Fished the Fox river today at Jon Duerr F.P. in South Elgin, got there at 7am. Action started out pretty slow, from the parking lot I got into the water and started wading upriver casting to the shore to my left and casting to a current seam to my right created by and island that was 100 yards up river. Managed to get one dink smallie within the first fifteen minutes then nothing for a good hour. Continued to wade my way upriver working the island area with all the current breaks created by the foot bridge that goes across the river with no luck. There was tons of surface activity with baitfish all over the place but couldn’t buy a bite.

I then waded back over to the west side of the river and found this nice fallen tree in about waist deep water. I was standing right in the current seam casting past the tree and reeling back to me. I found the jackpot. I managed around 12 smallies all in this area smallest being 10 in. and the biggest a fat 17 in. this fish was a pig pealing drag with some awesome acrobatics. Oh yeah one largemouth too.

I continued to wade upriver with not much more action only a couple more dinks by the west side of the island by the footbridge. Decided to work my way back down river and hit up that fallen tree one more time catching a couple more smallies.

I was about to call it a day but decided to move up river and fish downriver from the dam. Didn’t spend too much time there and got a couple more dinks and a small northern. All in all a pretty decent day for 4 hours of fishing.







This is that fallen tree

MattC wrote:I then waded back over to the west side of the river and found this nice fallen tree in about waist deep water. I was standing right in the current seam casting past the tree and reeling back to me. I found the jackpot. I managed around 12 smallies all in this area smallest being 10 in. and the biggest a fat 17 in. this fish was a pig pealing drag with some awesome acrobatics. Oh yeah one largemouth too.

Matt, this describes exactly how I fish 90 percent of the time. It's also what I used to show everyone in my guiding and fishing classes. Cast down stream and reel back, only the slower the better. The rest of the time you mention how you kept wading up river. Next time go the other way. Wade down stream and keep casting down stream. Even the smallest obstruction will make a current break. Fish every little one by just letting things hang out there.

Then, stand in one place for awhile and fish the current break you create. You'll be surprised at what will swim right up to you and use you to get out of the current.

As long as the temps stay normal, could be good through October. November too if temps stay normal for that month. But you better be using minnows by then.

Thanks Ken, I wish i lived closer to the fox, the drive from Forest Park isnt a short one. Some of the guys from the Fishing Headquarters site are talking about making an outing to the Fox, you are more than welcome to join us, i think the 12th of October.

I'll be there too:)


Ken??
Darth??

Yeah!

The plan right now is to be in Darth's neck of the woods.. S. Elgin/same area Matt just fished.

You guys are killing me.
Promised Dan and Andrew to get out this year and it's just not looking good.
Been fishing on a whim, and every other weekend I have my daughter, so I don't go.

Have her on the 12th.

That figures.

We'll see if we top that 124 mark!!! (with all of us that is!) lol


We will have to out there 1 day Ken:)

Outstanding report MattC!!


This place is right down the street from me and yet I have fished there maybe 4 times total in 10 years


99% of it is about knee deep water most of the year lol so great job finding the fish!



It's funny up to today I thought "Fishing Headquarters" was a tackle shop until I googled it.. to find it is yet another local fishing website!
Which is great because chicagoland really has a shortage of those =)

Kidding of course...the site looks fantastic!

Maybe I'll see you guys out there on the 12th

Maybe I'll see you guys out there on the 12th

Awesome Darth!