Here are some known access points: Hermann’s Rest-A-While (Nielsen’s Channel), Granny’s Lakeside Diner at Spring Lake Marina, Choppers Bar and Grill (Channel), Sandbar Bar & Grille (Marie, $10 or patronize, park in back), Oak Park Lounge (Pistakee Bay) and Barnacle Bob’s (Marie). See note at top for another way for walkers to access the ice. Be sure to make the right angler and maybe you will have the catch of the day and do a jig. Saturday Feb 13, 2021 Sunday Feb 14, 2021 Some lakes are producing some nice pike on tip ups. Charles Zheng emailed some photos, including the one at top, with his report on fishing Lake County ponds and lakes. Henderson’s Point, Sherwood Point and Larsens Reef still the go-to spots. } Description: The Fox Chain O' Lakes are unique from other major bodies of water in the state in that they were formed by glaciers thousands of years ago. 11 th Annual LVVA Fishing Derby It’s a one on one matchup between you and flounder. The concessionaires are looking for buyers. Kurt Justice at Kurt’s Island Sport Shop in Minocqua emailed: Severe cold weather (temps negative mid-teens to negative mid 20’s) has all but shut down most ice fishing in our area. This is lake country and a small boater’s paradise. Going forward the rest of the ice season it will be critical to stay on top of the green weeds. Snow depth may require tracked ATV/UTV or snowmobiles over wheeled ATV/UTV. There will be another 12 x 12 tent set up next to the fish judges and will be manned by one or two NICC members at a time who are there to answer any questions that the fisherman or public may have. The fisherman will only come to shore to register and enter their fish. Christina Petrites at Stan’s Bait & Tackle Center in Hammond emailed: Here’s what I have for this week. With ice thickness last reported at 17-20”, expect lots more once you get back out there. Staff at Tackle Haven in Benton Harbor said the river froze, a bit of open water by the dam. He was also a great conversationalist. Our main concern was the safety of the fisherman and NICC members running the event. There will be raffles and games for the children and adults both days. Please note, all efforts have been made to verify information prior to publishing, however, changes do occur. Few coho being had on squid or jigs tipped with beemoth around 249 bridge in portage, Willow slough hit or miss everyday has been different long days of fishing for most out there to put a batch of fish on the ice. This year the headquarters will be inside the former bar instead of in a tent on the beach. The NICC board of directors struggled with the decision to move forward with the 61st Annual Ice Fishing Derby. Ice fishing tournament permits are currently being issued with additional restrictions. Sub zero temperatures will provide optimal fishing opportunities soon. To conduct the Derby in a safe manor, they will not be having bucket raffles or the live auction. If you are holding the ticket with the numbers that are called that night, you will win $50 plus and a possible item that has been donated by our generous sponsors. I personally know of four anglers walking and another angler on a four-wheeler who broke through the ice on Big Green last week while attempting to reach deeper water which holds ciscoes and lake trout. Ice thickness should improve with this week’s colder weather. ... Greg Dickson's Triangle Bait Shop is the best ice-fishing source on the chain. Staff at Henry’s Sports and Bait said small roaches are taking pike. Fuller and his legacy. The board voted unanimously to move forward with the 2021 Derby with changes to how to operate. Officers found the 37-year-old laying on the ground in the 5900 block of West Bloomingdale Avenue with a gunshot wound to the chest. The board voted unanimously to move forward with the 2021 Derby with changes to how to operate. FPD DuPAGE COUNTY: Permitted most sites. Fraser Semple messaged the photo above and this: Dale, Went out to Sturgeon Bay, fished near the crack that caused 66 fisherman to become stranded earlier in the week, fortunately all returned to land safely, the ice floe has since rejoined the shore ice, once the wind direction changed. UPDATE: 2021 61st Derby; 2020 Fishing Derby Photo Gallery; 2020 60th Annual Derby; Halloween Movie Night @ NICC; 2nd Annual Outdoor Education Day; Tags. a:visited { I am intrigued by the area where he caught the perch. text-decoration:none; text-decoration:none; Conditions look very favorable for a fast end to the season. LAKE COUNTY FP: When conditions allow, ice fishing permitted 6:30 a.m. to sunset at Hastings Lake, Banana Lake, Independence Grove south bay and