Where are all the Illinois Guys ?

[slonezp]

Sorry for the crappy pics. You'd think a woman could use a camera  We hit the Upper Dells instead of the lower. There was a walleye tourney going on and frankly, we didn't want to deal with the crowd, Water temps at 61* fish were caught fishing ledges in current areas. Everything on jigs and Gulp minnows. Ended up with a few each keeper bass and eater sized walleyes and a bunch of short fish.

[cadman]

slonezp,

Looks like you guys did good. Nice smallie in the first pic.

[cadman]

Cad, let me know how Geneva does. Fishing there pretty soon and could use any insight.

Mark,

Went out to Geneva today, got on the water at 6:00 AM still dark. Headed out to Lighthouse Point. 3rd cast felt the old telltale sign of a Geneva bass tapping on my line. Set the hook and a 15-1/2 " was brought to the boat. 15 minutes later and another fish 15". Wow this is going to be a great day. Fished the same area felt some taps, but didn't hook up. Must be those d**n rockies, sure enough. All of a sudden action stopped. Wow that is weird nothing, no taps no rockies nothing. Fished up to 7:00 AM and a northern slams my jig. Brought fish to boat, 30". Nice fish, no wonder the bass stopped biting, a bigger prey lurking in the shadows. Sun started to come up and nothing fished for another 30 minutes and then moved to the golf course. Put on a rattle trap nothing. Moved to the Narrows, fished a long section nothing. Partner throwing top water, I'm throwing a crank. Ran over to Cedar Point, partner picked up a 11" dink. Went across to Conference Point, nothing. Headed back to Lighthouse Point, nothing. Went to fish the flats on Trinkies, nothing. Moved and started to fish docks at Trinkies wacky worm, partner picks up another dink 10" bass. Shoot over to Maytag Point, nothing . Off in the distance see the rain pouring in Fontana. Headed back to the ramp at 12:30 PM. That was all she wrote. Very poor day for fishing. Weather co-operated with just a few sprinkles. Once at the dock, it poured.

Hope you have better luck. I'm going to Browns tomorrow. Hope we'll do better.

[MarkH024]

Thanks for the detailed report Cad. Appreciate it.

[slonezp]

I'm hearing Delavan is still producing some good bass and decent pike

[cadman]

I'm hearing Delavan is still producing some good bass and decent pike

Tell you what I should have gone there today instead of Browns.

Went to Browns and got there at 6:30 AM. Well a bit nippy this morning, air temp 45°, water temp was 62°. Went out to the first point fished that stretch, nothing. Went around the point fished that into the bay I got a hammer handle pike. Fished in the bay, nothing. Went across the bay to the other point, nothing. Fished into that bay nothing. Fished towards the dock on south shoreline nothing. Shot across the lake to the north side, wife picks up another hammer handle pike. Fished the island, nothing. Fished the big East bay nothing. Went back to the first point , nothing. That's all folks.

[cadman]

Thanks for the detailed report Cad. Appreciate it.

Hey Mark,

No problem. When we got off the lake at Geneva. We spoke to a guide that was taking someone out that morning. He said fishing was really tough that day as well. However, he said as it gets colder, the smallies start to cooperate more. So maybe by the time you go it will get better. Post your results as I would like to hear how you did, and your what and where you fished, if you don't mind sharing.

[MarkH024]

Hey Mark,

No problem. When we got off the lake at Geneva. We spoke to a guide that was taking someone out that morning. He said fishing was really tough that day as well. However, he said as it gets colder, the smallies start to cooperate more. So maybe by the time you go it will get better. Post your results as I would like to hear how you did, and your what and where you fished, if you don't mind sharing.

I will definitely report back. I'm hoping the weather cooperates. Right now they're calling for a frozen mix and a high of only 50. Lets hope that smallie tip is true. Haven't caught any smalljaws this year yet.

[slonezp]

Mark, I hear the smallie bite on Geneva is off the charts. They're schooling up in 26-32fow. Water temp at 60*

 

I hit the Chain today. A bit nipply out. 39* when I launched. Bite wasn't half bad although only one was a keeper, 2lbs. Bites were about 50/50 on swimjigs and Jika rigged Pit Boss'. I threw traps as well but no takers. Water was 51*-57* an all bites in less than 5fow.

[tbone1993]

Today went to a place called Four Lakes just NW of Rockford its a bit pressured but has some decent bass in it my PB is from there. Here what I managed a 19" 3-1/2#, 18" 3# and a nice one that looks to be on a diet

The biggest one just out in open water, maximum cast, hit with a thud the other two out of slop seen in backgroud of the skinny one. I tried this small area 4 separate times. 1st when I arrive nothing then hour later tried it got a couple strikes but missed, 3rd time 1 1/2hr later got the 18" one, left for about 20 minutes then hit it again for the 4th time got the skinny one so persistence paid off.

 

 

 

 

I fished that lake every week all summer for the camp I worked at. Caught tons of bass using spincast reels because I didnt bring my gear. There are some HUGE bass in this lake. I lost a 5+ and was sight fishing a 6-7lb bass. I had a 3lb bass completely destroy a spincast reel which was pretty funny, partly why i lost the 5 was because the drag broke.  Drag a jig infront of the silver pipe to the right of the picnic  benches and also next to the tree north of the pipe on the south west lake.  I saw someone doing well on big ribbon tail worms but this time of the year i would throw a jig or maybe even a spinnerbait there. 

