Some of you may remember this as 9/24/09 Fox River.

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At the time I had to lie about my whereabouts. I promised Matt I would hold off on putting up any details of where I was so he could have the opportunity to go see if he could have a repeat of that kind of day. He got half that, which was still a good day.

I never did finish that post or put up a new one with the details. I have 58 pictures from that day, 28 of which follow in this post. So be prepared to scroll down. Looking through the pictures I realized I still had a lot of the words in my head of what I wanted to write down. The words are still stuck in my head. Maybe by getting at least the pictures up here for now I can go back and add things at my leisure. At least that's the plan.

I really do need to be more disciplined about putting things down. I hate backlogs.

For over twelve years I've been getting grief over these kinds of detailed reports. I'm ruining the river you know.

I've been getting Gray's Sporting Journal for a long time. I prefer stories and essays over articles on technique and things to buy. James Babb had a story in the latest issue of Gray's. Two paragraphs that echo what I've been doing all these years. . .

"Of the 116 stories I've written for Gray's, only eight have been specifically about my obsession with small-stream trout fishing, so I hope you'll permit a ninth. Writing nine small-stream sermons in 15 years probably qualify me as an advocate, but stops short of being an evangelist.
I can't decide, when I visit a small freestone creek and see no one fishing it, whether I'm disappointed or relieved that my evangelism—excuse me, advocacy—wins so few converts."

Then there are descriptions that are almost word for word of a trip I made to Mill Creek a couple of years ago after a 2 year hiatus. Right down to the lack of trails and network of spiderwebs telling him no one had been there in quite some time.

Good story.

Here's some decent pictures at least. Some day I'll be able to write a good story.

























































Then there was the post from 10/17/09 Mill Creek.

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I used to go to Mill creek all the time every October and do well. Lots of small fish, the occasional bonus big one and a wide variety of species. This year was a test to see how the cooler weather was affecting them.

On September 24th I caught 107 fish, about 90 of them smallies from peanut size to 13 inches. I lost all the big ones and easily 200 more because I was using a 5 foot ultralight with 6 pound test trilene. I don't use trilene much anymore. I forgot about the stretch factor. It was unreal. In the 11 years I've been going there in the fall, it was never like that and never that early. The water was clear and over a half dozen smallies would attack the lure on every cast, all taking turns to bang on it. The shallows were loaded with clouds of baitfish. If a pool was a foot deep, it held small schools of small smallies. It's a real blast on an ultralight. Since I always go for quantity over quality, I couldn't have asked for anything better.

2 days later I went to Big and Little Rock creeks, which are primarily spring fed creeks. They were completely devoid of fish. Not even a single bait fish was seen. This is pretty much what happens on them every year, but this was much sooner. The water was much colder than on Mill. By touch, I forgot to take thermometer readings.

On October 17 when I went back to Mill, I had to struggle to catch 17 fish. That's a little over 3 weeks later. Not a single bait fish was seen. This is very unusual this early. There's a knee dam upstream. On 9/24 it was above the dam where the bulk of the fish came from. On 10/17, not a single hit or fish seen above the knee dam.

So, to make a long answer longer, yes they do abandon the creeks this time of year. A fish hatchery manager friend says everything, year round, is all temperature driven. Time of year doesn't matter as much. I think the fish moving out of the creeks is why some have been reporting good catches lately. Pay attention to whether that stretch has a creek. Might better explain the better fishing. More bait and smaller fish in the river for the bigger ones to chow down on.

That's my theory anyway. Has held true for 11 years of following it now.

Cool, I'm almost more interested in some of the artifacts and man made structure you show in those pics. Alot of that looks very old and I wonder what era some of that stuff is from and what kind of people inhabitated or used that area. Through your pics' I see some kind of human history there, or maybe I'm over analyzing it.

What a beautiful creek, that the first creek im going to fish this year hopefully soon!!! Forecast for next week is 50's and thursday it might hit 60.

Matt if your going to hit I am down

smallmouthfisher wrote:Matt if your going to hit I am down

I will let you know, probably wont be for a little while. Maybe sometime beginning of april.

I'll probably be there soon as well. I fished it a lot last year and fell in love with it. Beautiful little creek.

John S Montgomery wrote:Cool, I'm almost more interested in some of the artifacts and man made structure you show in those pics. Alot of that looks very old and I wonder what era some of that stuff is from and what kind of people inhabitated or used that area. Through your pics' I see some kind of human history there, or maybe I'm over analyzing it.

