It's all positive news on area fishing

Here's one brief sentence to the annual naysayers about area fishing: Please stifle your negative attitudes.

Anglers in this area are doing quite well, thank you, especially in the walleye and muskie departments.

Fox Chain: The fall walleye bite is outstanding, especially on Pistakee, Petite, and Nippersink lakes. Bluegill fishing right now is almost as good as the spring bite. And the crappie story follows suit, with good catches coming from Lake Marie.

Fox River: There appears to be some decent to fair walleye action just north of the Route 176 bridge. Smallmouth activity in Batavia and Geneva has picked up.

Lake Michigan: The salmon and trout action due east out of Waukegan has broken loose.

Bangs Lake: The crappie bite has just started in earnest, with decent catches coming from just outside the dead-end channel. Largemouth bass are still active in 8 feet of water.

Forest preserves: It could be a heavy turnout for the opening of the fall trout season on the lakes recently stocked with rainbows. In Cook County, anglers may fish for trout on Axehead and Belleau lakes. In DuPage County, trout are available on Deep Quarry and Silver lakes. Fishermen will need an inland trout stamp from the IDNR.

• You will see a pretty good number of Canada geese this weekend as the north zone waterfowl season starts Saturday. Make sure you have a waterfowl stamp signed and affixed to your hunting license.

• Mike Jackson's radio program can be heard Sunday mornings from 6-7 a.m., on WSBC 1240-AM.