Lake Carina; 6:30 a.m. to one hour after sunset at Sterling Lake. The one positive is this cold should be building more ice, giving us a longer season into March. There are two angler events with a lot of longevity and history to fulfill your snow fishing expeditions. A foot of snow in places with slush under that will get you 6 inches of clear ice with another 4 of frozen slush. Despite the lengthy frigid and snowy weather, there is a good amount of ice fishing going on around Chicago area on building ice, including some deep-water action for whitefish on Green Bay, for this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report. Here is the nature pic of the week [below]. With so few participants and such poor reports all we can really do is hunker down and wait for the cold to break, not worth risking frostbite or broken equipment. newsletter, http://experienceemiquon.com/sites/default/files/LakeAccessRules.pdf, Pan Man: Remembering Frank DeFrancisco and his fishing and teaching, Chicago outdoors: An artful heron, suburban big buck, eastern cottontails, Wisconsin sturgeon spearing, Cisco, kid you not: Saving them inland in Indiana, considering stocking on southern Lake Michigan, Invasive Asian carp getting a new name, image makeover to draw more foodies, fishing fans, Really big northern pike: Couple’s hers is bigger than his best, Co-angler Jeffery Baffa wins MLF event: Massive bag on Day 1 holds up for Frankfort man, Home burglaries reported in Logan Square, Hermosa, Avondale, Austin, 7 shot, 2 fatally in Chicago so far this weekend. The NICC board of directors struggled with the decision to move forward with the 61st Annual Ice Fishing Derby. events fishing derby fishing derby winners Lake County pond raffle winners trap shoot tureky shoot winter festival Youth Event. Thirsty Turtle. Crappie, bluegills, & bass are being caught in nice numbers, very clean & good-sized. ~Anglers have taken to the hard water where good numbers of bluegill and crappies are being caught. Ice is building slowly with the snow blanket on top. Truck travel should be very good. Now as of today air pressure has shot up back to 30.4, I anticipate fish to slow down. a:active { The venerable Northern Illinois Conservation Club’s 61st annual Ice Fishing Derby is Saturday and Sunday on the Chain O’Lakes. Ice fishing is not permitted at the Chicago lagoons, FPD of Kendall County, FPD of Will County and Kankakee River Valley FPD. Click here for details. text-decoration:none; Fox and Pistakee Lakes are the two largest bodies of water on the Chain, encompassing 1,700 acres each. Spearing season (previous permits required) opens Saturday, Feb. 13, and will run for a maximum of 16 days or until any of the pre-determined harvest caps are reached. On Saturday night of the Derby, February 13th the lucky winner will win $250. Steve from Anglin Adventures provided us with a great morning of fishing the Waupaca Chain of Lakes with excellent equipment and fishing tips I never knew. Kurt’s Island Sport ShopLike us on FaceBook. Location: The Fox Chain O' Lakes is located 50 miles northwest of Chicago off Illinois Route 173 and U.S. Route 12 near the cities of Antioch, Fox Lake, and McHenry. I’ll just rate everything as “Poor” for now. Some days you get a bite and some days you just go through the motion. Len Dane - NICC President } Best way to reach him is on Messenger, which you can do even if not Facebook friends with him. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Click here for details. Late-night fishing allowed at Deep Quarry, must be out of preserve by 11 p.m. FPD KANE COUNTY: Permitted only at Lake Patterson (Hampshire South FP), Oakhurst FP, two ponds within Paul Wolff Campground, and Grunwald Farms FP. I certainly hope all of you are staying warm & safe! Click here for the Wisconsin DNR’s report, usually on Tuesday or Wednesday. The best bite has been out in the big bay from Henderson’s Point north past the Stone Quarry. Firefighters responded to a blaze in the 3800 block of South Ellis Street, according to officials. For more information, read the recent lettter sent to permit organizers and applicants. The first is the LVVA Ice Fishing Derby in Wauconda and the second is the Chain O’Lakes Fishing Derby and Winter Festival (Feb. 14-16). Share '59th annual Chain O' Lakes Fishing Derby and Winter Festival' Bring the family and friends to enjoy the good old-fashioned winter fun. ICE FISHING DERBY. