Wound up fishing the crap plant stretch of the Fox River between Montgomery and Oswego. My other option was a challenge and I suddenly felt not up to any challenges.
Had a couple of hits at the railroad tracks up stream, a notorious walleye hole. Only two fish came directly out of the outflow. The walk down stream from the plant wasn't hot and heavy, but to get 7 smallies landed and miss another 8 in probably less than 3 hours is a nice way to spend the end of a day.
It is November after all so any fish is a bonus. The draw down of the Fox Chain did help. A few of the fish came out of an area that would have been too shallow otherwise.
As I was walking along the shore a couple of feet out in the water, a couple of feet up from the water I spotted a plant. Everything else in the area was already starting to die off from the killing frosts we've been having every night. But this plant stood in bright green. It was growing out of the rock and gravel that made up the shore line. It was a tomato plant.
A more unlikely spot for a tomato plant couldn't have been picked if you tried. I had recently commented to my wife that if I knew the fall was going to be like this, I would have planted cool weather plants to take advantage of the situation. Would have been nice to have fresh lettuce in October, but how do you plan for such wonderful weather.
I probably could have accomplished the fishing part of it quicker, but the setting sun kept getting in the way.
Every few steps and every new viewpoint gave me excuses to stop and study the last of the fall colors.
The sharp angle of the sun this time of year lights up the remaining leaves and grasses. Trying to capture that in a picture is a challenge, but I kept trying.
That ate up a lot of my fishing time.
At dark, back at the plant outflow, I met up with Ed Schmitt. As we stood talking I couldn't help but get the feeling that he was there for the fishing about as much as I was. I know I've mentioned before that it seems like I just go for walks in the river to clear my mind and get re-attuned with something resembling natural surroundings. I do a pretty good job of both while out there. I carry around a fishing pole and cast in likely spots for fish mainly to keep from looking like an idiot just stumbling and wandering around the river, taking pictures.
Still not convinced Ed was there for the fishing, but I don't recall why else being discussed.
This weather pattern looks like it's going to last another 10 days. Cold nights, but those last 3 hours of the day could be good with the sun beating down on the water. I've seen a number of posts on various fishing sites with anglers saying they're done for the year. That might be premature.
My waders are leaking in a variety of spots and I think I'll keep getting out fishing till I can't stand the cold water any longer. Why not keep going? I don't seem to fish for the fish anymore, but the peace of mind. If I don't stand in one place too long I don't get that cold.
On a hunting note, to me the true squirrel season started November 1st. We had a killing frost, which puts down pretty much all the bugs and kills off a lot of the fleas, and most of the leaves on the trees are gone. This type of weather is just flat out better for long days stalking squirrels. A couple of inches of snow is even better, then you can really track them.
Morrison Rockwood opened November 1st for squirrel. It's one of the few sites where you get to use a .22.
I highly recommend giving this place a try.
In the past there have been plenty of squirrels and it's quite beautiful.
Marseilles is the other place that I highly recommend and as of November 1st it is now open on the weekends. It's shotgun only, but there is so much land there the hikes far into the woods are well worth the effort.
This is where I've been teaching myself how to stalk deer. Next year when I have my shooting down, I plan on going to Marseilles to get a deer with a traditional longbow.
Once upon a time I had the goal of hunting all the state land within 100 miles of Chicago. I got to do quite a few of them for pheasant, squirrel, rabbits, ducks and geese, but finances taking a nose dive over the past 5 years ended that adventure. I need to start up that journey again. I miss the hunts.
