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"Braving the November Chill: Lake Michigan Chicago Fishing Report"
Published 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Description
Artificial Lure with your Sunday, November 9th, 2025 Lake Michigan Chicago fishing report, and folks—winter is kicking down the door this morning. We've got our first real November chill settled in with sunrise rolling in at 6:24 a.m. according to Lake Michigan, Chicago Fishing Report Today. If you haven’t layered up yet, you’re going to feel that northern wind cutting across the water, with gusts topping 30 mph and air temps hovering stubbornly around 29 to 34 degrees most of the day, per the UWM Post’s forecast. It’s the season’s first snowfall, so expect flurries and slippery piers, and watch the roads if you’re trailering in. By late evening, temps drop deep into the 20s with more lake-effect snow in the forecast through Monday—Fox32 Chicago has a Winter Storm Watch for the metro and lakeshore.
Sunset comes early, around 4:35 p.m. The solunar chart from Tides4fishing says the big feeding window will be late morning into early afternoon with the only high tide of the day at 11:28 a.m. That lines up with peak fish movement; low tides are at 5:12 a.m. and 5:36 p.m., so plan accordingly.
Recent action’s been mixed but still lively. Illinois Outdoor News reports a solid mixed bag this week. *Brown trout* and *steelhead* are staging at the river mouths and around harbor walls—spotty, but those putting in time near Montrose and Burnham are seeing results. *Perch* are biting deeper just off Navy Pier and north to Evanston—more jumbos this week, mostly 9–12 inchers. *Coho* still show up for those casting spoons and minnows, but the big wave of kings is long since pushed upriver. Smaller catches of bass and walleye were reported from the Calumet harbors and the stretch south to Hammond, especially for folks running jigs slow along the bottom.
What’s working? With water temps dropping fast, fish want an easy meal. Best baits now are live minnows, waxworms, and fathead rigs for perch. For trout and steelhead, try spawn sacs or dyed shrimp under a float—action perks up late morning through midafternoon. For artificial lures, classic silver or chartreuse blade baits and 3–4” swimbaits slow-rolled along the bottom are producing strikes from steelhead and the odd walleye. For brown trout and late smallies, suspending jerkbaits in natural patterns—think clown, silver/blue, or firetiger—are getting aggressive reaction bites, especially with some wind chop. Major League Fishing pros and locals alike recommend popping topwaters right at sunrise if the chop settles out, but the wind will likely keep most fish hugging cover and deeper water.
Hot spots for the weekend are:
- **Montrose Harbor:** Steelhead and browns off the wall near the discharge, especially during that late-morning sunbreak.
- **Navy Pier Deep Walls:** Reliable jumbo perch, with bonus trout below on a slipfloat and minnow rig.
- **Burnham/Northerly Island:** Mixing browns and perch, solid numbers if you work spawn sacks along the rocks or toss a blade bait parallel to the breaks.
Don’t overlook any heated outflows either—after last night’s snow and cold, fish will pile in for warmth. Quarter your casts with the wind, let the lure drift naturally, and keep retrieves slow.
Bundle up, be safe, and keep at it—the winter bite is just heating up as the lake cools down. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe for your daily drop of local fishing intelligence. This has been a Quiet Please production. For more, check out quietplease 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.
Sunset comes early, around 4:35 p.m. The solunar chart from Tides4fishing says the big feeding window will be late morning into early afternoon with the only high tide of the day at 11:28 a.m. That lines up with peak fish movement; low tides are at 5:12 a.m. and 5:36 p.m., so plan accordingly.
Recent action’s been mixed but still lively. Illinois Outdoor News reports a solid mixed bag this week. *Brown trout* and *steelhead* are staging at the river mouths and around harbor walls—spotty, but those putting in time near Montrose and Burnham are seeing results. *Perch* are biting deeper just off Navy Pier and north to Evanston—more jumbos this week, mostly 9–12 inchers. *Coho* still show up for those casting spoons and minnows, but the big wave of kings is long since pushed upriver. Smaller catches of bass and walleye were reported from the Calumet harbors and the stretch south to Hammond, especially for folks running jigs slow along the bottom.
What’s working? With water temps dropping fast, fish want an easy meal. Best baits now are live minnows, waxworms, and fathead rigs for perch. For trout and steelhead, try spawn sacs or dyed shrimp under a float—action perks up late morning through midafternoon. For artificial lures, classic silver or chartreuse blade baits and 3–4” swimbaits slow-rolled along the bottom are producing strikes from steelhead and the odd walleye. For brown trout and late smallies, suspending jerkbaits in natural patterns—think clown, silver/blue, or firetiger—are getting aggressive reaction bites, especially with some wind chop. Major League Fishing pros and locals alike recommend popping topwaters right at sunrise if the chop settles out, but the wind will likely keep most fish hugging cover and deeper water.
Hot spots for the weekend are:
- **Montrose Harbor:** Steelhead and browns off the wall near the discharge, especially during that late-morning sunbreak.
- **Navy Pier Deep Walls:** Reliable jumbo perch, with bonus trout below on a slipfloat and minnow rig.
- **Burnham/Northerly Island:** Mixing browns and perch, solid numbers if you work spawn sacks along the rocks or toss a blade bait parallel to the breaks.
Don’t overlook any heated outflows either—after last night’s snow and cold, fish will pile in for warmth. Quarter your casts with the wind, let the lure drift naturally, and keep retrieves slow.
Bundle up, be safe, and keep at it—the winter bite is just heating up as the lake cools down. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe for your daily drop of local fishing intelligence. This has been a Quiet Please production. For more, check out quietplease 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.