{"id":2343,"date":"2025-09-06T14:02:52","date_gmt":"2025-09-06T14:02:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/firearmupgrades.com\/?p=2343"},"modified":"2025-09-06T14:02:52","modified_gmt":"2025-09-06T14:02:52","slug":"chicago-outdoors-catching-the-ame-muskie-twice-and-a-resting-monarch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/firearmupgrades.com\/?p=2343","title":{"rendered":"Chicago outdoors: Catching the ame muskie twice and a resting monarch"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Notes come from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.<\/p>\n

FISH OF THE WEEK<\/b><\/p>\n

Adam Homa<\/b> messaged one of those improbabilities of fishing, \u201cMy brother Chris Homa<\/b> and I recently got back from a trip in Northwestern Ontario for fishing. On the way back we stopped in Bemidji and fished Big Lake for six hours on our way back to Chicago. I was lucky enough to catch a 47-inch musky. In 2023 we stopped at Big Lake and hired a guide [Kevin Cochran] to fish for musky and my brother Chris caught a 45-inch musky.\u201d When looking at the two photos, Homa messaged, \u201cI couldn\u2019t help but notice the background in the two photos were obviously from the same spot in the lake. Same time of year. I started to look at similarities in the fish, patterns, markings. And realized this might be the SAME fish my brother caught in 2023.\u201d He sent the photos to Cochran, who confirmed from multiple similar markings, it was the same fish.<\/p>\n

Photo is worth seeing in full.<\/p>\n

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Brothers Adam and Chris Homa apparently caught the same muskie twice, two years apart.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

FOTW, the celebration of wild stories and photos around Chicago outdoors, now runs most weeks in the two-page outdoors section in the Sun-Times Sports Sunday. <\/i>To make submissions, email <\/i>BowmanOutside@gmail.com<\/u><\/i><\/a> or <\/i>contact me on Facebook (<\/i>Dale Bowman<\/u><\/i><\/a>), Twitter (<\/i>@BowmanOutside<\/u><\/i><\/a>), Instagram (<\/i>@BowmanOutside<\/u><\/i><\/a>). or Bluesky (@Bowmanoutside).<\/i><\/p>\n

WILD OF THE WEEK<\/b><\/p>\n

Forgive me, but this is one of my own. I found it easy to photograph a monarch butterfly Tuesday morning in the dense fog and chill as we started our volunteer work at Rock Creek Wildflower and Pollinator Area.<\/p>\n

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A monarch butterfly rests in the chill and fog of Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

WOTW, the celebration of wild stories and photos around Chicago outdoors, runs most weeks in the special two-page outdoors section in the Sun-Times Sports Sunday. <\/i>To make submissions, email <\/i>BowmanOutside@gmail.com<\/u><\/i><\/a> or <\/i>contact me on Facebook (<\/i>Dale Bowman<\/u><\/i><\/a>), Twitter (<\/i>@BowmanOutside<\/u><\/i><\/a>), Instagram (<\/i>@BowmanOutside<\/u><\/i><\/a>). or Bluesky (@Bowmanoutside).<\/i><\/p>\n

WILD TIMES<\/b><\/p>\n

FISH GATHERINGS<\/b><\/p>\n

Tuesday, Sept. 9: Mark Anderson<\/b> from Dave\u2019s Reel Repair, Tuesday: Chicagoland Muskie Hunters chapter of Muskies, Inc., North Branch Pizza & Burger Co., Glenview, 7:30 p.m., https:\/\/chicagolandmuskiehunters.org\/meetingschedule.asp<\/a> <\/p>\n

Tuesday, Sept. 9: Capt. Matt Behning<\/b>, Relentless Pursuit Sportfishing, Salmon Unlimited, Thornwood Restaurant & Lounge, Wood Dale, free, 7 p.m., https:\/\/www.salmonunlimitedinc.com\/<\/a> <\/p>\n

Wednesday, September 10: Patrick \u201cTJ\u201d Andres<\/b>, \u201cTargeting Trophy Bass During the Fall Transition,\u201d Lake Geneva Fishing Club, Poplar Creek Bowl, Hoffman Estates, 6 p.m., <\/p>\n

Thursday, Sept. 11: Mike Norris<\/b> on his favorite Illinois fishing places and smallmouth in several Wisconsin lakes, Thursday: Riverside Fishing Club, Berwyn Moose Lodge 424, 6:45 p.m., RiversideFishingClub.com <\/p>\n

SHOWTIME<\/b><\/p>\n

Next Sunday, Sept. 14:<\/b> Illinois Valley Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Show, Grizzly Jack\u2019s Grand Bear Resort, Utica, https:\/\/www.muddywaterdecoys.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

ILLINOIS SEASONS<\/b><\/p>\n

Next Sunday, Sept. 14:<\/b> Teal season ends<\/p>\n

HUNTER SAFETY<\/b><\/p>\n

Sept. 20-21: <\/b>Kankakee, https:\/\/www.register-ed.com\/events\/view\/230305<\/a><\/p>\n

Sept. 25 & 27: <\/b>Newark, https:\/\/www.register-ed.com\/events\/view\/230851<\/a><\/p>\n

Oct. 9 & 11:<\/u><\/b> Palatine, https:\/\/www.register-ed.com\/events\/view\/230306<\/a>The full state listing is at https:\/\/www.register-ed.com\/programs\/illinois<\/a><\/p>\n

WINGSHOOTING<\/b><\/p>\n

Sept. 20 and 21 (three separate sessions):<\/b>Des Plaines State Fish & Wildlife Area, Wilmington, (815) 423-5326, https:\/\/dnr2.illinois.gov\/WingshootingClinics\/<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n