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Late-Run Salmon, Autumn Smallies, and Perch Panfish - Your Chicago Lakefront Fishing Report
Published 5 months, 1 week ago
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Artificial Lure here with your Tuesday, November 18th fishing report for Lake Michigan, Chicago. The lake greeted us this morning with crisp late-fall air—temperatures starting off in the upper 30s, working up close to 50 as the day rolls on. Winds are variable: calm right now, but look for a gentle northwest shifting northeast this afternoon, and picking up southeast later into the evening. Skies will be mostly cloudy, and a little rain might sneak in overnight. Waves out on the lake are modest, at 1 to 3 feet, so small-craft anglers should have an easy go for the daylight hours according to the National Weather Service.
Sunrise hit at 6:42 AM and we’ll lose daylight at 4:27 PM, so you want to fish prime time early and late. Tides4Fishing puts the major solunar window from about 8:12 to 10:12 this morning, with another minor uptick around sunset—a key pattern all season.
The big story for November is the late-run salmon, with both chinook and coho still staging near the harbor mouths and inside spots like Montrose, Diversey, and Burnham. Earlier this week, shore anglers reported hooking multiple coho to 5 pounds at sunrise, and a couple of bronzed-up kings weighing into the teens. Skein under a float, spawn sacs, and darker colored Krocodile spoons brought the most takes. Don’t overlook the simple silver/blue or chartreuse Little Cleo—after a north blow, stained water calls for a rattle spoon or something flashy. The bite turns off once that sun gets high, so get there early and stay persistent.
Bass anglers are still connecting with solid smallmouth in the river mouth and marina cuts, particularly after a push of baitfish. Ned rigs in green pumpkin and weightless stick baits work well, but a slow-rolled white or shad swimbait is a good bet during off-light conditions. Some largemouth are hanging near dock pilings and deeper boat slips, where jighead minnows and jerkbaits have been productive. Major League Fishing notes that a 3-inch minnow imitator on a 3/16-ounce jighead is dominating—worth a try here in Chicago’s harbors.
Don’t sleep on yellow perch if you’re looking for a tasty panfish stringer. The perch bite is still hit-or-miss, but some slabs are coming in from Navy Pier and the breakwalls south near 95th Street. Live fathead minnows or bits of shrimp on drop-shot rigs, fished vertical near weed edges or pilings, account for most catches.
Two Chicago hotspots you’ll want to hit:
- Montrose Harbor, for the persistent salmon and fat smallies feeding near the harbor mouth.
- Burnham Harbor, where both perch and late-coho can be found and the bass bite has stayed fair into mid-November.
Water clarity is the key—it’s turned a bit murky after last week’s winds, and that’s helping daytime action. In off-color water, switch to chartreuse or bright orange lures and something that rattles.
Fishing pressure is light as many folks have packed away the rods, but the action’s still here for those braving the cold. Trout are starting to show near the river mouths, with a few nice browns caught on nightcrawlers floated near structure. And don’t forget, the steelhead run’s just getting underway—fresh spawn sacs and gold or orange spoons are top producers.
Thanks for tuning in to your Chicago Lake Michigan fishing report. Make sure you subscribe, so you never miss an update. 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.
Sunrise hit at 6:42 AM and we’ll lose daylight at 4:27 PM, so you want to fish prime time early and late. Tides4Fishing puts the major solunar window from about 8:12 to 10:12 this morning, with another minor uptick around sunset—a key pattern all season.
The big story for November is the late-run salmon, with both chinook and coho still staging near the harbor mouths and inside spots like Montrose, Diversey, and Burnham. Earlier this week, shore anglers reported hooking multiple coho to 5 pounds at sunrise, and a couple of bronzed-up kings weighing into the teens. Skein under a float, spawn sacs, and darker colored Krocodile spoons brought the most takes. Don’t overlook the simple silver/blue or chartreuse Little Cleo—after a north blow, stained water calls for a rattle spoon or something flashy. The bite turns off once that sun gets high, so get there early and stay persistent.
Bass anglers are still connecting with solid smallmouth in the river mouth and marina cuts, particularly after a push of baitfish. Ned rigs in green pumpkin and weightless stick baits work well, but a slow-rolled white or shad swimbait is a good bet during off-light conditions. Some largemouth are hanging near dock pilings and deeper boat slips, where jighead minnows and jerkbaits have been productive. Major League Fishing notes that a 3-inch minnow imitator on a 3/16-ounce jighead is dominating—worth a try here in Chicago’s harbors.
Don’t sleep on yellow perch if you’re looking for a tasty panfish stringer. The perch bite is still hit-or-miss, but some slabs are coming in from Navy Pier and the breakwalls south near 95th Street. Live fathead minnows or bits of shrimp on drop-shot rigs, fished vertical near weed edges or pilings, account for most catches.
Two Chicago hotspots you’ll want to hit:
- Montrose Harbor, for the persistent salmon and fat smallies feeding near the harbor mouth.
- Burnham Harbor, where both perch and late-coho can be found and the bass bite has stayed fair into mid-November.
Water clarity is the key—it’s turned a bit murky after last week’s winds, and that’s helping daytime action. In off-color water, switch to chartreuse or bright orange lures and something that rattles.
Fishing pressure is light as many folks have packed away the rods, but the action’s still here for those braving the cold. Trout are starting to show near the river mouths, with a few nice browns caught on nightcrawlers floated near structure. And don’t forget, the steelhead run’s just getting underway—fresh spawn sacs and gold or orange spoons are top producers.
Thanks for tuning in to your Chicago Lake Michigan fishing report. Make sure you subscribe, so you never miss an update. 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.