Crappie

Crappie fishing near Wilmette shines in the Skokie Lagoons, a series of interconnected waterways within the Cook County Forest Preserves. These lagoons offer ideal crappie habitat with plenty of submerged structure and vegetation. Spring, particularly during the pre-spawn and spawn, is the prime time to target crappie as they move into shallow, protected areas. Minnows fished under a bobber are a classic and effective technique, but small jigs can also produce well. Target areas around fallen trees, docks, and weed edges. Access is readily available from shore at multiple points, and small boats or kayaks can be launched in some areas. A local tip: focus on the slower-moving sections of the lagoons and be prepared to move around to locate schools of crappie. The crappie here tend to be average in size, but the accessibility and abundance make for a fun fishing experience.