FOTW tops the Midwest Fishing Report each Wednesday in the Sun-Times. An extended online version appears here by midnight Tuesday. E-mail nominations to outdoordb@sbcglobal.net.

Here's the tale from Charles ``Mac'' Sloan, he of Mac's bait shop on the South Side:

I just had a customer that wondered if his fish could make your "Fish of the week" segment. His name is Johnny James form the southside of chicago, he was out this morning at the 63rd St. pier (casino pier) casting for the salmon that were still out there hungry, when a 7.23 lbs Lake trout hit his chrome and chartreuse grapplin shad right before his very eyes!!! His first Laker He quotes " I know it's far from a record...but it's so meaningful to catch such an elusive deep water fish like this so close to shore" and "a once in a lifetime chance to get it!". Mr.James also had snagged two King Salmon last week over 25 lbs each as well.