Artificial Lure here with your Lake Michigan Chicago fishing report for Tuesday, November 25, 2025. We’re off to a cold and blustery start for Thanksgiving week, with shifting winds and a little snow in the forecast. According to the National Weather Service, expect east-southeast winds at 10 to 20 knots, wave heights of 2 to 4 feet, and a chance of rain and snow as the day goes on. That’s making conditions a bit rougher out there, so keep safety in mind and check those updated marine forecasts.

Sunrise hit at 6:59 a.m. and sunset will tuck in at 4:23 p.m., giving you those short fall hours to work with. The tide chart from Tides4Fishing shows a high at 10:43 a.m. and lows just before dawn and right around sunset. That prime late morning high tide might just be your window for strong bites—classic fall timing for this lakefront.

Fish activity’s been patchy but encouraging, especially for the folks braving chilly mornings. Local reports say the smallmouth bass bite is still holding steady around the rock piles and breakwalls, with anglers landing decent numbers on drop-shot rigs and smaller swimbaits. This season’s clear water and cool temps mean more finesse—using a downsized Strike King Half Shell or even a natural-colored Yamamoto Senko on a drop-shot is the ticket, according to advice from northern bass pros.

Crappie anglers are seeing tighter schools and some bigger slabs this week—those winter patterns kicking in early. Try a Bobby Garland Baby Shad in black night or black/chartreuse on a 1/32-ounce jighead for the finicky bite, a recommendation Wired2Fish swears by for these cold fronts. Work the harbors and the slips; Navy Pier and Montrose are always hot bets when those crappies start stacking.

Perch reports are decent, though the bite is best on calmer afternoons after the wind dies down a bit. Drop down live emerald shiners or Gulp! Minnows close to the bottom around Calumet Harbor and 31st Street. Keep moves slow and hover just off the rocks—perch are hugging deep for warmth.

Chinook and coho are mostly out of the rivers, but diehards are still picking off a few steelhead at river mouths. Spawn sacs and bright beads under floats work well after the snowmelt bumps up some flow.

Lure of the week? For bass, a natural-patterned Ned rig or a compact jerkbait in ghost minnow if the water’s glassy. If wind picks up, don’t be shy to toss a heavier spinnerbait with chartreuse painted blades—clear water calls for more visible vibrations, as Kevin VanDam has pointed out in fall conditions.

Top local hotspots today:
- **Montrose Harbor:** For smallmouth and crappie, especially off the pier or the horseshoe.
- **Calumet Harbor:** Good for both late perch and the occasional steelhead after weather swings.
- For walkers, try Burnham’s shorelines for staging smallmouth and last-chance pike as temps stay just above freezing.

Bundle up, use caution around icy piers—and if you land a good one, snap a pic and let those slot fish go to keep the bite strong for everyone.

Thanks as always for tuning in to your Chicago lakefront fishing update. Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a bite.
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