Today's weather will tease fishermen, aptly enough as spring signs mount--coho and browns on southern Lake Michigan and Braidwood Lake reopening Thursday--for this Midwest Fishing Report.

It only seems apt to run the Stray Cast here.

The showtime schedule did not make the print edition of the Sun-Times for tomorrow, so I am running Showtime a bit early in the week here.

The Indiana DNR has OK'd the umbrella rig, the overall name for the brand known as The Alabama Rig, for the rest of the year, with a couple exceptions.

Doug Stotz gives context to the irruption of snowy owls this winter this afternoon on "Outside."

Carl Vizzone photographed this American kestrel feeding on the bounty of Northerly Island on Feb. 18 during Polar Adventure Day.

Mike Conlin presented a no-holds-barred look

at the state of Illinois fisheries on Wednesday during the Illinois Chapter American Fisheries Society 50th Anniversary Meeting, February 21-23, 2012 at Starved Rock State Park Lodge in Utica.

I think this finally catches me up on Fish of the Week, a pair of browns from Waukegan Harbor.

For writing this on a gray sloppy February morning, there are plenty of options in this Wild Weekend Wandering around Chicago outdoors.

Signs of spring come in this Midwest Fishing Report: coho and browns on southern Lake Michigan and walleye reports in the rivers.

It only seems apt to run the Stray Cast here.

Catching up on FOTW, here with Ed Potocki from last Wednesday.

Brian Breidert talks about the changes in southern Lake Michigan from quagga mussels to walleye this afternoon on "Outside."

Figure better get in ice fishing FOTW while we can, and I am catching up.

It's a Wild Weekend Wandering around Chicago outdoors

for the birds; well, maybe for some ice fishing and a show here and there.

Chicago seems to be on some sort of fault line when it comes to ice fishing, and that leads this Midwest Fishing Report.

It only seems apt to run the Stray Cast here.

State Sen. John O. Jones (R-Mt. Vernon) has proposed

a double earn-a-buck bill for Illinois in SB3316.

From alligator snapping turtles being reintroduced in Illinois to searching for white-nose syndrome in bats, Outside taps the insight of Joe Kath this afternoon on "Outside."

The question mark is for ice conditions or the existence of ice for this Wild Weekend Wandering around Chicago outdoors; the certainties are Tinley Park Fishing and Outdoor Show this weekend and hunting for shed antlers, at least the hunting part will be a certainty.

With Illinois fisheries chief Debbie Bruce and IDNR director Marc Miller back to back on Saturday, the Tinley Park Fishing and Outdoor Show keeps building a strong case as the top outdoor show around Chicago.

From spring coho beginning on southern Lake Michigan to extremely dangerous and variable ice conditions, there's a lot of seasonal notes for this Midwest Fishing Report.

It only seems apt to run the Stray Cast here.

Landscape photographer Robert Shaw discusses his latest book images in "Abraham Lincoln Traveled This Way: The America Lincoln Knew" this afternoon on "Outside."

I don't know if it the lack of winter weather or what, but it seems like shed hunting is underway in earnest around the Chicago area earlier than normal.

Mulling things on my morning ramble

with Storm, the family's mixed Lab.

At first a guttural noncommittal sound forms in my throat while I consider this Wild Weekend Wandering around Chicago outdoors, then I move higher and think shed hunting; then deeper and think coho.

There are some hilarious reports on the extremely variable ice conditions, which obviously leads this Midwest Fishing Report.