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Some of the best bass fishing in the Midwest can be found right the heart of Chicagoland. Anglers will discover a great smallmouth bass fishery in the lake and a good population of largemouth bass in the river. I'm a bass fisherman, so I know any bass angler would love to locate a great new bass fishery featuring nice-sized largemouth and smallmouth. And we want a fishery that gets little or no fishing pressure. Oh yeah, and make it somewhat close to home. If that's what you're looking for, you've come to the right person. I'm going to tell you where to go to fish in almost total isolation, if you don't mind being surrounded by six million people or so. The fishery I'm talking about is Lake Michigan and the Chicago River, right in the heart of the business center of the Midwest. If you don't mind catching smallmouth bass out of the beautiful blue waters of the Michigan while gazing at one of the most beautiful skylines in the world, or having a largemouth bass grab your lure in the Chicago River cross busy bridges above your head, you might want to give this place a try. Forget the fact that Lake Michigan has been considered just a salmon and trout area for the past 30 years. Stop complaining that the perch population hasn't rebounded like fisheries biologists had hoped. Put yourself in a bass fishing frame of mind, because this is an area where largemouth and smallmouth bass abound. It is fast becoming a world-class fishery, and it is being almost ignored by anglers.
Lake Michigan and the Chicago River were showcased nationally last year when the BassMaster Classic was staged there. Most everyone expected the lake and river to be deluged by anglers following the event. Unfortunately, the lake wasn't very cooperative that week. High winds and towering waves kept anglers off the lake, and they had to settle for largemouth bass in the river systems. And most of those fish weren't being too cooperative either. As a result, the world didn't become aware of this great fishing opportunity. So when we launched our boat mid-morning at Burnham Harbor on a blue-sky day this summer, only one other boat had put in the water before us. And during three hours of looking and fishing both the lake and river, we didn't encounter any other anglers. "It's a shame those Classic anglers weren't able to get out on the lake," said Rich Komar, Tinley Park. "If so, those guys would have really showed the world what a great fishery we have right here in the city." Komar and Don Dziedzina, New Lenox, were serving as my guides, showing me where to look and what to use for best results. But these guys are more than just avid anglers. Dziedzina is the host of Illinois Outdoors, a half-hour television program that airs on WYCC in Chicago each week. The show also runs on ATT cable stations in south Cook and Will counties. Komar does the camera work and edits the show. The two also co-host a studio cable show called All Outdoors. Basically speaking, you'll find smallmouth bass in the lake and largemouth bass in the river. But that's just a general rule. You can find both species in both locations. "During the warm months, the smallmouth spend a lot of time out in deeper water, then move onto the shallow shoals in the lake to feed," Dziedzina said. "To catch fish consistently, you need to know where those shoals are located. They're marked on maps, and some of them have buoys." "Lake Michigan is basically a pretty flat lake with very little structure," Komar said. "It's just a large stretch of sandy bottom, so if you can locate anything that is a little different from the rest of the lake bottom, you have a good chance of finding fish there. Look for areas where there are rocks. There aren't a lot of weeds in the lake, but if you can find some in shallow water that is close to deeper water, you should find smallmouth bass there." Dziedzina agreed. "Fish along the breakwater walls, too, areas where bait fish are found," he said. "You have to learn the pattern. You have to go out and spend some time finding the good areas. But once you understand the smallmouth and how to get to them, you should do well. I like to use wide wobbling crankbaits in a crawfish pattern, but tube jigs are also good baits." Lake Michigan is not a place to go if you're planning a fish fry. This is a building fishery, and you are required to return all bass. It's strictly catch-and-release fishing. Safety should be your No. 1 concern when on the lake. You need to
know the lake and know when not to be out there. Storms are frequent and arrive with little notice. A lake that is completely calm can develop 4-foot waves in a matter of minutes. "This isn't a place to go with a 14-foot jonboat and a 10-horsepower motor," Komar said. "This can be a treacherous place. Keep an eye on factory smokestacks. If the smoke changes directions, you might be in for a change in weather. Carry a weather radio, and keep a cell phone handy in case of emergency. Fortunately, the good fishing is close to shore, which gives you time to get in when the weather changes, and along the sea walls, which protects you from waves." When the lake is rough, move into the Chicago River to fish. While the river tends to be more of a largemouth bass fishery, we caught two nice smallmouth bass during the hour or so we fished there. Dziedzina said anglers should fish the river walls and anywhere there are discharges into the river. "Bait fish come in to feed on the algae and zooplankton found on the walls, and the largemouth bass tend to be close by," he said. "I also like to fish any areas where there is wood. I prefer a wide wobbling crankbait for these fish, but almost any bass lure will work in the river. Largemouth bass are numerous in the river, and anglers who know how to fish for bass will likely catch fish." Or walleye. There's also a developing walleye fishery that likely will be getting the attention of those anglers in a few years. "Lake Michigan and the Chicago River have phenomenal fishing, and you don't have to compete for places to cast your lure," Dziedzina said. "This is a large fishery, and if there are a hundred boats out there fishing, you'll still find dozens of great places to fish. If I had to rate the top 10 bass fishing areas in Illinois, Lake Michigan would be right up there near the top." So if you don't mind fishing where you'll be surrounded by several million people, let us recommend giving Lake Michigan and the Chicago River a try. I just hope you don't get too lonely.
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