The word is out on the Lagoon
"Go ahead," suggested my friend Howard, "you may as well write about it. It's a public place, for anyone to enjoy."
And anyway, I'm not divulging any secrets you don't already know.
I'm only suggesting come next spring that you take some time to brighten your day, just as I did before it got cold and winter-like.
For months I had hinted at the on-going bonanza available to any angler interested. Almost every week I suggested you try this place for some very good panfish action. I also hinted you could probably tie into some very big largemouth bass as well.
If you have a small boat and an electric motor, your time on the water at Skokie Lagoon could prove to be exciting. But if you're like most fishermen and are shore-bound, fear not, because there are plenty of fish to be caught that way, too.
Skokie Lagoon is a man-made reservoir located at the far end of Cook County, in the village of Glencoe.
Some of the better fishing can be found on the north end of this meandering waterway.
With fly rod in hand and an ultralight rig along for backup, I walked the Tower Road shoreline one autumn morning, knowing full well I'd catch fish.
Howard stayed at the concrete launch area on the far west end of the lake, while I explored various submerged pieces of structure.
I brought a box of small flies and a handful of Cubby Mini-Mites to tempt fish.
The fly rod was a 9-foot, 4-weight. The fly of choice was a No. 8 black, beadhead mohair nymph.
The sun was already high in the sky, and had begun warming the shoreline areas I wanted to fish.
My third cast to a small brush pile caused me to snap out of my reverie. The mohair had barely settled beneath the surface when a fat bluegill inhaled it and took off for deeper water. This one measured just over 9 inches. Eight more fish came from that one spot. I had uncovered a real pot of gold.
This was too easy, I thought to myself, so I switched to the spinning rod and Mini-Mite while moving eastward along the shoreline. I found a dead chunk of tree limb and made a cast to the end, where it was sticking out in to the water. Six or seven casts were made without a hit. I tried another three times, and on the third shot a bass came by and grabbed the micro jig. I scaled the largemouth at slightly over 3 pounds.
Even though Mini-Mites always produce for me, I wanted fly rod action. I threw the fly to the exact same spot and another chunky 'gill inhaled it. Next came a 10-inch crappie from the other side of the limb. This was wonderful action.
There was only one other angler on the same shoreline, and he was dunking live bait under a red and white bobber.
I glanced over to where Howard was standing and watched him catch and release four fish.
Skokie Lagoon was brought back to life in 1994 after a massive rough fish removal. The entire water system was drained to allow for a two year rehab effort. After dredging and silt removal, Cook County Forest Preserve biologists stocked the system with bass, bluegill, walleye, crappie and catfish.
Biologist Scott Bullard told me there are some very large walleye stuffing themselves on forage food like gizzard shad.
Not all of the system's 190 acres is as good as the far north end. Many sections are quite shallow, with some areas dropping down to as much as 10 feet.
My main interest focused on the lake's excellent bluegill population. Everything I catch there is released, since I'm quite cautious about potential pollution issues.
On a sunny day, one can see the attractors, or cribs, planted on the bottom by Bullard and his crew. Many species hang around those cribs while searching for food.
I've cruised the Tower Road section in a canoe several times and caught bass in a half-dozen locations. But it was when I located a school of 10-plus-inch bluegills that made me stop and made me take notice. This waterway is the FPD's pride and joy on the north end, just as much as Tampier Lake is on the far south side. And when you see me write about Skokie Lagoon in the weekly angling report, be assured my information is current and accurate.