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. Bass have been excellent despite the cold front that moved it. EMIQUON: Basically, go to the launch. Did well on Friday and Saturday at local subdivision ponds. SHELBYVILLE: Check with Ken Wilson of Lithia Guide Service. Best bait has been the 13 fishing bamf plastic jigged in 8-9 feet of water along the outside weed lines adjacent to the main basin drop. Charles Zheng emailed the photo above and this: Just wanted to update on what I saw last week and this week. Channel Lake Feb 8, 2020. Join the 21st Annual Ice Fishing Derby at Twin Lakes, Colorado–the region’s longest competitive ice-fishing derby! In place of selling raffle tickets, bucket raffles and live auction, they will be holding a Lottery Raffle for the month of February! NICC. Spearing season for sturgeon (previous permits required) on the Winnebago system in Wisconsin opens Saturday, Feb. 13, and will run for a maximum of 16 days or until any of the pre-determined harvest caps are reached. Stay safe on the lakes. Tip-up action best late morning thru the day. Sign up for the CHAIN O'LAKES ICE FISHING DERBY TWO DAYS--THIS WEEKEND FEBRUARY 13 & 14, 2021 Sponsored by Northern Illinois Conservation Club FEBRUARY 13, 2021 Saturday, 8 am till 4 pm FEBRUARY 14, 2021 Sunday, 8 am till 2 pm LEARN MORE HERE ... Past Race Dates (Jan 8, 2021) Upcoming Dates (Jan 9, 2021) americanfishingcontests.com Promote … Shore fishing is already open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and some big blues being caught and released. Reopens to fishing on March 1. The rest of the week I’ll see what happens. ICE FISHING DERBY-NICC-CHAIN O'LAKES. Each night the Illinois State Lottery has a Pick 3. My wholesaler has been great keeping me in stock with ice gear. ICE-FISHING ACCESS: Most places run some version of $5 parking or patronize the establishment. Paddle through the chain of serene kettle lakes, hike the 23 miles of forested trails, fish the electric-motors-only lakes, stay overnight in a forested hillside family cabin, visit the park’s historic one-room Stanley Schoolhouse, or explore the Nature Center. Fishing is allowed sunrise to sunset. The area provides year-round angling, with ice fishing being very popular during the winter months. It’s headquartered at Musky Tales. This year fish judging and food will be inside the tent. The Crosslake Recreation Area will host a free youth fishing derby for kids age 14 and under. Feb 20, 2021. Please contact event producers directly to verify such things as times, location, admission price and cancellations. On Sunday night of the Derby, February 14th the lucky winner will receive $500. Nine connecting lakes will be the center of your adventures at Chain O’Lakes. The children must be present for the duration of the educational programs and have an adult present Continue Reading Chicago fishing, Midwest Fishing Report: Building ice, frigid weather, Chain tip, Green Bay whitefish, Grant to help save 1950s Robbins home of a once-notable Black millionaire. 2/4/2021: Rapid river ice formation expected due to cold temperatures… ice jams and flooding may occur Feb 4, 2021 Area stormwater and emergency management contacts, This is a heads up regarding the potential for rapid river ice formation due to very cold temperatures this weekend. The bite has been consistent mid-morning to mid-afternoon. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station texted: Lots of groups on ice all over the place bite is best for panfish early morning or at dusk. Chain O’ Lakes 61st Annual Ice Fishing Derby and Winter Festival » Note: Due to the current COVID-19 virus crisis, please verify events before attending! The Island Lake Lions Ice Fishing Derby is Saturday, Feb. 6, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. ... CHAIN O’LAKES AREA. The bite was tough with reports of perch and bluegills under 8 inches and crappies under 13 inches. Brian Marcinkiewicz will tow people out on some popular lakes with his snowmobile. color: #0068a2; Fraser Semple messaged this (a fuller report and a photo are in the Green Bay section): Dale, Went out to Sturgeon Bay, fished near the crack that caused 66 fisherman to become stranded earlier in the week, fortunately all returned to land safely, the ice floe has since rejoined the shore ice, once the wind direction changed. -->. List fishing contests by state, city, body of water, species, month. Chain o Lakes Ice Fishing Derby . Fishing Chain O' Lakes, WI on 2/11/2021 will be best from 12:00AM through 12:00AM, and from 12:00AM to 12:00AM. Both units are open for open-water fishing or ice fishing. February 10-14 } } Hours are generally sunrise to sunset, unless noted otherwise. The venerable Northern Illinois Conservation Club’s 61st annual Ice Fishing Derby is Saturday and Sunday on the Chain O’Lakes. I Understand. Officers found the 