Click here for details on Melody Dixon's catch of a pacu in Chicago's southwest suburbs on a hotdog.

Paul Pezalla talks with Joel Greenberg and me Monday afternoon about Chicago carp fishing on "Outside."

Click here for BOTW: Unplugged, an 11-point escaping the "raging Des Plaines" last week.

Here is the official word from the IDNR on the recent movement on waterfowl regulations and such.

As first noted in the Sun-Times outdoors page, IDNR director Marc Miller followed some innovative advice in drawing the zone lines for waterfowl hunting in northeast Illinois; here's a bit more on that and the fourth zone.

It's another Wild Weekend Wandering around Chicago outdoors with good variety, and good options.

Word just came the fourth zone is a go for waterfowlers.

Click here for the FOTW: a beautiful first-time smallmouth from the Chicago lakefront.

It only seems apt to run the Stray Cast here.

Waiting on the decision on the fourth zone for waterfowl hunting leads the first Illinois Hunting Report of the season, but there's also squirrel hunting, the start to applying for controlled pheasant hunting and waterfowl blind draws.

The return of perch fishing on southern Lake Michigan leads this Midwest Fishing Report.

Several rivers spiked, even into flood stage over the weekend, while other basins received just enough rain to clear the water; considering the building heat, wading again will be one of the top options for fishing around Chicago outdoors, and leads this Midwest Fishing Report.

Joel Greenberg talks about his multi-media project on passenger pigeons on "Outside" this afternoon with me.

Click here for BOTW: Unplugged, the weekly celebration of live big bucks around Chicago outdoors, and other Field Notes.

Though the excessive heat drags on and on, there's a mix of stuff to do in this Wild Weekend Wandering around Chicago outdoors, but getting in or on the water is high on my list.

Mulling things on my morning ramble with Storm,

the family's mixed Lab.

I'm doing a lakes/areas section of the Midwest Fishing Report, but the brutal heat has truly limited effort and has an informal watch on for fish kills later this week at the cooling lakes.

Considering the dangerous heat, wading is one of the best, and one of the only options, for fishing around Chicago outdoors, and leads this Midwest Fishing Report.

It only seems apt to run the Stray Cast here.

Click here for the Fish of the Week, a good largemouth bass from the Chicago suburbs.

Mulling things on my morning ramble with Storm,

the family's mixed Lab.

I scheduled Kankakee prairie advocate and birder Jed Hertzto talk about Perry Farm for "Outside" this afternoon with Joel Greenberg and me in anticipation of the Bears starting training camp in Bourbonnais. So much for plans.

Click here for BOTW: Unplugged, though I think it is a doe, and other field notes.

For those who asked, here is the back of the mystery shell.

Can I get some help on IDing this?

Let's lead this Wild Weekend Wandering around Chicago outdoors with the four B's of biking, bowfishing, berry picking and bluegill fishing.

Following Monday's storm, IDNR sent an update Thursday on Illinois Beach SP. I have not been by yet, but from talking with people who have been, there is work to done for a long time.

I had hoped to return to posting the extended online version of the Midwest Fishing Report today, but I will try to start again next week. In the mean time, click here for the newspaper version.

Click here for FOTW, a big crappie from big buck country in Pope County.

Click here for the first BOTW: Unplugged and other field notes.

The storms rolling down Lake Michigan last night have shut Illinois Beach State Park, [UPDATE] but the IDNR has decided that North Point Marina will be open for the public.