It was in the low 50's and they were calling for winds in the 20-30 mph range at some point in the afternoon. For some reason I thought that meant it was a good time to do some running and gunning down the river.

Should have known better.

Started out all right, wind wasn't that bad, but the first fish of the day sucked.



It hit hard enough, thought I nailed a big smalle. Then it started rotating on the line, over and over again.

I hate catching channel cats.



There's just nothing appealing about these fish. Covered in slime, ugly as hell and that croaking noise they make has me thinking of smashing them on the head with a rock just to make them stop. I see comments all the time from other anglers about where to go to target them. I don't get it.



There are times when I can feel that a stretch is dead. I was getting that feeling on this first stretch. Simple theory, a key spot should produce a hit or a fish. If not, most likely no other key spots for as far as you walk is going to be any better.

I hiked a good mile anyway, dumb move. I did find half of a newly hatched robin egg lying on the bottom of the river in a few inches of water. You wouldn't think something so delicate would last all that long in a river.



The carp and quillbacks were everywhere too. That's never a good sign when trying for smallies, they seem to get crowded out by the carp orgy. I guess one was a bit too old for all that spawning activity.



A reliable tree, one that has a nice hole near it's root ball is starting to bite the dust. I've seen this happen numerous times over the past 16 years. The coming and going of what I thought would always be reliable landmarks.



Hiking back to the car, may as well admire the blooming phlox. Fills the woods with their scent when they cover the forest floor and all bloom at once. Should be soon when that happens.



Off to the next stretch, at least this was going to be a short walk of about 100 yards. Picked up a few and lost a few. By now the wind was howling out of the north and I was getting pretty beat up. Controlled casting was impossible and feeling the hits were just as bad.

Not sure why I didn't take photos, except that would give away the spot. This one is too obvious and the fewer that come here, the better.

I'm being a spot snob. Get over it.

Off to the next stretch. Another longer hike both on shore and in water that was up a little and pushing harder. Not impossible, just a bit of a workout. I thought I would be out of the wind here. The wind now decided to come howling almost straight out of the east. I was losing the wind battle. Control was impossible, but luckily I was still able to feel hits despite the big bow in my line.

First a little fish.



Then it's bigger brother.



In between were a bunch of others. That's why I like counting the caught and the self released. Went 8/8 for the day, plus throw in the catfish if you must. 16 fish on isn't a bad outing after all. As for the smaller fish, nobody told them they were small and in the river, half the time you can't tell their size till they're up next to you.



All I know is that the next morning I woke up with a pinched nerve under my left shoulder blade that numbed my arm and hurt like hell. And there was that nagging ache in my hip from the wading and hiking.

And I thought I was in shape for the season already.

Good stuff! Caught a couple of mini giants myself on Monday. Thought they were 3lb fish till i lipped them and was holding a 12" fish.

They've been running like crazy. Had a few jumping too. Didn't think they would do that with the colder water. I'm waiting for the water to come down again. Want to do that long stretch down from Oswego.

IIf we get some decent weather here and some time we should put a car at 34 and orchard and make a day of it .

Adam HnG wrote:IIf we get some decent weather here and some time we should put a car at 34 and orchard and make a day of it .

I usually park at Orchard and walk the tracks all the way back to Oswego or close to it. Good exercise.

That's a plan. I'd like to spend some time exploring between the islands. I've fished around a few and canoed around all of them, but never spent much time back there. I always wind up walking the east/north side.

The perfect level for this adventure is 750 or less cfs. Anything more can get a little dicey. We have all summer, it would be a good trip.

I love catching a bonus channel cat! I was casting a small white grub in some flooded grass on Rend Lake last summer. I had just released a 5lb large mouth and on the next cast got one of the harder hits I have felt on bass gear. Turned out to be a big channel cat that took more line than that 5lb bass.

If it weren't for the slime, I might enjoy it more. Drives me nuts.

I'm going to have Sam Bennett teach me some details on flatheads. I think I know where some big ones run.

I like the channel cat hits, bone jarring at times especially on artificials. I hate the rolling around and sliming/fraying my line.

Supposed to be good eating fish, but out of the Fox... I dunno.

The ones out of the Mazon were the only delicious cats I've ever caught in IL.

Speaking of the Mazon....

I wonder what the flows will be like there after all this rain...

Special Ed wrote:I wonder what the flows will be like there after all this rain...

Thought that was in the USGS links.
If not, it came up and is currently running along at 102 cfs, just ripping right along. They had a lot of rain further south all day today. See what happens over night. Going during the week would be a good time. Fewer tire slashers out there.

Got called a Girl Scout on Windycity a couiple of days back for trying to help someone catch channel cats with chicken livers, seems the answer to THE Question was cut bait... WHO KNEW?? I used to have a Great situation for channel cats that were stocked in a pond for the DNR"S children's fishing program. They were farm raised and after the initial derby and and children's clinic which I always tried to help with,the pond was open for fishing to the public for the season. These channels were delicious and since they were not residents for too long very clean and did I mention delicious. I used livers, leeches minnows , and my neighbor was fond of stinkbait. In the Fox I have caught channel and flatheads on cranks .Jigs and crawlers but if I was going out for channels in the river I would wait for high summer water and fish at dusk till around 10:00 pm with livers and no weight. Hold the rod in me hand (NO POLE Holder) and catch a bunch for kicks and Grins. I can't wrap my self around eating Anything out of the Fox but My old neighbor will occasionally harvest fish for his co-workers. I tell him he must want to work his way up the seniority list at work OR he really doesn't like his fellow employees. In all seriousness I always soak my fish in milk over night cut the lateral line and belly fat off the filet before I cook them... Something I have always done and I do believe it helps in the flavor and texture of my filets. Too be fair MR. Osprey on Windycity did apologize for the Girl Scout remark, then challenged me to an under hundred dollar bet to see what works better cut bet or livers. I do not have time or the extra money for this kind of nonsense, if I did I would fish tournaments and truly be Humiliated Thought I would share a bit on Windycity but I have now been beaten into submission... Cut Bait What a concept. (LOL) Can't wait to be able to wade again, I HAVE TOO MUCH TIME ON MY COMPUTER TO RANT AND RAVE.. Peace You ALL!!