Hello , I'm new to this fourm and thanks for having me! After reading through this fourm I realized it is exactly what I've been looking for. There are so many places and beatifull areas right here in our back yard. Once again ken G is right on target with this site and thank god there is some one like him to pioneer more ideas and imply his beliefs and standards for our area. I live right by Black Berry creek on the far western tip of Montgomery close to Bristol and Yorkville. The snowmobiles are away for the year and my son's and I are ready to hit the outdoors! I was going to hit the lower fox by the Dayton area Saturday but feedback was real slim so we went to Braidwood cooling lake. Then I realized why I stay away from there, " LITTER & GARABADGE"!! Any spot you go to shore fish is layered with trash. Half the reason I like to fish is to enjoy the sights and that is not a sight I like to see. I know DNR is under budget so you can't expect them to take care of everything , so you would think the fisherman would take a little responsibility, but of course not. They are just there to take their fish home. They might as well go to Walmart and unwrap a fish filet and throw it out their car window. Those kind of fisherman shouldn't even be called fisherman, because if they were they would have just as much consideration for the outdoors as they do for their free dinner. You take a little you give a little. My son and I enjoy fishing Big Rock creek and Big Rock lake off Jerhico west of rt.47. In the spring we usually spend a couple Saturdays loading up trash bags with the left over trash from the season before. We love that whole area and try our best to keep it as natural as possible.People just can't walk to the trash can, so they just leave it. That whole area is beautiful and that creek is a gem-good smallmouth action. With all great waterways we have out here, people should feel greatful. Alot of people that leave the trash and don't follow creel regulations are probably not even from around here. So basically I have fished , hiked , photographed and snowmobiled many areas( not all by any means) from here to I-39 and south past I-80 and I see we are blessed with the natural resources and oppurtunities. Like I tell my kids we could live in Desplaines or Schaumburg where their grandparents live and not have the outdoors like we have them here, so always be greatful. Thanks Guys

Welcome John, look forward to your reports.

Hey John, welcome aboard.

Since closing my shop I've laid low with regards to all things conservation. Time became the issue, I ran out of it.

Decided with what little time I did have I would concentrate on finding more beautiful spots and documenting them for my own good and anyone that wanted to bother reading about it here.

I'm trying to get back into it and have been contacting all my old conservation contacts. See what's on their agendas and see where I might want to fit in.

I used to do my own private clean ups on a creek. Got me in good with the people that owned the land. I always heard guys complain about being shagged off. I only remember waving and getting waves back as I waded up stream. Good things do pay off some times.

I've got a plan in my head for a scouting/fishing trip later this year in the Millbrook area. I call them Death Marches, but they never turn out that bad. Might be something you may be interested in.

We'll have to compare notes on Big Rock. I've covered quite a bit of that.
Last year I met the guy that designed the golf course to the north. He's in his 70's, avid angler.
I mentioned how I was cursing the guy that put fairways across the creek, makes it hard to fish when you're ducking. Asked him about this one large hole under one of the bridges.
They dug it on purpose. He knew they were going to be there for a couple of years and they wanted a place to take a break and actually catch something.

Hey thanks Ken, Time is something thats hard to find, there's not much left over during a work week and you know how fast the week ends go, so I know where your coming from. That was some interesting info about the golf course. I never actually fished the golf course but I told my kid that we might hit the creek a little further west ,its the first major stop sign past big rock lake on jerhico and I want to say little rock rd. There is a bridge there. I have not waded to much the last couple of years. Whenever my son and I fish a creek or the Fox it has been bank fishing. He is 10 , so I am going to start him off on some wading this year. I'll start him in the creeks the first couple of times then I'll get him in the river in more less calmer areas. I told him when you fish moving water , it is more oppurtunistic and easier to fish if you are able to wade. Things should start heating up soon. Thanks and keep us updated on that Death march.