Saturday & Sunday will be a balmy 51 degrees warmer than last Monday & Tuesday. Makes you want to get outdoords, right?

Add in an extended fishing 5 Bluegill/5 Crapopie Contest Weekend for a little motivation, and we will see you this weekend!!!

This Saturday & Sunday, Lakeside will holding an extended first contest weekend. To enter please donate $5 to the lake restocking fund and sign up at the bait shop. Contest runs Saturday & Sunday from 8 AM – 4 PM. If you sign up on Saturday, you are good for both days. If you catch a heavier amount on Sunday, you may up your weight.

Tips:

Bluegill : Fish the weed beds, like in Somonauk Point Bay and other bay areas. Fish 4-6 feet deep in the weeds. Drill several holes and then ‘hole jump” as the bite dictates. Use Wax Worms & Spikes on a small jig, such as a Widowmaker Shrimp Pattern, Shrimpos and Ratsos. Moon jigs and Marmooska jigs have also been very good. If your area is on a slow bite, a deadly technique is just a wax worm or spike on a # 10 aberdeen hook under a small, light boober. Simple sometimes outfishes finesse. Anothet trick is to “Light Up” your glow jigs with a Nordic Lazer Lite. Glow jigs have a natural glow to them, but in darker or stained water the added “glow” attracts the fish to the jig. The fish can see the jig from a farther distance and therefore more strikes.

Crappie : Crappie have been suspended about 14-16 feet down in 25 feet of water in the submerged trees. But they will also be in and around fish Cribs and brushpiles in 10-17 feet of water. Use Swedish Pimples tipped with Crappie size minnows, wax worms or spikes. Fish the pimple in a downward fluttering motion, 6 inches of drop at a time. Rocker jigs and Striper Specials tipped with a minnow, wax worm or spike tend to catch larger Crappie looking for a mouth full. They have a side to side flutter as it drops. Again, use only a 6 inch drop at a time. If you see a bow in your line caused by the pimple, striper jig or rocker jig not dropping properly, set the hook. A crappie has just enhaled your bait and is just sitting there with it. As with Bluegill, when the fishing get slow, go simple. Use a fresh Crappie minnow on a #8 Aberdeen hook on a small “top heavy” slip bobber. Change the minnow often, keep a lively fresh minnow on at all times. Use a top heavy slip bobber, because Crappie tend to feed upward and often don’t move after inhaling a bait. As the crappie enhales the bait it relieves the downward tension on the bobber. The top heavy bobber fall over in your ice hole, indicating a bite. Set the hook!!!

Pokanoka’s will be open 11 AM – 4 PM, Saturday & Sunday. Stop in for a sandwich or hot chocolate!!!

See everyone this weekend!!!