Where are all the Illinois Guys ?

[Junk Fisherman]

  On 3/1/2025 at 2:29 PM, Maverick2017 said:

For all of us Northern IL guys around the Chicago Region…Happy Opening Day!!!

 

Heading on out to BWood for giggles…not expecting much though with the air temps right now, but will be nice to get out there!

 

😎

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Good for you!  How'd you do?  As I was drinking coffee at the kitchen table at 7 AM, I was thinking of those guys zipping accross Braidwood at that time.  It was 20 degree and I could hear the wind.  Sounded brutal!  

[Bassman37]

Hi all, I'm trying to remember the name of a guy that I knew in the past that guides on the Chicago river. We were both members of the Arlington Anglers fishing club a few years back. Any help with his name and contact info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance, Kevin Brown.

[Maverick2017]

  On 3/2/2025 at 1:57 PM, Junk Fisherman said:

Good for you!  How'd you do?  As I was drinking coffee at the kitchen table at 7 AM, I was thinking of those guys zipping accross Braidwood at that time.  It was 20 degree and I could hear the wind.  Sounded brutal!  

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I’m a bank banger and got out there around 1pm. Very busy, lots of boats out there. By that time it was still cold but quite comfortable. Got skunked but was really just happy to get out and get my reel settings dialed in. The banks on the main lake are super pressured so I didn’t have any expectations. I do much better at the South Units once those are thawed….Hopefully within the next week as temps hit the 60’s

[Junk Fisherman]

Got out on 3-3 to Braidwood.  Wind made it tough but I did catch a fat 19"er, several 16"s and other keepers.  Caught a 6.5 lb hybrid? caught a few others in the 3 lb range.  It was a spinnerbait/ch$%$#bait/crankbait sorta day because of the wind.  

[TheBaitMonkey]

With ice out officially here it was good to get out today - hit a local pond and got 4 of them on a shallow running jerkbait 

 

Good luck this season, guys!

[Porkchop_Sandwiches]

  On 3/9/2025 at 9:59 PM, TheBaitMonkey said:

With ice out officially here it was good to get out today - hit a local pond and got 4 of them on a shallow running jerkbait 

 

Good luck this season, guys!

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what jerkbait did you use?

 

I went out yesterday in tazewell country and got skunked. going to try again tomorrow after work.

[TheBaitMonkey]

  On 3/11/2025 at 2:15 AM, Porkchop_Sandwiches said:

what jerkbait did you use?

 

I went out yesterday in tazewell country and got skunked. going to try again tomorrow after work.

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I used one of the new Megabass Vision 110 SRs in the HT Ito Wagasaki color 

[TheBaitMonkey]

Anyone else gonna be trying to fish tomorrow with the wind?

 

Im gonna try from shore, may end up using a cinder block as a dropshot weight

[Eric 26]

I was hoping to get out after work but life got in the way with a longer than expected day and me needing to get home to clear out the backyard before the storm rolls through.

[Skunked again]

How’d y’all fair with the storms? We had 2.5” of rain in 30 minutes. Mothball sized hail. Hella strong winds. I haven’t been out, to inspect the roof yet. Looking out the windows, I don’t see much laying around, I’m taking that as a positive sign! 
Luckily, the skanu and all our vehicles are inside. Note the order !!

[cadman]

  On 3/15/2025 at 12:27 PM, Skunked again said:

How’d y’all fair with the storms? We had 2.5” of rain in 30 minutes. Mothball sized hail. Hella strong winds. I haven’t been out, to inspect the roof yet. Looking out the windows, I don’t see much laying around, I’m taking that as a positive sign! 
Luckily, the skanu and all our vehicles are inside. Note the order !!

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We had strong winds and rain last night but not much damage. Lot of broken branches and limbs. Supposed to have 50 to 60 mph wind gusts all day today. Drove around this morning and noticed all the ice is off of the lakes. Time to get the boat ready.

[Eric 26]

I slept through most of it only waking once when my daughter and wife were talking about the house shaking and then a crash of thunder shook the whole house and I went back to sleep. 

[Porkchop_Sandwiches]

  On 3/15/2025 at 12:57 PM, cadman said:

We had strong winds and rain last night but not much damage. Lot of broken branches and limbs. Supposed to have 50 to 60 mph wind gusts all day today. Drove around this morning and noticed all the ice is off of the lakes. Time to get the boat ready.

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Im east of peoria, it was hairy for a few minutes but could have been alot worse.

