My daughter had a big cross country meet at Leroy Oakes Forest preserve so I had a few hours to kill. Decided to kill them on the creek. I fished here back in 2000 a few times and never went back. Ran into Mike in the parking lot and he filled me in on some details I forgot about. He was heading north and west I was heading kind of east.

Heard from him later that the smallies have disappeared. I noticed this on the creeks the last couple of weeks. The smallies are heading back out to the Fox. Still another reason the fishing gets better in September, but nobody seems to want to listen. You think I'm making this stuff up?

What do you think I've been paying attention to all these years while wandering around. I guess I could have spent all those years hanging around the house watching the Cubs.

I got luckier on Ferson. Not a single sign of a smallie even though the water depth and clarity was damn near perfect. But a bluegill, creek chub, largemouth and catfish obliged.

Ken, where is Leroy Oaks FP? This off Randall Rd?

Had I brought some of my light gear to the river with Matt on Sunday, I would have worked Ferson starting at the creek mouth up towards way the hell into the woods (about 1-2 miles long).

I'd like to try and make another trip into there this year before they all completely disappear. Was going to fish with big Mike when we went end of July but his fly reel broke and after catching a big Smallie beneath rte 31 bridge, we had to go home.

AndrewR wrote:Ken, where is Leroy Oaks FP? This off Randall Rd?

That's the place. If you go, I would start near the Randall bridge and head down stream.