Sikora, product of Notre Dame College Prep and Columbia College, found some time for fishing between some recent shoots.
Lifelong friend
Hey Dale,
Appreciate your column and have enjoyed it for years thank you!
Find attached photo of Chicago’s very one, actor Joseph Sikora, who caught this 18lb King off of St Joes thanks to In the Box Charters.
Joe is currently filming Power 4ce in Chicago and had time to go fishing in between shoots.