43-year-old on the ground with a gunshot wound to the face, Chicago police said. Here is a great idea for those walking out to access the ice on the Chain. Feel free to message me if you have any specific questions. Ken “Husker” O’Malley emailed this report and the photos above and below: Here is a recap of this past weeks fishing. Feb 13 -- HT Ice Fishing Classic Tournament -- statewide - all legal waters -- website Feb 13 -- Northern IL Conservation Club Annual Ice Fishing Derby -- Antioch, IL - Chain O' Lakes. Weather permitting. Site hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Car window shattered by ‘dibs’ chair in Andersonville. Big Green Lake remains dangerous to negotiate with areas of thin ice. Fishing Among the popular fish available to anglers in the Chain O' Lakes are bluegill, largemouth bass, walleye, crappie, muskie, northern pike, bullhead, catfish and yellow and white bass. Despite sub-zero temperatures and fierce winds last Saturday, 77 brave souls hit Fox Lake for the Fox Lake American Legion Fisheree. While the ice is thick, register for one of the area ice fishing derbies like the 11 th annual LVVA Fishing Derby and the 60 th annual Chain O’Lakes Fishing Derby. There was also an area of fishable ice on the far west end of Channel Lake on the Illinois Chain O’ Lakes near Antioch. The phone number is (847) 395-0813. The few anglers who have ventured out (bravely/foolishly…you pick) have had very little success. The main concern was the safety of the fisherman and NICC members running the event. color: #0068a2; New this year: Headquarters will be the Musky Tales Boat Launch located on Channel Lake off of Rt 173 in Antioch. Here is explanation: I’ve towed on Fox lake and channel the last week and since I live next to long lake I’ve had a few people reach out and I’ve gone to pull them on and off even when I wasn’t fishing since it’s close to home. text-decoration:underline; Overall the snow that fell last Thursday made for great fishing, as the air temp was significantly higher along with a much lower barometric pressure. Fortunately, all five survived their harrowing experience. - Bangs Lake -- website They will be selling 1,000 tickets for $10 each. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. If those times won’t work for you, 12:00AM to 12:00AM looks promising , as does 12:00AM to 12:00AM Remember to adjust these times based on barometric pressure, and weather changes. Howie Goby Head jigs tipped with plastics have been the best hands down, Perch fishing has been going very good. While I have fished a lot over the years this was the first time in many years my son Chris and I have gone. COVID-19 UPDATE: Check for specific openings/closings and cancellations before planning your trip. Click here for details. Light penetration will be limited as the snow pack is not going away anytime soon. The 61st annual NICC ice fishing derby. Participants must be at the main office by 8:30 a.m. to register. This year fish judging and food will be inside the tent. Walleye action still good on Poygan. Staff at Triangle Sports and Marine in Antioch said it is mainly bluegills and some crappie with Channel and Marie being best; in most areas the slush from the snow cover firmed up with the cold. There will be no gathering of people during the Derby. SILVER SPRINGS SFWA: As a general winter rule, enter through the east entrance. No pun intended. Please stay informed and healthy.This website uses cookies and other similar technologies for measurement and communication... Privacy Policy. The answer, with the extended cold snap, is yes. Pictured below was the biggest of the entire week, 8.5” male. The main concern was the safety of the fisherman and NICC members running the event. With how cold it is out a lot less anglers are getting out, though the bite has slowed a bit for me. ... 2021 and will run for a … SOUTHERN ILLINOIS: Check with Jason Johns of Boneyard Fishing. Get your ice fishing on Lake County. the best ice fishing parking in the chain! It’s headquartered at Musky Tales. Some northern & panfish on Partridge & Partridge. There will be educational programs at 9:00 a.m. followed by fishing at 10:00 a.m. General information at http://experienceemiquon.com/sites/default/files/LakeAccessRules.pdf. Antioch, IL. ~Further east to St. Joseph, fishing has slowed down on the river; due to the ice on Lake Michigan & the river, the dam is the only place to fish is the dam. This decision was made in September following the CDC guidelines with the caveat that they would cancel if needed, as we follow the developments of COVID-19. Ice fish at your own risk. MAILING ADDRESS: The Northern