Stray Casts

Opening of firearm deer season on Friday and the good bite for jumbo perch off Gary Light lead this Wild Weekend Wanderings around Chicago outdoors.

Not that holiday, but a holiday just the same. Firearm deer season opens tomorrow morning in Illinois.

Not sure all hunters in Michigan for firearm deer season, which opened Sunday, would want to hear this description of the first few days from the Michigan DNR, but here it is: ``Good weather -- a lack of snow and little rain, warm temperatures and generally light winds - created excellent conditions for sitting outdoors.'' Bagging deer in those conditions have been fairly typical.

``Pops, kids today can handle adrenaline, they're all video gamers.''

It's a good time of year to think of the future, because, frankly, there isn't a whole lot of fishing going on (other than stateline boat fishing for perch) for the Midwest Fishing Report.

With patience, Jim Lenc of LaGrange brought home a fine 10-pointer after bowhunting in Woodford County on Friday morning. It earns him Buck of the Week honors.

Ray Hinton began one of Chicago's historic fishing streaks with a lake trout, weighing 17 pounds, 6 ounces on a Rapala hand-held scales, on Oct. 30. That historic streak earns him and friends a special Fishes of the Week.