thursday 8/26 - started fishing at 04:30 around teh algonquin dam, i managed a smallmouth in the dark and dropped a small walleye, at dawn there were big schools of 4" gizzard shad, snagged a couple and sent them back out without a sniff. stayed until 6 ish and head to the "10 bite spot"... since i started fishing this spot in mid may i have never had less than 10 bites. the "spot" is in dundee and only 30' long. i had high hopes for this spot as i skipped a weekend of fishing to "rest" it for my bud, theres usually a couple respectable fish in there as well. we worked very hard for our 10 bites and only landed 5 smallmouth between the two of us. we had no pattern and this was teh lowes ti had ever fished this stretch so we explored and fished and although it wasnt the easy fishing i am used too it was a learning experience for me as the fish were spread out. they ate poppers (1) jigs (2) and rapalas (2). stopped for breakfast at mels diner in geneva and decided to take Ken's advice from a couple months ago, we managed 8 between the bridge and the dam and then another 10 downstream from the bridge to within 100 yards of the RR bridge. they were really eating cranks and stick baits cast upstream and burned and bumped back toward you. viscious hits and many were lost after a second. i was able to manage 2 on a jig dancing downstream in the current. next stop was oswego between state st? and orchard rd. saw 4 other guys wading, i had one hit, nothing landed. water smelled funny and after 1/4 mile wading downstream i cut that spot short. on our way back north we stopped at les arends and i skunked but my bud managed 4 on a small big O. left les arends at 7pm for a nice 14 hour day.
firday morning started at alg dam again at 04:30, bud had one smallie on a lipless crank. left there at 5:30 and went to a spot not too far downstream
and put the waders on, we managed 8 smallies with my bud nabbing one that was 18" on a big O worked toward him in the current in about 3' of water. i missed 4 fish in about 20 minutes and then nothing while my bud was steady picking at them. waded toward a laydown/log jam and was working a small shad rap back toward me in some fairly fast and deep water and i hooked up 10' in front of me on the bottom in about 5fow. figured it was channel cat, but as i worked it away fromt he laydown i saw a big eye! 22"...three casts later and another 22" walleye, they looked like twins. i managed two smallmouths outof that spot on the same lure. had to meet some friends downtown so we cut the day short at 12:30saturday started at the last stretch we fished friday where i had the walleye but decided to start our wade at 3am. lost 2 small 'eyes in the dark on 4 rapala stick baits, landed a 16" smallmouth and that was it for the dark. at dawn we managed 2 each and moved out by 6am. we were a little beat up from a late night and early rise and a few cocktails in the city so i decided to head over to elgin dam. it was hot and i figured to throw some corn out and a couple rods for carp. missed 3 before i got bored. no one was fishing! so we cranked our way around the island and totalled 9 between us with my biggest of the weekend at 16" upstream cast and instead of burning in the current towards us they wanted a slower bump and thump ended teh day around 4pm to grab a bite with my girlfriend. after dinner we went over to arlington lake and gat 12 largemouths between the two of us on buzz and wake baits. nothing bigger than 15" though, still fun and cheaper than drinking. had to leave there at 11pm as there is no parking after that, we only fished an 1/8 of the shoreline. every now and then a couple bass would herd minnows on teh surface and blast through them, pretty cool to watch.
sunday morning 05:00 we started in the "10 bite " spot in dundee and waded downstream for 1/4mile, we each hooked and dropped 2 decent fish, they're always decent when you drop them. my buddy's cheap waders from Dick sprung a leak in teh crotch seam so we decided to fish the elgin dam area again for a few hours in the heat. managed another 8 smallies all 12- 14" on cranks and small spinnerbaits. also managed two sheepshead. ended the day at around 1pm as i had invited a couple people over for a walleye dinner
monday morning i slept through the alarm and didnt get to geneva until about 7am. started at teh dam and waded downstream to the RR bridge. my bud had 7 smallies and a walleye @14" i had 6 smallies all around 12-14" with a couple that were 6" not counted for each of us...we caught alot of those little tiny ones in some stretches adn just didnt count them, if it was under 12" we really didnt count it as a catch... with the clock ticking as his flight back was at 6pm we ahd maybe two spots, driving north i took a ride on teh east side of teh river in dundee and near one of teh bridges my bud says we have to stop so he can just take a couple casts. he managed a walleye @ 14" and 3 smallmouth around 12" i skunked. his big O was kicking my rapalas ass.
last spot in c - ville...probably one of my favorite stretches that i fish. deep fast water with lots of laydowns and its a real PITA to get to and to fish, very challenging stretch but the fish are usually 16"+, i never see little guys there. he wanted to throw a spinnerbait in hopes of a toothy critter, he managed another 18" smallmouth. i hooked a nice one on a bomber crank bait and it jumped me off 6' from me, it was 17-18" fish. that was it, we were off the river at 1:45 pm.i had a blast and learned a TON and was able to add a few new spots to the repetoire for this upcoming fall. if you're still reading thanks for making it this far.
