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Frigid Fall Fishing: Perch, Steelhead, and More on Chicago's Lakefront
Published 6 months, 1 week ago
Description
Artificial Lure here with your Friday, October 24, 2025 fishing report for Chicago and the southern rim of Lake Michigan.
Bitter cold is the story this morning—expect a freeze warning to continue through early hours, as overnight lows dipped into the upper 20s and low 30s across much of Chicagoland, with lingering frost right up to the shoreline. Bundle up, because winds are set to gust out of the northwest at 10–15 knots through midday, tapering off north at 5–10 by afternoon. Waves are running 2–4 feet early, falling to a far more manageable 1–3 feet by midday, and the sun’s out in full force. Get a thermos ready and gloves on—feels like we’re in late fall fishing now according to the National Weather Service Marine Forecast. Sunrise hit at 7:12, sunset is lining up for 5:58 this evening, and fishing times peak around 4–6 PM and from 4:30 to 6:30 AM, per the solunar chart. It’s a short, crisp day on the water.
Water clarity on the lake edges is mixed after steady northwest winds and last night’s frost. The perch bite is starting to rebound, with schools found schooled up near Jackson Park and Montrose. Early birds drifting fathead minnows and whole baby shiners right off the bottom are picking up both respectable numbers and size. Shrimp is a secret bait this week—if the schools turn neutral, pinch a raw piece onto a small hook and hang it under a slip bobber just off the rocks. Some jumbos came in last night along the North Avenue breakwall.
Steelhead and coho reports are trickling in—fish are pushing in close now that nights are dipping near freezing. Spoons, light spinners, and small crankbaits fished slow on rocky transitions at Diversey or through the river mouths at Calumet should find action, especially in the major afternoon windows. Remember, these fish can be hot and gone in a flash, so work the water thoroughly.
Walleye and smallmouth bass are still worth targeting for the die-hards. Pull slow with Lindy rigs tipped with golden shiners along deeper rock piles in Burnham Harbor or cast chartreuse tube jigs for bass around pier heads; dusk is by far the hot window. Leadhead jigs with soft plastics in natural or white tones, slowly bounced and paused, are catching the more sluggish pockets of fish, especially after wind laydowns, as recommended by Great Lakes Angler.
Surprisingly, some late-season pike are still active in the Chicago River and harbor cuts. Large jerkbaits or a live sucker will draw out the bigger fish, but expect short strikes—cold snaps will put them off for a few hours at first light.
For hotspots: Montrose Harbor’s horseshoe pier is a perch magnet right now—school tightly along the north side and work the drop. For steelhead and coho, try the Calumet River mouth, especially after lunch when things warm up just a hair.
Quick tips: Stay mobile, keep your presentations slow and low, and upgrade your fluorocarbon leader if targeting steelhead or wary perch on clear mornings. Don’t forget to check your guides for ice if you’re on the water before 9 AM.
Thanks for tuning in to your local Lake Michigan fishing report—hit subscribe for daily updates and never miss a bite. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
This episode includes AI-generated content.
Bitter cold is the story this morning—expect a freeze warning to continue through early hours, as overnight lows dipped into the upper 20s and low 30s across much of Chicagoland, with lingering frost right up to the shoreline. Bundle up, because winds are set to gust out of the northwest at 10–15 knots through midday, tapering off north at 5–10 by afternoon. Waves are running 2–4 feet early, falling to a far more manageable 1–3 feet by midday, and the sun’s out in full force. Get a thermos ready and gloves on—feels like we’re in late fall fishing now according to the National Weather Service Marine Forecast. Sunrise hit at 7:12, sunset is lining up for 5:58 this evening, and fishing times peak around 4–6 PM and from 4:30 to 6:30 AM, per the solunar chart. It’s a short, crisp day on the water.
Water clarity on the lake edges is mixed after steady northwest winds and last night’s frost. The perch bite is starting to rebound, with schools found schooled up near Jackson Park and Montrose. Early birds drifting fathead minnows and whole baby shiners right off the bottom are picking up both respectable numbers and size. Shrimp is a secret bait this week—if the schools turn neutral, pinch a raw piece onto a small hook and hang it under a slip bobber just off the rocks. Some jumbos came in last night along the North Avenue breakwall.
Steelhead and coho reports are trickling in—fish are pushing in close now that nights are dipping near freezing. Spoons, light spinners, and small crankbaits fished slow on rocky transitions at Diversey or through the river mouths at Calumet should find action, especially in the major afternoon windows. Remember, these fish can be hot and gone in a flash, so work the water thoroughly.
Walleye and smallmouth bass are still worth targeting for the die-hards. Pull slow with Lindy rigs tipped with golden shiners along deeper rock piles in Burnham Harbor or cast chartreuse tube jigs for bass around pier heads; dusk is by far the hot window. Leadhead jigs with soft plastics in natural or white tones, slowly bounced and paused, are catching the more sluggish pockets of fish, especially after wind laydowns, as recommended by Great Lakes Angler.
Surprisingly, some late-season pike are still active in the Chicago River and harbor cuts. Large jerkbaits or a live sucker will draw out the bigger fish, but expect short strikes—cold snaps will put them off for a few hours at first light.
For hotspots: Montrose Harbor’s horseshoe pier is a perch magnet right now—school tightly along the north side and work the drop. For steelhead and coho, try the Calumet River mouth, especially after lunch when things warm up just a hair.
Quick tips: Stay mobile, keep your presentations slow and low, and upgrade your fluorocarbon leader if targeting steelhead or wary perch on clear mornings. Don’t forget to check your guides for ice if you’re on the water before 9 AM.
Thanks for tuning in to your local Lake Michigan fishing report—hit subscribe for daily updates and never miss a bite. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
This episode includes AI-generated content.