Where are all the Illinois Guys ?

[Eric 26]

@Jig Rookie She’s a nice one for sure 👍🏻

[softwateronly]

@Jig Rookie Congrats!!!  What a tank!

 

scott

[TheBaitMonkey]

On 3/14/2024 at 6:43 PM, Jig Rookie said:

Kinda rough weather in northern IL today but I've been on this 3-day weather pattern the last couple weeks (fishing the 3rd day of warm day/warmish night trend) and today is the target day. I decided to send this Jackall Gantarel knockoff (it's a super-slow sink, not a floater) and got lucky with my new PB! Went 20.75" and 5.77lbs. Water's less than 2ft visibility in this pond right now, off-and-on drizzle with 10-20mph NNE winds. I was using a moderate retrieve with pauses every three handle turns or so (reel, reel, reel, pause...let it glide off to the side and stall a couple seconds, then reel, reel...) She hit it right when I started reeling after a pause. She didn't TANK it, but it was a good double-tap.

Thanks for reading! God is great!!!

hell yea!

[slonezp]

First time out this year. Semi private lake near the Wisconsin border. Grandson caught it on a minnow from shore and when I told him we have to throw it back, it's too big to eat, he started whining. I told him we could keep it if he wanted it mounted on the wall like papa's fish. It's getting mounted. 20" and I'm guessing every bit of 5lbs. 

[Jig Rookie]

I thought for sure there'd be a good bite yesterday before the storms rolled in so I got out there. One cast, the rod about gets snatched outta my hand and I think Oh, this is a good one...until I feel the fight and finally lay eyes on her...

 

I guess swimbaits don't only catch bigguns 🤣

[BigAngus752]

59 minutes ago, Jig Rookie said:

I thought for sure there'd be a good bite yesterday before the storms rolled in so I got out there. One cast, the rod about gets snatched outta my hand and I think Oh, this is a good one...until I feel the fight and finally lay eyes on her...

 

I guess swimbaits don't only catch bigguns 🤣

Just what was the bass going to do with that?  LOL

[Jig Rookie]

On 4/14/2024 at 3:39 PM, slonezp said:

First time out this year. Semi private lake near the Wisconsin border. Grandson caught it on a minnow from shore and when I told him we have to throw it back, it's too big to eat, he started whining. I told him we could keep it if he wanted it mounted on the wall like papa's fish. It's getting mounted. 20" and I'm guessing every bit of 5lbs. 

This is absolutely fantastic, great work Gramps. So good to see young kids catching--this kid will remember this day and be an angler for LIFE. I only hope I'll be able to put my grandkids on fish like this and give them lifelong memories of Grampa. 

Bravo,, hats off to you slonez.

[slonezp]

1 hour ago, Jig Rookie said:

This is absolutely fantastic, great work Gramps. So good to see young kids catching--this kid will remember this day and be an angler for LIFE. I only hope I'll be able to put my grandkids on fish like this and give them lifelong memories of Grampa. 

Bravo,, hats off to you slonez.

Last year, first day out, he got a 15" bass on his first cast. He reminds me of that every time I pick him up to go fishing. This will be the new big fish I will be reminded about. Taxidermist is going to get it back to me by Christmas. 

[slonezp]

Hit up Island Lake on Saturday. Slow fishing. 6 landed, 17" was the biggest. Fish were striking short and shaking off. Water temps 66-70*

[cadman]

We had a small tourney on Delavan Lake this past Sunday. Biggest fish wins all. Delavan has a 1 fish, 18" minimum limit. 3 fish brought in to the weigh-in. Biggest fish was 19-1/2", 3.67 lbs. Myself and another guy tied for second place with both fishes weighing in at 3.56 lbs. My fish was 18-1/4"  and his fish was 19".  So close and yet so far from 1st place. Sunny day with 9 mph winds. Gills were on the beds, water temp was 64 degrees. My fish was caught in 10 feet of water. Pic of my bass below

 

We also caught 4 bass under 18" and 6 northern pike between 16" and 24"

 

[Jig Rookie]

Finally got back out there a couple times this last week--these few rain days have been much needed for my ponds. Got a couple over 4; one the other night on a wakebait during those tornado-like winds and one this morning, right before the morning's storms rolled in, on a frog. 

