Open water fishing is here and the only problem avid anglers have this month is deciding where to go to catch fish. So much water and such little time!
One of the best bites happens on Lake Michigan in the spring. Coho salmon abound in the big pond’s deep, cold water. Coho aren’t the biggest of the salmon, nor are they the best fighters. Coho are, though, the best tasting of all of the bounties available from Lake Michigan.
Grilled or broiled, slathered in anything from simple butter and salt to Italian dressing to an exotic teriyaki mix, you can’t go wrong with coho salmon.
When the coho run, the action is fast and furious. You can limit out in a short time and many charter captains can take out three different groups in a day. They hit so fast, you’ll probably encounter many double or triple-headers.
The coho begin in the south and move north. There are a number of great charter Captain’s operating that can be easily found through Google. Try using Kenosha, North Point, Waukegan or Indiana fishing charters as your key words when you search.
Lake Michigan perch fishing is world class with fat fish in the 14” range coming in regularly. In April, the mouth of the Waukegan harbor is the hot spot. The fish run deep in the spring – 50 to 60-feet. Use a heavy weight to get your bare hook and minnow down to the bottom. Fish dragged up from that deep don’t release well, so keep what you catch. The water can get really rough outside of the shelter of the harbor, so please remember to not do anything foolish.
Wisconsin’s Geneva and Delavan Lakes are known for big bass and pike, but those seasons won’t be open for a while. Don’t overlook the fact that Geneva and Delavan’s population of hefty bluegill and massive crappies are as good as it gets in the world of panfish.
Chase these gills and crappies with light line and tiny ice jigs tipped with spikes or waxies. Start shallow, looking for wooden pier pilings. You’ll find them there.
Northern Illinois’ Fox Chain O’ Lakes has virtually every species of freshwater fish imaginable. To me, the walleye fishing is as good as it gets in the entire Midwest. April will yield thousands of ‘eyes, with plenty in the five-to-eight-pound range. The magical ten-pounder is a possibility as well.
A bare hook or leadhead jig tipped with a minnow or crawler is all it takes to nail Chain walleyes. In the wind, small crankbaits take fish too. Try the fronts and backs of the bridges that span the Chain’s many lakes. The channel mouths are good, as are shorelines and points that are being buffeted by the breezes. Wind is key to Chain walleye fishing.
Don’t forget that you’ll need a new fishing license beginning on April 1 and also a salmon stamp if you get out on the big pond.
One of the best bites happens on Lake Michigan in the spring. Coho salmon abound in the big pond’s deep, cold water. Coho aren’t the biggest of the salmon, nor are they the best fighters. Coho are, though, the best tasting of all of the bounties available from Lake Michigan.
Grilled or broiled, slathered in anything from simple butter and salt to Italian dressing to an exotic teriyaki mix, you can’t go wrong with coho salmon.
When the coho run, the action is fast and furious. You can limit out in a short time and many charter captains can take out three different groups in a day. They hit so fast, you’ll probably encounter many double or triple-headers.
The coho begin in the south and move north. There are a number of great charter Captain’s operating that can be easily found through Google. Try using Kenosha, North Point, Waukegan or Indiana fishing charters as your key words when you search.
Lake Michigan perch fishing is world class with fat fish in the 14” range coming in regularly. In April, the mouth of the Waukegan harbor is the hot spot. The fish run deep in the spring – 50 to 60-feet. Use a heavy weight to get your bare hook and minnow down to the bottom. Fish dragged up from that deep don’t release well, so keep what you catch. The water can get really rough outside of the shelter of the harbor, so please remember to not do anything foolish.
Wisconsin’s Geneva and Delavan Lakes are known for big bass and pike, but those seasons won’t be open for a while. Don’t overlook the fact that Geneva and Delavan’s population of hefty bluegill and massive crappies are as good as it gets in the world of panfish.
Chase these gills and crappies with light line and tiny ice jigs tipped with spikes or waxies. Start shallow, looking for wooden pier pilings. You’ll find them there.
Northern Illinois’ Fox Chain O’ Lakes has virtually every species of freshwater fish imaginable. To me, the walleye fishing is as good as it gets in the entire Midwest. April will yield thousands of ‘eyes, with plenty in the five-to-eight-pound range. The magical ten-pounder is a possibility as well.
A bare hook or leadhead jig tipped with a minnow or crawler is all it takes to nail Chain walleyes. In the wind, small crankbaits take fish too. Try the fronts and backs of the bridges that span the Chain’s many lakes. The channel mouths are good, as are shorelines and points that are being buffeted by the breezes. Wind is key to Chain walleye fishing.
Don’t forget that you’ll need a new fishing license beginning on April 1 and also a salmon stamp if you get out on the big pond.
