Weekender (morels, challenges, all kinds of fish) for May 9, 2008
Outdoor things to do, indoor and out. It's mid-May, let's make it a dozen again.
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1) Hunt morels. I found my first of the year on Wednesday with my 6-year-old daughter. There will be more in northern Illinois this weekend and next week.
2) It's mid-May, this should be the week for Heidecke Lake. And you may see me there one of the three weekend days. I had this from Jim Sajdyk, who makes the trip from Indiana:
``Heidecke lake will be good this weekend we caught over 20 walleyes Sunday the water temp was 56 at 7am 59at 4 pm. last year i did my best on the Saturday before mothers day. we had 4 keepers 18 inch avg. on Sunday. i am going Saturday, try to make it.''Concessionaire Steve Anderson said other anglers had it bust loose for walleye dragging crawlers and leeches on the bottom last Sunday. He offers bait, food, drinks and boat rental. Call (815) 941-1504.
3) It's mid-May, this should be the week for Shabbona Lake. Largemouth and crappie should be coming shallow. Details may be found at www.shabbonalake.com.
4) It's mid-May, this should be the week for Mazonia lakes. I may sneak out there to disappear for a few hours or exploring and fishing. It's a great spot to bellyboat.
5) It's mid-May, and it's been one of those years for an outstanding and extended white bass run on the Wolf River in Wisconsin. And some pretty good walleye fishing mixed in. You can try calling Fremont guide Bill Stoeger on his cell at (920) 570-1187. Most likely he will set you up with another guide.
6) ``Home Tweet Home,'' in honor of International Migratory Bird Day, has birding tips and live birds of prey at Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary from 9 a.m.-noon Saturday.
7) Do something honorable with ``Monitor with Your Mother,'' hosted by Friends of the Fox River Watershed Monitoring Network and Dundee Crown High School, at Fox River Shores Forest Preserve in Carpentersville from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday. Go to www.friendsofthefoxriver.org.
8) Considering the 92.5 pound bighead carp shot last Sunday on the Mississippi river, Asian Carp Saturday seems timely at Bolingbrook Bass Pro (information from Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, U. S. Geological Survey, Illinois Natural History Survey, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) is from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Go to www.basspro.com.
9) Yellow perch continue to be outstanding just south of Waukegan harbor in 50-70 feet. If going on a nice weekend day, there can be lines long enough to back up to the stop sign. It's $15 for the daily launch at Waukegan. It's worth it as I found out with Capt. Bob Jenkins and Jeff Miltimore last Friday on Challenger Charters.
10) Coho catches started picking up out of North Point and Waukegan last week, and Capt. Bob Poteshman on Confusion has reported even the occasional nice king mixed in.
11) Smallmouth should continue to be strong on the lakefront, if we don't get too much of a blow that should be worth tramping around.
12) The Field & Stream Total Outdoorsman Challenge qualifier at the Bass Pro Shop in Portage, Ind. runs through Sunday.
