Multi-Species Derby sure sign of spring

There are signs that spring has arrived, especially for the average angler who wants to have some fun on the Fox Chain.

Guide Darrell Baker holds his annual Multi-Species Derby on May 5. He also will conduct a seminar May 4 at the Thirsty Turtle on Channel Lake. Baker says all species will be considered for any of the 17 trophies and prizes. Contact him at (847) 337-5559.

• Also on the Fox Chain on Saturday will be the annual Challunge on the Chain Muskie Tournament (www.frvmuskie.com).

• For those who are "mushroom nuts" this time of the year comes a story from near Belleville. David Jaimet wasn't having a good morning turkey hunting, so he put away the shotgun and went mushroom hunting instead. David and pal Kent Mason wound up harvesting 56 pounds of morels during one expedition.

Fishing report: Fox Chain. The walleye action is a tad slow, but some anglers report sporadic activity on Nippersink and Pistakee Lakes.

And because the Chain has been drawn down (water level) a bit, the normal places where anglers have been searching for crappies have been relatively quiet. The schools apparently have moved to main lake areas.

Fox River. Smallmouth action near Elgin slowly has picked up with several 2-pound fish reported.

Lake Michigan. Perch action should be excellent this weekend out of Waukegan. Several charter boats reported very good catches with numerous limits. The salmon activity has picked up right off the Chicago shoreline as well as outside the Waukegan harbor.

Cooling Lakes. Check Heidecke Lake this weekend for walleye and striped bass action.

Mike Jackson can be reached via e-mail at angler@mikejacksonoutdoors.com. Mike's radio program is heard Sundays from 6-7 a.m. on WSBC 1240-AM.