[slonezp]

Some Island Lake action today. Lots of bull gills Also caught pike and crappie. Water is 72*

[cadman]

On 6/11/2024 at 3:46 PM, slonezp said:

Some Island Lake action today. Lots of bull gills Also caught pike and crappie. Water is 72*

 

 

 

 

Wow nice variety of fish. This is the first time I've seen yellow stripers at a different lake. I remember fishing many years on "The Chain" and catching loads of yellow and white stripers. Did well ice fishing for them too.

[slonezp]

4 hour almost non stop panfish bite. Water 75*

[slonezp]

Got kids or grandkids, Salmon Unlimited derby on Sept 7th in Waukegan

https://www.salmonunlimitedinc.com/kids

[slonezp]

Roselle had a kids fishing derby on Saturday, at Turner Park. Poor Eric came in second. He entered 30 bluegills, first place had 31. Had a good time nonetheless. Was happy with the candy and juice box prize, he doesn't need a tackle box, we have enough of that crap. The kids caught a turtle to torment as well.

[Jig Rookie]

 Man, I guess everyone's summer was as horrible as mine! For this fall bite I decided to go big--if I'm gonna take the skunk, might as well send what I wanna send. Finally paid off; got my first Deps 250 fish at a neighborhood pond! God is GREAT!! Hope you guys find some good fall action before it's over, these nights are getting CHILLY.

[slonezp]

Anyone see how horribly shallow the Fox up north since they removed the C'ville dam?

 

Gotta love the environmentalists destroying a good inland smallie factory.

 

 

[cadman]

Been getting quite a few 18 and 19" on lake Delavan this fall in  late August and September. Fished it several weeks in a row. October hasn't been too bad either. Going to Lake Beulah tomorrow. We'll see how that goes.

[slonezp]

3 minutes ago, cadman said:

Been getting quite a few 18 and 19" on lake Delavan this fall in  late August and September. Fished it several weeks in a row. October hasn't been too bad either. Going to Lake Beulah tomorrow. We'll see how that goes.

I have to work tomorrow, otherwise I'd ask to tag along. 

[Jig Rookie]

Fall bite is finally turning on over at the ponds--got one right at dark today on the 3:16 Baby Wake, part of this "traveling bait share" thing we're doing on the swimbait forums. Bait arrived today and I ran out for a quick sesh (each of us gets 7-10 days before we've gotta send it on to the next guy on the list). She went 21" @ 5.22lb. God is GREAT, and so faithful. Hopefully more to come before the season's done!

[Jig Rookie]

FINALLY DID IT!!! Cracked the 6lb mark, WOOHOOO!  Caught this one on a Tiny Klash blank I rattlecanned; Tuesday was a 79-degree high, had to get out there and give it a shot before these storms and cold weather rolled in last night and God gave me a GIFT!  She went 21.25" @ 6.26lbs, so pumped.  I've wondered whether I'd ever get to see a 6 up close and personal and the dream has come true!  Might be my last fish of the season, the water in these ponds is cooling off quickly, but what a fish to end it on!

[BigAngus752]

12 minutes ago, Jig Rookie said:

FINALLY DID IT!!! Cracked the 6lb mark, WOOHOOO!  Caught this one on a Tiny Klash blank I rattlecanned; Tuesday was a 79-degree high, had to get out there and give it a shot before these storms and cold weather rolled in last night and God gave me a GIFT!  She went 21.25" @ 6.26lbs, so pumped.  I've wondered whether I'd ever get to see a 6 up close and personal and the dream has come true!  Might be my last fish of the season, the water in these ponds is cooling off quickly, but what a fish to end it on!

Congratulations!  That's an epic fish.  The southerners won't understand this milestone in Illinois.  You've found great water and you've certainly put the work in.  Well-deserved PB!  Go for seven!

[Eric 26]

@Jig Rookie Congratulations on breaking the 6pound mark 👊🏻👍🏻👏🏻.That is absolutely incredible and even better on a blank you painted. God has truly blessed us these past few days and I’m grateful for it.

[Tackleholic]

38 minutes ago, Jig Rookie said:

FINALLY DID IT!!! Cracked the 6lb mark, WOOHOOO!  Caught this one on a Tiny Klash blank I rattlecanned; Tuesday was a 79-degree high, had to get out there and give it a shot before these storms and cold weather rolled in last night and God gave me a GIFT!  She went 21.25" @ 6.26lbs, so pumped.  I've wondered whether I'd ever get to see a 6 up close and personal and the dream has come true!  Might be my last fish of the season, the water in these ponds is cooling off quickly, but what a fish to end it on!

If you want to see more like her, you should have turned her loose to spawn next spring.