Searching for Bass From Shore in Northern Illinois

[AJ Hauser]

Hey guys,

I was wondering if you had any thoughts on the best way to search for bass in early spring in Northern Illinois? So I fish ponds and smaller local lakes, and I went out 3 times last week to fish a jerkbait, drag a jig and also toss around a Ned with a "big TRD" on it - 6-7 hours total, no taps, no bites, no fish. 

 

I think it might still be too cold and these fish are just laying on the bottom out where it's deepest, but I'm not sure?

 

1. What do you think they might be doing? The air temp is still anywhere from 35 - 50 on a given day, not sure on the water but I think it's still pretty cold. 

 

2. What is a good way to search for bass and cover water when they DO start to move up? Are there any signs that I should be looking for? 

 

Any insight would be really appreciated. Thanks fellas, tight lines and much appreciated!

[MGF]

I spent a lot of time on northern Il forest preserve lakes over many years. They get a lot of pressure. Being bank bound probably keeps your from reaching "wintering holes". Once things start to move all the old standards work...sort of. Signs? I think when you start to see life (bait fish, bluegills, bugs) on the bank the bass should be around too.

 

Early last fall I spent some time fishing with my father on a popular forest preserve lake. I walked all the way around it bouncing a ned rig and never got a bite. My father was fishing a Texas rigged worm and he never got a bite. There were other folks fishing and I never saw any of them catch a fish. They do catch some nice fish there (including muskies) but it must be a million casts to the fish.

 

Believe it or not, years ago when there was less pressure and fewer people knew how to catch bass, we used to do pretty well on some of those lakes.

[AJ Hauser]

Hey thanks @MGF - I appreciate the feedback. I feel like I'm in a similar situation - public lakes & ponds, pressured, bass are still out deep... I mean... they gotta be. Right?? I haven't seen any or had any taps in 3 trips. Saw a few tiny baitfish up shallow, but I mean WAY up shallow. In inches of water. 

 

What preserve do you guys fish? I want to make sure I get out there and pressure it even more!! 

 

(Just kidding)

 

Thanks again for the input - really appreciate it. 

[MGF]

One more couldn't hurt. In DuPage county I grew up fishing the "East Branch". I also fished the West Branch, Mallard, Blackwel, Pratt Wayne and so on.

 

Some of those have changed a lot since I used to fish them regularly...I mean real physical changes.They don't even look like the same places.

 

My dad still lives in the area and fishes a couple of them regularly. He catches some bass. It's not what I would call great fishing but it's nice for something close to home.

 

Believe it or not we had some quality fishing in those places in decades past.

[AJ Hauser]

I appreciate the info, @MGF - I tell you what, I hope you and your pops get out there this year and things are on an upswing for the better! 

[HenryPF]

Grew up in Bensenville, IL and currently live in Plainfield, IL.

 

I fished west branch preserve as I thought east was over fished and west had minimal parking. It has been 20 years though. Try Mallard Lake or Maple lake if we are talking about that area.

 

Another spot overlooked are industrial park ponds - the ones that allow fishing. Don't trespass.

 

Also depending on where you live, retention ponds in large neighborhoods (or small) usually have a TON of bass in them and there is not much searching to find em.

 

@TheMinimalistFisherman depending where you live (town) it's easier to narrow down places to go.

 

Also driving 1 hour south can move up your fishing schedule by up to a month. By me, spawn is over spawn is wrapping up mid may, but it will be full swing up north around the chain of lakes.

[AJ Hauser]

Thanks @HenryPF - looks like that's about a 90 minute drive for me. Worth a trip you think? And any boat restrictions? Looks like mallard is over 950 acres so that's decent sized. I really appreciate the tip - I'm always trying to find new waters nearby. There are a few small lakes by me that I'm hitting these days but they're more like glorified ponds, honestly. I'm about an hour from lake Shabbona but that gets a lot of pressure. Still had some good luck in there from time to time, though. 

[MGF]

It's been more than 20 years since I fished Shabbona. I won't say that it was easy fishing but I had enough good days there that I miss fishing it.

 

You guys should have seen those DuPage county lakes 50+ years ago when I started fishing them. The East and West braches still looked like stone quaries. The FP owned them but they weren't developed...no parking, no lawns etc. 

 

I used to ride my bicycle to the East Branch on an overcast summer morning. I'd catch a couple of LM for my mother...that's what she liked and we used to eat fish back then, LOL. Then I'd catch a few bluegils andlight a fire to cook a meal before my ride home.

[OG Crankster]

I probably have 10 hours of fishing local ponds by me and have caught 3 small bass on a ned rig.  They just aren't active yet.  It wasn't until mid April of last year until they actually started biting. 

[AJ Hauser]

On 3/28/2020 at 12:25 PM, HenryPF said:

Also driving 1 hour south can move up your fishing schedule by up to a month. By me, spawn is over spawn is wrapping up mid may, but it will be full swing up north around the chain of lakes.

That is a great point - I never even thought of that - thank you! I'm in LaSalle County in IL so I'm thinking I'm still pre-spawn by at least several weeks? Maybe? 

 

@MGF I hate to say this but largemouth caught out of clean water are delicious... maybe once or twice a year I'll clean a few under 2lbs along with some pike... pike is delicious too, and we clean more of them. Smallmouth I find to be more "gamey" so we only have 1 or 2 a year as well. Your story about the bike rides brought a huge smile to my face - thank you

 

@OG Crankster THE OG! Thanks for the heads up my man - I was kind of thinking the same thing. Going to head out tomorrow and try to see if I can get anything... not especially hopeful but fresh air (away from other people of course) will be nice. 

 

I think it's still pretty darn cold and they're hunkered down... we shall see. Thanks boys!

 

 

 

[OG Crankster]

Good luck.  I'm going to try later today.  Just picked up a pond magic spinnerbait and want to try it out.

[AJ Hauser]

Nice @OG Crankster, good luck! What county or town are you fishing in? (Sorry if you already said that.) 

[OG Crankster]

Thanks.  I fish a lot of ponds in Will County. I live in Manhattan   

[AJ Hauser]

7 minutes ago, OG Crankster said:

Thanks.  I fish a lot of ponds in Will County. I live in Manhattan   

10-4, thanks - looks like you're East of me. Good luck!

[Allen Der]

I havent been out yet this year but the reports I've seen are people catching on jerkbaits.  seems to be a small feeding window each day..  you're probably just fishing in the wrong place at the wrong time.  I've had good luck using very small mepps #1 spinners very early in the year for bass and panfish.  

[AJ Hauser]

Cool, thanks @Allen Der aka Al Lindner