[cadman]

Hey Mark,

   Thanks for the detailed report. There are a couple of guys that fish that lake religiously. Don't know their names off hand, but they fish every Geneva tourney out there, and I would bet 9 out of 10 times they always take 1st place. These guys have this lake really dialed in all year long. The most I ever got from them is that they jig fish. No other info was given. I have fished Big Bucks out there and a few other tourneys and these guys are always there. It will take usually 20 + lbs to beat these guys. Anyway. it is an excellent lake to fish, if you can handle crowds in the summertime. This lake gets pounded with boaters and jet skiers. If you plan on fishing up there in Spring around opening weekend, I have a place for you to try that every time I've gone there has produced fish. PM me. Also yes that lake is very clear, but if you like to fish docks, it is a gold mine in the summer.

[MarkH024]

I'd definitely like to hit that lake in spring or off days when the pleasure boaters aren't creating choas. I've only been there 2 times and this was the first time for serious fishing.  If docks are a gold mine then I should have no issue finding fish but I will definitely PM you for some pointers next season. Thanks Cad!

[slonezp]

Hey Mark,

   Thanks for the detailed report. There are a couple of guys that fish that lake religiously. Don't know their names off hand, but they fish every Geneva tourney out there, and I would bet 9 out of 10 times they always take 1st place. These guys have this lake really dialed in all year long. The most I ever got from them is that they jig fish. No other info was given. I have fished Big Bucks out there and a few other tourneys and these guys are always there. It will take usually 20 + lbs to beat these guys. Anyway. it is an excellent lake to fish, if you can handle crowds in the summertime. This lake gets pounded with boaters and jet skiers. If you plan on fishing up there in Spring around opening weekend, I have a place for you to try that every time I've gone there has produced fish. PM me. Also yes that lake is very clear, but if you like to fish docks, it is a gold mine in the summer.

I used to fish Big Bucks on the Chain. AC is much better run. I'm not sure they even hit the Chain anymore since they consolidated their tourneys

[slonezp]

I'd definitely like to hit that lake in spring or off days when the pleasure boaters aren't creating choas. I've only been there 2 times and this was the first time for serious fishing.  If docks are a gold mine then I should have no issue finding fish but I will definitely PM you for some pointers next season. Thanks Cad!

Geneva is a great prespawn lake. I've never had good luck during the summer and have never fished later in the year

[coryn h. fishowl]

That glass water is a killer though.  

[cadman]

For all you guys that want to fish Lake Geneva, It can be a fisherman's paradise. But there are days on the lake that you can't buy a fish. I used to be a die hard crankbait fisherman. That's all I would throw night and day. 4 years ago, I joined a bass club in Round lake and these guys would put you to shame fishing jigs. So I had a guy that would buy my jigs and he said, why aren't you fishing jigs. Told him I never fished jigs. Long story short, him and I went to Lake Geneva. I caught a 4 lb off of Maytag Point with a crankbait, thought I had it all zoned in. We fished that area outside  the buoys for 1 hour and he pulled 4 bass over 4lbs missing quite a few and another 3 under 4. Man did he kick my butt. Ever since then, I switched to jigs and never looked back. My numbers of bass have easily doubled since then yearly and I have gotten bigger bass as well. I would have never thought that. The biggest struggle I had switching to jigs was to slow down and I mean slowwwwwww down. Once I figured it out I rarely ever throw cranks now. Except for a rattle trap.

   Back to Geneva. In early Spring you want to fish the warmest water and on a sunny day. Geneva Bay warms the quickest and the north side is the best at around high noon opening weekend. The bass seem to come in to the shallows up there and they sit at the dock piling or cribs. Another good spot is Fontana in the boat docking area. Water warms there really fast. Going into later Spring, you will see Largemouth and Smallies spawn in 15 fow. The water is so clear up there usually all year long, that you can see bass chasing your bait all the way up to the boat. if you want to fish beds. Sit over a bed and drop down a white worm (Senko). The bass will suck it in swim off with it and spit it out, but you have to watch when they do this  so you can set the hook. I am not a bed fisherman as I find no challenge in that, but my buddy fishes them in Spring and I've watched him do this many times. Going into summer, the bass will be cruising in front of the docks early in the morning and towards night time. During the middle of the day(11:00 am to 3:00 pm) if you are not getting bit, get out a wacky worm and start skipping under the docks. The bass are there and they will hit your wacky worm on a slow fall. Only problem is trying to get them out and around the dock pilings. Geneva definitely has a dock bite all the time going on during the day. Not all of the docks hold fish. Look for the longer docks that drop into  deeper water and docks shaped like a "T". Towards night fish start moving out again and start roaming. I'm not saying I'm a great bass fisherman, but I do fish Geneva quite a bit and if you can deal with all the boaters, it is a phenomenal fishery.

[slonezp]

Thanks for the info cadman

[Nice_Bass]

here ya guys go.

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/forum/13-central-bass-fishing/

 

[slonezp]

Someones a little jealous

[slonezp]

You're right though. We shouldn't be talking about wisconsin

[Nice_Bass]

Someones a little jealous

very...not only am I not fishing WI but I am also not fishing IL the last 3 weeks either.

Used to fish the Chippewa flowage every year with a buddy who's family has had a cabin on it for the last 80 years.  He moved to vegas for work and I have not been back in 3-4 years.  Scary big musky up there.

[MarkH024]

Cad and I were talking about us FIB's should get together on a lake here in IL or Southern WI for a mini BR get together next year. Any of you guys interested?  

[slonezp]

Cad and I were talking about us FIB's should get together on a lake here in IL or Southern WI for a mini BR get together next year. Any of you guys interested?  

He mentioned the same to me. I'm in

[cadman]

Cad and I were talking about us FIB's should get together on a lake here in IL or Southern WI for a mini BR get together next year. Any of you guys interested?  

I'm definitely in

[cadman]

here ya guys go.

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/forum/13-central-bass-fishing/

 

 

I can't see this link. Can everyone else? Maybe I'm blocked out at work. Will have to check when I get home