[Junk Fisherman]

Hit up Braidwood twice this week and it's been tough.  Cold front on Tuesday slowed everything down which wasn't that surprising but I figured today (3-27) would be excellent with overcast skies and SE winds but it was a grind.  I did catch a 23 lb blue catfish on a Ned Rig.  It took me 10+ minutes to land this fish using a light action rod.  This sucker took a lot of line and was all over the place.  I'm happy my knots held and my Daiwa Steez (The One) was really put to the test.  

[cadman]

Nice catfish. What did you catch it on?

[Junk Fisherman]

  On 3/28/2025 at 11:49 AM, cadman said:

Nice catfish. What di you catch it on?

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I caught it on one of the smallest baits I throw- a TRD TicklerZ in The Deal color.  

[shimmy]

Hey all, looking to hit a lake in Illinois to get the boat wet next week. Willing to drive from Wisconsin to central Illinois or northern Illinois area around Braidwood Lake. Will have a 115 hp motor and will not risk it on hp restrictions lakes.  Any good advice for a lake to try and catch a big bass or at least daydream about catching a big bass? Been a long winter. All work and no play....Want to get fishing again! Thanks all,

 

Shimmy

[Junk Fisherman]

  On 4/5/2025 at 5:27 AM, shimmy said:

Hey all, looking to hit a lake in Illinois to get the boat wet next week. Willing to drive from Wisconsin to central Illinois or northern Illinois area around Braidwood Lake. Will have a 115 hp motor and will not risk it on hp restrictions lakes.  Any good advice for a lake to try and catch a big bass or at least daydream about catching a big bass? Been a long winter. All work and no play....Want to get fishing again! Thanks all,

 

Shimmy

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Braidwood (cooling lake, warmer water) is likely your best bet but if it's your first time there are are obstructions that are not always marked.  Most guys that fish there regularly have knocked off their skeg once or twice (once for me).  I could give you some running lanes to get you safely in some areas if you like.  LaSalle and Heidecke are a couple other lakes in that area.  I've never fished LaSalle and Heidecke is more or a smallmouth/walleye/musky fishery while Braidwood is all largemouth.  Heidecke is an easy place to run.  Shabbona is another place you can go but you can only idle.  The Chain of Lakes is another option but I can't give any advice on that body of water.  Let us know if you have any other questions.  

[BigAngus752]

  On 4/5/2025 at 5:27 AM, shimmy said:

Hey all, looking to hit a lake in Illinois to get the boat wet next week. Willing to drive from Wisconsin to central Illinois or northern Illinois area around Braidwood Lake. Will have a 115 hp motor and will not risk it on hp restrictions lakes.  Any good advice for a lake to try and catch a big bass or at least daydream about catching a big bass? Been a long winter. All work and no play....Want to get fishing again! Thanks all,

 

Shimmy

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I'm not sure what you mean by "central" Illinois, but from just north of I74 and everything south we have gotten multiple inches of rain in a short amount of time.  Not the good warm spring rain either.  The big bass lakes like Clinton and Newton will be high, muddy, and have at least a minor (maybe major) drop in water temp.  It's not going to stop me from trying my local lakes but I'm not driving an hour to get to a lake until I know what effect this rain has had.  Don't want to discourage you, but don't want you to be surprised either.  

[Kev-mo]

Beware of Lasalle in the wind as it's elevated. I believe Heidicke can also be challenging in the wind especially getting under the bridge.

[shimmy]

  19 hours ago, Junk Fisherman said:

 

Braidwood (cooling lake, warmer water) is likely your best bet but if it's your first time there are are obstructions that are not always marked.  Most guys that fish there regularly have knocked off their skeg once or twice (once for me).  I could give you some running lanes to get you safely in some areas if you like.  LaSalle and Heidecke are a couple other lakes in that area.  I've never fished LaSalle and Heidecke is more or a smallmouth/walleye/musky fishery while Braidwood is all largemouth.  Heidecke is an easy place to run.  Shabbona is another place you can go but you can only idle.  The Chain of Lakes is another option but I can't give any advice on that body of water.  Let us know if you have any other questions.  

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Yes! Any advice for boat lanes would be appreciated. I am always nervous opening up the engine on a new lake. I had read somewhere that it has boat lanes possibly marked? Not sure. From what I have seen, it is not the best for big fish, but it does look fun and it seems a lot of the shore fishing is forgiving for not knowing the lake well. Might try to bring my son out there with me and see if I can get him a few fish as well. Given my level of excitement to go fishing, i will most likely bring too many rods with too many different lures and become too ineffective instead of committing to something logical. I just want to throw all of my lures that have been hibernating all winter.