Ken: Seeking your advice!

[Ed79]

Hey Ken,

Looking for some suggestions on what sections of the Fox to fish this upcoming week. Would be cool to catch a mixed bag of species, and some deeper, faster stretches, with the water being down right now, would probably be best. Hit the Fox up in Carpentersville this morning, and worked from the dam downstream quite a ways, with not a single fish to show for it. Fished in West Dundee at the Main St. bridge, from around 5 a.m. until 8 a.m., more of the same, though I lost what was probably a fish of a lifetime. Battled SOMETHING for nearly five minutes before he basically just tore the hooks right out of his mouth. Want on drag peeling runs three times during that time, battled him hard, with my rod being bent almost completely in half the entire time. Ended up with my x-rap coming back with just a couple pieces of flesh from his mouth and bent hooks when all was said and done.

That said, I now feel cursed, since we didn't even have a bite after I lost the battle with that monster. I need your sagely advice to get out of this funk I'm in.

[Ken G]

Ed,
One guy on WCF has been tearing them up in Algonquin.

Here's what was in Dale's Midwest Fishing section for this past week:

Virtually over night the lush greens of the soybean and corn fields have started to turn gold and brown. Fall is here whether we like it or not and the next month or so can be some of the best fishing. Past experience tells me to concentrate on 3 of my favorite past fall spots. North Aurora from the dam to I-88. Indian Trail Road both sides of Gregory Island from the north tip to the south (west side north of ITR, east side south of ITR). Orchard Road from the bridge down for a mile and a half, once you get to the islands you want to be on the north side.

I'd also throw in Geneva from 38 down just past the railroad tracks. West side is the best side. Of course, fish the bridge pylons on 38 and the tracks hard.

I'm going to try to get out on Tuesday if things work out the way I want, but I'll be going to Batavia/Les Arends. Not convinced the fishing will be any good, I just haven't done it since we all went last year.

I'll bet that was a foul hooked carp.

Then there's Mill Creek . . .

[Ed79]

Ed,
One guy on WCF has been tearing them up in Algonquin.

Here's what was in Dale's Midwest Fishing section for this past week:

Virtually over night the lush greens of the soybean and corn fields have started to turn gold and brown. Fall is here whether we like it or not and the next month or so can be some of the best fishing. Past experience tells me to concentrate on 3 of my favorite past fall spots. North Aurora from the dam to I-88. Indian Trail Road both sides of Gregory Island from the north tip to the south (west side north of ITR, east side south of ITR). Orchard Road from the bridge down for a mile and a half, once you get to the islands you want to be on the north side.

I'd also throw in Geneva from 38 down just past the railroad tracks. West side is the best side. Of course, fish the bridge pylons on 38 and the tracks hard.

I'm going to try to get out on Tuesday if things work out the way I want, but I'll be going to Batavia/Les Arends. Not convinced the fishing will be any good, I just haven't done it since we all went last year.

I'll bet that was a foul hooked carp.

Then there's Mill Creek . . .

LOL, well, I've had plenty of foul hooked carp, and this was definitely not one of them. The lure got NAILED in the fast current, in the middle of the river. The hookup came on me suspending the lure in the current after a good tug, and there was definitely mouth flesh on the hooks. I'm actually leaning towards it being a monster catfish, since it was a deeper hole where the lure got smacked and the fish never came anywhere near the surface of the river. I've also seen several toothy critters in this area, along with walleye, and obviously smallies. My brother hooked up with a four pounder in this same spot, and a few 26+ inch walleye have been caught there. Really, could have been anything. Such an empty feeling inside when your line goes slack after a fight like that.

Tuesday might be a good day for me, if you wanted to meet up over there and do some fishing... I should know tomorrow for sure. Were you thinking morning or evening? Thanks for the suggestions.

[BrianZ]

ed, that stretch in c-ville just gets hammered. always about a dozen people from the dam down to ottos and beyond.

tough about the lost "unstoppable" you hooked. i like the stretch for about 1/2mile after that bridge, can be finicky but good for at least a couple bends in the rod.

planning on calling in sick one day this week, looking to do a couple of long wades, one in Alg and c-ville the other in S.elgin.

i poked around on sunday only as i have been feeling under the weather last few days. hit 5 islands and s.elgin below the dam down to some islands. fished in the middle of the day and wasn't expecting much but managed a couple here and there, it was my first time wading those stretches and i liked it a lot and will like it a lot more when the water comes up about a foot.

[flyfisher]

On Sunday morning, I fished from 6:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and caught 6 bass, 4 of which were caught south of Geneva and two were caught at the lower Batavia dam. The largest fish was about 14 inches. All fish were caught on white streamers in areas near transitional water that had good flow near them. When I got off the river at 11:00, I noticed that the lower Batavia section had 4 to 6 additional fishermen, but I did not talk to anyone. The rivers and creeks are in good shape and wading is relatively easy.

Flyfshr

[Norm Minas]

do any of you use rattlebaits up there? since we've had lower water on my river, I've popped 600 smallies on rattlebaits, of course I've also fished almost everyday as well.

[Frank Macikas]

do any of you use rattlebaits up there? since we've had lower water on my river, I've popped 600 smallies on rattlebaits, of course I've also fished almost everyday as well.

Norm are you using rattle trap style baits or more like a rattling rapala? I've been fishing some stretches of the DuPage that are actually grass free or at least close to it and thinking of trying it out.

[BrianZ]

do any of you use rattlebaits up there? since we've had lower water on my river, I've popped 600 smallies on rattlebaits, of course I've also fished almost everyday as well.

occassionally i throw them near the deeper water by a couple of the spillway dams...i know they are popular on the river though because i have found 6 of them this season in trees or snag clumps of line!!

[Ken G]

Got court this morning, hitting the river on the way home.

Noonish?

First parking lot, walk upstream along the path, hop in at the beginning of the channel, out to the river and fish back to just about where the bluffs start.

Will probably be throwing everything at them today. Even bringing my home made topwaters.

We'll see.

[Special Ed]

I actually threw my wading equip. in my trunk this morning also.


I think I am putting in at Indian Trail. I get off at 3:30, can get in the water there around 4 and pull out around sunset to make class in Sugar Grove at 7.


I've never fished that area, so much of my free time today will be spent researching.


Hope you do well Ken, I look forward to your report.