Outdoors
Jose Sanchez caught a big smallmouth bass while powerlining at 63rd Street on the Chicago lakefront (Jackson Park), which is a rare feat when powerlining.
It feels like we are finally, truly slouching toward spring around Chicago fishing, and that leads this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report.
Brixton Harvey, 6, earned Fish of the Week for one of his three peacock bass caught in Florida.
As darkness descended Monday in the path of totality, the air cooled, a bullfrog hummed a bass line and birds of all kinds called out to mark the occasion.
A question on the size of turkey flocks heads the notes from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.
Sorting through pieces of change in history related to the natural world from smelt netting in Chicago to Michigan Maritime Museum to American white pelicans in Indiana to trumpeter swans in Palos.
Fishing covers a big tent covering many activities.
Heidecke Lake, the former cooling lake near Morris, has been a underutilized gem of muskie fishing in Illinois; but that changes as more anglers target muskie, as well as walleye, crappie, hybrid striped bass and bass.
The spring trout opener in Illinois and other spring signs (spring signs?) lead this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report.
Michelle Landowski caught a mudpuppy to earn the inaugural Amphibian of the Week.
“Little Joe” McRae, 13, bagged his first wild turkey while hunting with his grandpa Ray McRae during Illinois’ first youth spring turkey weekend on Village Sportsmen’s Club property in Hancock County.
A striking photo of a coot, an unphotogenic bird, and ruminations on a reader and his granddaughter enjoying suburban deer are among the notes from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.
The acquisition of Tamarack Farms makes Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge a more impactful destination and creates within Hackmatack a major macrosite for conservation.
The city of Chicago has worked for years on building design standards that prevent fatal crashes of migratory birds. Making those standards optional for builders is a problem, bird lovers say.
There’s not much to hope on in the tradition of smelt netting in Chicago going into the opener Monday night.
Coho on southern Lake Michigan and the openers on Monday for smelt netting in Chicago and Heidecke Lake lead this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report.
The meeting on Thursday leads Go & Show this week.
Darryl Turner caught a 30-pound blue catfish Sunday at LaSalle Lake to earn Fish of the Week honors.
A buck still holding antlers in Crete and a question on pickerel and the Illinois record are among the notes from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.
The convention provided a chance to learn and see some amazing work up close.
FLOW Film Fest on Friday and an Illinois Smallmouth Alliance tying event on Saturday lead Go & Show this week, but there is also the Masters Walleye Circuit tournament at Spring Valley Friday and Saturday.
An extensive and different renovation of J.C. Murphey Lake at Indiana’s Willow Slough Fish and Wildlife Area seems headed in a good and innovation direction.
The yoyoing weather, lakefront coho and the LaSalle Lake opener lead this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report.
A mysterious gnawing on a bird box in Tinley Park and Illinois’ record bobcat harvest are among the notes from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.
Tom Schrader is on a quest to document a pair of bald eagles near Hinckley from start to finish in the nesting season.
Organizers said the relocation decision came after multiple conversations with exhibitors and market research.
Illinois Taxidermist Association Convention in Springfield and the Fly Fishing Film Tour in Downers Grove highlight the weekend.
LaSalle Lake, the cooling lake south of Seneca, reopens to fishing on Friday with promising outlooks for blue catfish, bass and bluegills.