8/28/09 Weekend Prospects

[Ken G]

Well, the river has topped off at 3000 cfs. The radar shows everything is off to the south, so I think that might be it.

Was looking forward to getting back out to Saw wee Kee again tonight after work. Wanted to see if I could get more hook sets on the topwater lure I designed. This level of water puts this area off limits. The highest the river has been when I've crossed the river in this stretch was 2200 cfs.

And that wasn't fun.

Think, think, think.

I know just the place, but the hike-in distance makes tonight impossible. It would be dark by the time I got there.

Maybe one morning.

This water is going to push all the fish to the edges. Geneva on the island park and all the way down past the treatment plant, and St. Charles the whole west side down from the dam would be good choices.

The more adventurous would be wading the back channel at Les Arends. Or go to Glenwood Forest Preserve and walk the east shore from there all the way down for almost a mile. Observant fishermen will notice the spots where they can even get in the water when it's this high. Or walking the shores at Indian Trail (they're letting this park go natural, so that ain't easy anymore), but it has some of the best natural shore line structure I've seen on the river.

Or walking the shores of Hurds Island at North Avenue on the south end of Aurora. There is a way to fish around the railroad tracks on the east side at high water. You might figure it out easy enough. They sit tucked up tight against the pylons.

Good maps will get you there if you don't know of what I speak.

[pezdek1]

As always, thanks for the tips there Ken. I was out on the Mazon last weekend, the water level was SOOO low that I could barely even call it a creek. I managed one smallie in the 10-12 inch range, then hit the Kank near I55 and managed one more in the 10-12 inch range. My buddies got the skunk at both places. I'm hopin this rain brings the Mazon and the other rivers back to normal levels. It would be nice to stand in something other than ankle deep water wherever I go lol. Anyways, I have no kids/wife all weekend, they're visiting family in Peoria, so if you're interested we should try to get out somewhere. I'm open to just about anything. Let me know. I'll probably give you a call sometime tonite, though.