Where are all the Illinois Guys ?

[Skunked again]

18 minutes ago, Jig Rookie said:

Picked up a couple more frog fish at a county forest preserve lake Monday during that rainstorm; they were EATING, caught these two and dumped another one in my first ten casts.  Unfortunately, right after I dumped the third one a huge lightning strike hit pretty close so I ran back to the car.  Waited a half-hour, went back out, less than five minutes later another strike hit close and I called it.  Tragic, without the lightning it was shaping up to be a banner day.

Sir, I do believe you are single handedly keeping this thread alive!

Great job!!

[TheBaitMonkey]

Those are some nice ones! 

I’ve been reading posts on this forum on and off for 10 years so I figured it was time to jump in. I caught this one the other night on a swimbait up in lake county from the kayak.

 

Tight lines guys!

 

[Jig Rookie]

1 hour ago, TheBaitMonkey said:

Those are some nice ones! 

I’ve been reading posts on this forum on and off for 10 years so I figured it was time to jump in. I caught this one the other night on a swimbait up in lake county from the kayak.

 

Tight lines guys!

 

Dang that's a pig! "Swimbait" as in big bait, or standard Keitech?

[TheBaitMonkey]

6 minutes ago, Jig Rookie said:

Dang that's a pig! "Swimbait" as in big bait, or standard Keitech?

Big bait! It was on an 8” Magdraft. I caught a 4lber not too long before this on the Gantaral too. This was on Sunday evening after all of the storms, the big girls were hungry!

 

 

 

[Jma1087]

On 7/30/2022 at 11:56 AM, MoeBass said:

Naperville? Oh man you got a great spot in town. White Eagle Golf course in Naper. There is a Main pond off 59 and White Eagle. Big bass there. Just don't go walking in the Golf course to the other ponds or you'll get booted from Security. The Guy that runs the Security in the Neighborhood is a really cool dude. Big sportsman, Bass fishes and hunts. So he understands. But, he will boot you if your trekking across the course to get to the other ponds. Stay in the one off 59 and White Eagle and also there is a good one there off  Winberie Ave at the little over pass on the street. 

Here is a follow up to my prior post. This map will help. Ignore that red highlighted route. I placed a P for parking at the main pond. Circled Black. The other little black circle is the one pond off Winberire. 

I am planning on trying this spot out possibly tomorrow or this weekend. Anything change that you know of or is the security guy still ok with fishing just this one pond? Also, thanks for the info. I've been dying to try out a nice golf course pond!

[PhishLI]

On 8/6/2022 at 6:44 AM, Jig Rookie said:

I seem to do better when the moon's not out, daytime or nighttime.  Anyone else fish on a lunar schedule?

If the moon's up here without cloud cover, whether it's full, waning, or waxing, I wait to go until it dips below the western tree line. Within a half hour the bite usually turns on. Before that point, it's always super dead. Even the baitfish stay frozen into position on the bottom. They won't even come up for insects on the surface. Good for casting practice only.  I'll take a new moon every time for high activity. Different world.

[TheBaitMonkey]

I was able to sneak out the other night after getting the kids to sleep and ran into a new PB! 6lbs 3oz at a little lake by my house. I found an offshore weedline in about 10ft of water on my portable fish finder and she wacked my crankbait as I was paralleling it. 

 

Tight lines this weekend!

 

 

 

 

[roadwarrior]

 

 

                                            

[Eric 26]

Went to my favorite retention pond yesterday afternoon. Fished for an hour and a half with 3 different rods, first was a light powered spinning rod second was a med powered casting rod and finally a ultralight. I caught fish on all 3 and hooked into what would have been my pb on the dang ultralight. The rod and reel worked flawlessly but in the end I don’t think I had enough penetration with the tiny treble hooks. Now that I know moby dick is swimming around I’m going to be stopping there a little more.

[waymont]

Anyone have a nice access to the Kankakee River for smallies near Chicago?

Wading

[MoeBass]

On 8/11/2022 at 5:59 PM, Jma1087 said:

I am planning on trying this spot out possibly tomorrow or this weekend. Anything change that you know of or is the security guy still ok with fishing just this one pond? Also, thanks for the info. I've been dying to try out a nice golf course pond!

No, good dude. He works mornings till afternoons. He wont mess with you nor will the other guards. Hes told em all to NOT bother the fishing dudes! lol  was just out there the other Sat morning.

[Kev-mo]

1 hour ago, waymont said:

Anyone have a nice access to the Kankakee River for smallies near Chicago?

Wading

Just hit the state park or the public land near 55

[Scott F]

2 hours ago, waymont said:

Anyone have a nice access to the Kankakee River for smallies near Chicago?

Wading

Kevin is right. The State Park has miles of shore access. Drive down either side of the river and park in the hunter access parking lots. There is often a trail from the parking lot down to the water. You can also use the parks at the Warner Bridge and walk the banks or wade from there. BE CAREFUL! There are sharp drop offs near the shorelines that can’t be seen if the water isn’t clear. You often don’t even have to get in the water but if you do, a wading staff can help you find the drops without stepping off the edge.

