Bass Fishing Upper Chicago Area

[kLuo28]

Hey,

I am new to this forum. I am currently attending Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. Back home I have always fished for largemouth over the summer, but this summer I am staying in IL. Does anyone know of any good lakes/ponds I can go for largemouth? Lake Michigan is literally right next to our campus, but I would prefer smaller, local ponds/lakes. There are a ton of golf courses with ponds on them nearby but I do not know if there are fish in there or if I am allowed to fish there. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[cr]

Don't know much about the Chicago area, but welcome to the site.

[skeeterman190]

 Welcome. Dont know of any but dont be afraid to try the lake Michigan deal you will hook up on some huge smallies.

[Slipkey]

KLuo,
I lived in Evanston for about 5 years back in the nineties.  For bank fishing, I know the North Shore channel along McCormick Blvd is said to have some hot spots for bass - if you can find them.  You might try starting at the hospital and working your way toward the lake as it empties out and also the Skokie lagoons. 

If you want to wade for smallmouth and don't mind driving a bit, drive down to Kankakee River State Park.  It's about 1.5 hours from Evanston but the smallmouth fishing can be phenominal in the summer.  It's a good place for a weekend of camping and fishing.

As for golf courses, best thing to do there is stop and talk to the maintenance or grounds staff.  You can usually find a fisherman or two among them would would be sympathetic to the "poor college student" pitch.   You're usually pretty restricted in the hours they would let you fish, though as the courses in the metro are always busy.

As for others, Shabonna Lake (another drive) has small boat rentals, as do a few of the forest preserve lakes in DuPage County.  You could make an entire summer out of fishing forest preserve lakes in Lake and DuPage counties, but the ones in Cook are pretty fished out and polluted.

BTW, I always wanted to fish that pond connected to the lake by the music building/parking garage at NWU.   Have you ever tried it?

Best of luck!

[kLuo28]

Slipkey,

Thanks for the info, very helpful. Lake Michigan intimidates me, I'd much rather fish in smaller lakes/ponds haha. I'd like to use that as a last resort.

I might have to try pulling the "poor college student," but I feel like there has got to be some small ponds where I can cast from the shore nearby. Do you know of any?

As for the pond on our campus, fishing is strictly prohibited. There are signs everywhere saying we can't, and its pretty exposed so no one can secretly go fish or anything. However, there are HUGE carp in there. You can see them swimming when you walk around. Very tempting.

[Slipkey]

I might have to try pulling the "poor college student," but I feel like there has got to be some small ponds where I can cast from the shore nearby. Do you know of any?

KLuo,

I'd really look hard at the Skokie Lagoons: http://www.fpdcc.com/tier3.php?content_id=68&file=map_67x.  ( on GMaps)  The are a good bike ride/short car ride away, but not too far and I've heard that there are some really good LM spots from the bank by friends who grew up in Skokie.  Like I said, it's been quite a few years since I lived there and since I had a boat when I did, I would usually drive out to the Fox Chain or up to Lake Geneva. 

Further out on Golf Rd., south of Oakton Community College is the Lion Woods Which has Big Bend Lake.   It's supposedly bank fishable all around and has a penninsula that juts out into the lake as well. 

Hope that helps.  Catch a big one!

[Skulley]

Welcome to the forum KL.uo28.  There are a lot of good anglers on this board as well as some outstanding tournament bass fishermen. 

I have family in the upper Chicago area.  My sister and her family live in Wilmette.  My sister-in-law and her family live in Lake-In-The-Hills which is in McHenry County.  There is an awful lot of water to fish in your area.  I have fished the Skokie Lagoons.  There are some big bass there.  If you have a small john boat and an electric trolling motor you can really cover some of the more productive water there.  I have also fished out and around Navy Pier as well as the Calumet River.  Some excellent bass fishing in those locales too. 

Up in McHenry County where my sister-in-law lives, Diamond Lake, The Fox River Chain, among others will give you some very productive water to fish.  There are several places along the Fox Chain where you can rent a boat.  I have been on Shabbona and that is an excellent fishing lake, however it is a 10mph lake.  You can rent a boat there also.  You have lots of water to cover in the whole Chicago Metro Area.  I would also suggest you purchase a Sportsmans Connection Fishing Map Guide for Northern Illinois.  There are maps of a lot of the lakes and ponds as well as directions on how to get to these places.  The Cook County Forest Preserve has many small lakes, ponds, and lagoons.  They are all in this book.  You can probably find the book at Bass Pro Shops in Gurnee or even at Ed Shirley Sport Shops.  Good luck.

Oh yeah.....I drag my boat to the Chicago area about three to four times in the summer when my family visits.  If I do again this year, I will try to contact you and maybe we can hook up.  I'll take you out around Navy Pier and in the Chicago River or even the Calumet.  I got a lot of spots out there.  Maybe even a trip up to Lake Geneva in Wisconsin.  I have a lot of spots there too.  Again good luck and welcome to the forum.

BD             

[kLuo28]

UAWBigDog,

I've been hearing some good things about the Skokie Lagoons. The problem is, I will not have a boat and will be doing shore fishing only. Are there places in the lagoon where I can have a decent shoreline to cast? I'm looking at it on a map and it doesn't look like there are many places to fish unless you have a boat.

[Skulley]

You will really have to drive around the park to find accesses and then you will have to walk a lot of areas.  find a good map and start from there.  You will eventually realize that having a small jon boat or inflatable is the ticket.  My setup is an inflatable Sevylor boat with the transom attachment and a 12 volt motor guide and marine deep cycle twelve volt battery.  I would charge the battery using a Sears Craftsman battery charger.  Of course it is probably more money now because it is 2009 and not 1995.  You know rate of inflation and all that mess.  I still use it too.  Maybe  3 or 4 times a year when I feel like fishing those out of the way waters.  Since I have had my boat I have been spoiled by having Lake St. Clair and Erie so accessible.  If I lived in the Chicago area, I would probably be fishing the downtown area a lot weather permitting.  I have learned a lot over the last 5 years dragging my boat there and always prefer BIG WATER.  I look at it like this BIG WATER, BIG FISH.  Not always the case but it has been my mindset over the last few years.  Anyway back to the lagoon.  It is big when you are looking for shore spots, but you will have to commit time.  You can easily spend 8 hours exploring there so take a lunch. 

BD