Illinois Conservation Club sponsors the Chain O Lakes Ice Fishing Derby and Winter Festival. Leonard Dane enjoys seeing three generations of dangling poles out on the Chain O' Lakes each February when the Northern Illinois Conservation Club holds its annual ice fishing derby … Registration is $10/angler (at headquarters during the event or online). And they also have rental shacks from www.wetnwildoutfitters.com available. Seeing a few big perch caught in the same areas on fatheads. The tickets will be number from 000 to 999. It was not because the ice wasn’t thick enough, it was because of the wind which is probably the #1 thin that fishermen have to be aware of. A 28-year-old man was shot to death Friday at a gas station in the 5100 block of West Madison Street. Coming this weekend to the IL Chain o Lakes. Ice Fishing Derby at the Chain O'Lakes hosted by Northern Illinois Conservation Club. Click here for the Wisconsin DNR weekly report. That meant there’d likely be great ice fishing for the 59th annual Chain O’Lakes Fishing Derby and Winter Festival, set for Feb. 9 and 10 and sponsored by the Northern Illinois Conservation Club. Last weekend’s frigid blast firmed up the ice on Fox Lake and Lake Puckaway but the 8 inches of snow which fell last Thursday is causing problems for anglers driving vehicles out on these lakes. Know about breaking news as it happens. Get Rates. See all properties in Eagle River. Lines drop at 7 a.m. at any of the upper Chain of Lakes, Intermediate, Hanley, Benway, Wilson, Ellsworth, St. Clair, 6 Mile or Beals. FP COOK COUNTY: Ice-fishing lakes are Arrowhead, Axehead, Beck, Belleau, Big Bend, Bode South only, Bullfrog, Busse main and south, Flatfoot, Green, Horsetail, Ida, Maple, Papoose, Powderhorn, Saganashkee Slough, Sag Quarry, Tampier, Turtlehead and Wampum. McHENRY CCD: Ice fishing at The Hollows (West Lake only). That includes you, too, Dale! ~The recent cold front thickened ice in most area lakes & ponds to safe enough thickness to allow prolonged ice fishing. Start End Waterbody Town Club Type Public; 02/06: 02/06: Loon Lake: FREEDOM: Freedom Firefighters Association: EBT RT ECP YP NO BASS: TRUE: 02/07: 02/07: Contoocook Lake There is always current in the Chain-O-Lakes, and current is a major key in walleye location. Weather permitting. POWERTON: Boat fishing reopens Sunday, Feb. 14. Rosy Reds, Shiners, Fatheads and Wax worms the best live baits, Walleye fishing is normal Walleye fishing this time of year. Little Sturgeon, Riley’s Bay and Sawyer Harbor all spots to try your luck. Grass Lake contains 1,350 acres. Spend two days ice fishing at scenic Twin Lakes, and you could bring home your biggest fish (and fish tales) ever. Lance LaVine at Howie’s Tackle in Sturgeon Bay emailed this: Here is a quick update on the ice fishing, Buckets of Whitefish are being brought in on a daily basis now that we finally have some relatively safe ice after the arctic blast of cold weather we are finally experiencing. Again, only one person allowed in the tent at a time. color: #0068a2; The area gets much public use, with as many as 60,000 people per day visiting the Chain on summer weekends! Downtown Sturgeon Bay, Sawyer Harbor, Pot Park shoreline,Flats, Little Sturgeon and Riley’s Bay all go-to spots. Wind chills could plunge 30 below zero as dangerous Chicago cold snap could lead to coldest Valentine’s Day on record. Click here for details. Best bait has been a purple glow tungsten jig tipped with multiple spikes. Despite the lengthy frigid weather, anglers are catching fish around the Chicago area, including some better whitefish action on Green Bay; and there is a good tip for Chain O’Lakes access. Northern are scattered around expecting better bite coming in March for them. Chicago’s current cold stretch has lasted eight days so far, earning a spot in the top 10 longest cold snaps in the city’s history. 4443 Chain O Lakes Rd, Eagle River, WI. Matchup Big 10 NCAA Big 10 sports headlines from TheMatchup.com Obviously, as most everyone in the word has heard, there was a recent ice rescue here in the county. Due to the marshy nature of much of the park's shoreline, most fishing takes place from boats or fishing piers. I know more than a few of us wondered if deep-water fishing for whitefish on Green Bay would even happen this year, especially after the dramatic rescue of anglers from an ice floe the wind broke off last week. Walleye season is coming to an end February 28 so if you want to get on some walleye fishing time is running out. The crack limited us to to shallower depths managed 2-3 Whitefish one being 22”. Saturday. Area lakes-snowpack is making travel difficult.