[waymont]

50 minutes ago, Scott F said:

Kevin is right. The State Park has miles of shore access. Drive down either side of the river and park in the hunter access parking lots. There is often a trail from the parking lot down to the water. You can also use the parks at the Warner Bridge and walk the banks or wade from there. BE CAREFUL! There are sharp drop offs near the shorelines that can’t be seen if the water isn’t clear. You often don’t even have to get in the water but if you do, a wading staff can help you find the drops without stepping off the edge.

Thanks for the tip of using the hunting access points. I’ll keep an eye out for the deep spots too!

I tried that area right by the boat ramp before 

[OG Crankster]

I fished the Kankakee River by the hunting areas Friday in my canoe. The river was in great shape. I caught 16 smallies in just over 2 hours. Most were dinks, but still fun.

 

[TheBaitMonkey]

Has anyone had any luck catching smallmouth in the Des Plaines River in the northern Chicago suburbs? Maybe the better question - does anyone have any smallmouth spots near the northern burbs? 

 

Starting to get that itch to catch some smallies... I may have to head up to WI to Nagawicka. 

[JWall14]

2 hours ago, TheBaitMonkey said:

Has anyone had any luck catching smallmouth in the Des Plaines River in the northern Chicago suburbs? Maybe the better question - does anyone have any smallmouth spots near the northern burbs? 

 

Starting to get that itch to catch some smallies... I may have to head up to WI to Nagawicka. 

I have made my fishing career fishing smallies in the rivers here. Up north the fox river can be decent if you find the right spots, but they aren’t very reliable. Honestly if your up that north wisco is the deal. Their rivers are superior in every way.

[Joe_w1234]

Does anyone know anything about Lake Calumet? I've got a HS event there this weekend, and looking at the map it seems kinda weird. I've been there before last year but had a tough time finding anything decent. I know it's clear water; not sure if smallies/largemouth are the move. We might spend time fishing industrial stuff and barge docks for smallmouth. Any tips/insight would be welcome, feel free to PM me as well!

Thanks

[Allen Der]

On 8/23/2022 at 3:20 PM, TheBaitMonkey said:

Has anyone had any luck catching smallmouth in the Des Plaines River in the northern Chicago suburbs? Maybe the better question - does anyone have any smallmouth spots near the northern burbs? 

 

Starting to get that itch to catch some smallies... I may have to head up to WI to Nagawicka. 

 

yes, people are catching them in lake county since they removed the dams in cook county.  The fox, nippersink, kankakee, dupage, and kishwaukee rivers all have smallmouth as well.  three oaks recreation area in crystal lake also has smallmouth but you have to rent a boat from them, no personal watercraft allowed

[Jig Rookie]

A quick sunrise trip to a forest preserve lake got one on the crawler; no blowup or anything, just a quiet slurp off the surface, I was looking right at it and didn't even realize I'd been bit until I felt the tug.

[Eric 26]

Went out around 11:30 a:m today, certainly not prime time but just needed to cast. I made around 3 dozen casts and caught 10 all pretty much cookie cutter dinks but hey it was just what I needed?

[TheBaitMonkey]

I was able to get out on the kayak this morning and ran into this big mama throwing a wake bait over the top of some submerged grass. Tight lines this weekend!

 

 

On 8/28/2022 at 2:55 AM, Jig Rookie said:

A quick sunrise trip to a forest preserve lake got one on the crawler; no blowup or anything, just a quiet slurp off the surface, I was looking right at it and didn't even realize I'd been bit until I felt the tug.

 

I need to pick up some of those crawlers. I saw some at Anglers International the other week but couldn't quite pull the trigger. You have me sold!

 

[slonezp]

A little late. Last weekend hit up my favorite panfish lake. First cast the little guy got his PB almost 15". We caught (3) 9" gills that made there way to the frying pan and probably 50 gills that were released to fight again.

 

[Jig Rookie]

@TheBaitMonkey yeah man the crawler is legit; I just started fishing it this spring, so awesome seeing that thing get bit. Part of the reason I never fished em was they're too pricey for me but I happened to find some super cheap knockoff and finally got my hands on one. Does Anglers' have the expensive JDM ones (Deka, Megabass, Monka, Deps NZ etc)?

[TheBaitMonkey]

10 hours ago, Jig Rookie said:

@TheBaitMonkey yeah man the crawler is legit; I just started fishing it this spring, so awesome seeing that thing get bit. Part of the reason I never fished em was they're too pricey for me but I happened to find some super cheap knockoff and finally got my hands on one. Does Anglers' have the expensive JDM ones (Deka, Megabass, Monka, Deps NZ etc)?

They have the Megabass ones for sure I’m uncertain on the others. That was my first time to the store, I was pretty blown away by the selection