FOX River & Creek - IL - 8/2/04 - report & photos

[Jig'nMinnow]

My friend and I got fish today....... I at least did....... lol


STATS
--------
Temps - low 90's
Water Temps - low 70's
Wind - MPH - 0-5 mph
USGS - 12.18ft
Number of fish caught - 30-40 (between 2 of us)


Got out to the river that I call "bad" with my only fishing buddy from school, Mike at 8am. We started at the South Elgin dam area and after 30mins and having my baitcaster get into a massive birds-nest, we decided that this was a waste of time. No signs of life were seen.

Then we drove south and fished at a Forest Preserve. This area is my favorite spot on the river.



The main baits in use for us were #2 Mepps spinners. All my fish at the F.P. came on spinners with either an orange blade or copper blade. Mike got the skunk while I picked up 1 Lm. Bass, one White, and one SM. Bass while casting towards the shoreline structure. (trees, etc)






- Same fish

..............................and Mike with his lone catch at the F.P. Hooked an empty clam-shell.




After we fished the F.P. for 2-3hrs in the morning, we drove Soutyh again and fished a feeder creek. This creek now is also a favorite of mine


Back in April, Mike and I fished this exact creek with a friend from my site named Randy. All my fish from here came while using a fly on spinning gear (zonkers, streamers, wooly buggers)..........Ya, it's weird, but I sorta had an idea, and it was successful. Some of the bigger buggers & Zonkers casted fine and had the casting distance in a stream that was 10-15ft wide. Otherwise, I would use a small split-shot to get the flies farther. I fished these just how I fish small plastic jerkbaits.

Small twisters and ultra-lite Mepps spinners worked as well, but didn't get the numbers on them. Only the quality. Mike mainly stuck to small twisters.

Mike and I explored about a section that was about 1/2 - 3/4 of a mile long. Each pool that was about 10ft in diameter held a few fish, Smallmouth Bass, chubs, LM. Bass and sunfish.

Here are the photos from our exploration trip. Each photo is in order from start-to-finish.


10" SM. Bass













After walking for about 1/2 of a mile, the creek suddenly becomes stagnant and deeper. Next month, Mike and I plan on exploring this creek even further. This small creek fishing is "hard-core"!






This is what did the damage


- Today was the first time in fishing this river & its tributaries in 2 years that I've caught more than 5 fish in one outing!

- All fish were released. One little Smallmouth (5") somehow was severely gut-hooked. I still don't know how it happened and it didn't make it. It's unfortunate.............

- Missed more fish than what I actually caught today on the flies.......


TOTALS
---------


JIG - about 20-30 fish (lost count after the 4th fish)

15-20 Smallmouth Bass
3 LM. Bass
1 White Bass
and few assorted Minnows & sunfish species

Mike

2 Bass
3 Sunfish
and a few assorted minnows and sunfish species.

- He's still learning this river. Same as I..........................I only thought Wisconsin is beautiful and that Illinois was a dump! I might be wrong now..............lol




JIG

[1toughfish]

isnt that white bass a striper?

[tunakid]

nice pics and report

[PlatinumHooks]

That body of water looks like alot of fun! Great catch by the way!!

[PlatinumHooks]

Oh, and good to see members from out of state. Hope you stay with us.

[jstcrzyengh]

I wonder how that deeper stagnant water is for catfish? If there in that river they are sitting there. Just look for the head of that deeper water with some kind of current flow, drop a slab of one of those bluegill and hold on