Mike Jackson Outdoors: The Chain goes through another cycle

I will honestly state I have seen the Fox Chain 'O Lakes go through a long series of up and down cycles.

Because the Chain is such a heavily used inland waterway it serves both pleasure boaters and anglers.

When I returned to the Chicago area in 1973 I was told the Chain was part of a test grouping of lakes getting infusions of walleye and muskie.

I honestly refused to believe the state Department of Conservation (at that time) would risk putting more game fish into the Chain, long known for poachers and catfish.

I was wrong.

The walleye population grew like a wildfire out of control but the muskie element was a tad slower in its development.

Channel and Pistakee lakes were superhot locations for finding excellent walleye action while Lake Catherine seemed to favor muskie growth probably because of the tremendous forage base and greed cabbage base. In fact, serious muskie hunters - the ones who kept the better locations secret - knew about Catherine from the start.

But along with all the good happenings came the downside.

Petite Lake is still a walleye pot of gold but not as intense as it was 15 years ago. In fact local poachers literally picked the lake clean during ice fishing season. The bigger female spawners were caught in mass quantities and taken home.

I sat next to some of the guys in local gin mills while they chugged beer and spewed out their dark tales. The poachers were of the bragging clans and they boasted of their efforts as some characters put out as many as 50 tip-ups out there.

The DOC changed its name to the Department of Natural Resources but was still lacking manpower to do more than a minimum effort of enforcement.

But the real story is about the annual cycles of fish populations, especially crappie and yellow bass.

In the last five years anglers have noted bigger schools of black crappie and fewer schools of white bass.

Walleye and muskies feasted on yellow bass as their main course while crappie seemed to take a back seat in the menu.

All of the Chain's lakes - excluding shallow and muddy Grass Lake - have served as prime locations for both walleye and muskie homes. Just ask the guides who make their livings exposing people to some heavy action.

I can easily remember one moonlit evening on Lake Catherine. We had five people in three boats, including Ken Poor and the late Mike Seeling.

Two other anglers were drifting nearby when I suggested they throw a surface lure on the top of some heavy weed growth. They laughed at my suggestion but made the cast anyway.

Seconds later a 25-pound muskie attacked the lure. The pair wanted to take that fish to a taxidermist, But I intervened.

They had been fishing Wisconsin for years trying to catch a legal muskie but to no avail. Twenty minutes on the Chain and their quest became a reality.

I keep telling fishermen the Fox Chain has finally come into its own and continues to provide lots of thrills from big game fish looking to attack a lure.

• Catch Mike Jackson Outdoors 7 to 9 a.m. Sundays on WCGO AM-1590 or stream live at 1590WCGO.com.