I'm starting to forget the details.
Used to be railroad tracks that went over head. Some of which is in these shots. I have others in my collection that shows where the trestle was. Roads that kind of go up into nowhere. Was told there was like a picnic area with those colonades that I now find laying around.

I've lost touch with my contacts there. Used to know all the security guards. That's why I never got shagged out of there. I'm expecting it to happen any time now. I hardly ever go there. Hell, I've got Big Rock, Little Rock, Somanauk, Waubonsie and if I'm feeling like exploring, Indian Creek all closer to my house. Speaking of Indian Creek. Found a public park along it's shores. Forgot to book mark it, but should be easy enough to find again. That's my way in on that creek. Plus a couple of spots way north on Big and Little Rock.

Sounds to me like I just made my fishing plans for the next few months.

Ken, do you remember that day we were catching large crappies by the spillway on almost every catch? I went back and was able to do that almost everytime in the spring for a couple of years, and then I NEVER caught another one out of that eddy. I am not about to tell you that information about any creek or river will ruin that area but I do believe ALL those big crappies were taken home and eaten. Whats funny is as I grow older, I see that little of what I would do as far as conservation or secrecy has little effect on the rivers and streams I fish. Was out today on the River and caught 2 nice walleyes (males) a 15 and 17 inch walleye... (No pictures taken you know how my wife feels about more fish pictures!!!) Down from me I see a guy hook into something big and he lands it , a 22 inch (female walleye) and on the stringer it goes. I've come to grips with how much this might or might not happen when I am not around and I am coming to believe I will not be changing ANYONES mind to what is right or wrong when it comes to fishing ethics. With that being said, I thought I would tell you that they have closed and locked the gates on Rt 31 before Mooseheart rd. A friend of mine who lives across from there on the North side cut thru their property and was detained by staff till the police came and he received a ticket for trespassing. I have not been up that way for a year or two... but I would say to be aware that they may be having a problem with people up THEIR creek. I also made friends with staff there and cleaned up along the banks but I am not sure if that will carry any weight with the security staff as it used too. It is a great place to let the mind wander and would not mind seeing everyone enjoy this creek but I am REALLY not sure if there is trouble, as far as enforcement, down the road. Here is what I had happen TODAY...Water is high and dirty and both my fish came out of slack water AWAY from current, on sand base and downstream about a 1/4 mile from the dam.I was using a 1/8 inch jig (orange ) with small fathead minnows. They wanted it dragged SLOWLY... A few days of sun and some warming of the water and I believe we will be on the way to some Good Fishing. Lets get out in April, and do some fishing, Not going to spend TOO much time in the COLD water... I am getting old and it makes my ankles ache>>> OLD MAN BITCHIN AGAIN>>>

I wouldn't fret too much about the crappie. They're still there when I go.

Cutting across that property was a dumb move. Years ago they knew who I was and I would stop to chat. Cutting through wasn't an issue.

I warn guys that things may have changed. One of the reasons I quit going as often as I used to.
You never know. A good conversation with the right people never hurt. For me it's no longer worth it. Too many creeks without that issue out my way.

That being said, I went and checked it out this afternoon. Noticed the locked gates. Last year they put that fence up all around. Technically they can't keep you off the creek you know. Fed law and I don't care what peoples opinions are on stream access. Law rules. But also not worth arguing. There's so much more available elsewhere.

More on that later.

I'll let you know when you need to get your sorry old butt out to Little Rock. Or around Orchard Road.

And lastly, no one is reading this site but a handful and most of those will never go.

Ken G wrote:

John S Montgomery wrote:Cool, I'm almost more interested in some of the artifacts and man made structure you show in those pics. Alot of that looks very old and I wonder what era some of that stuff is from and what kind of people inhabitated or used that area. Through your pics' I see some kind of human history there, or maybe I'm over analyzing it.

I'm starting to forget the details.
Used to be railroad tracks that went over head. Some of which is in these shots. I have others in my collection that shows where the trestle was. Roads that kind of go up into nowhere. Was told there was like a picnic area with those colonades that I now find laying around.

I've lost touch with my contacts there. Used to know all the security guards. That's why I never got shagged out of there. I'm expecting it to happen any time now. I hardly ever go there. Hell, I've got Big Rock, Little Rock, Somanauk, Waubonsie and if I'm feeling like exploring, Indian Creek all closer to my house. Speaking of Indian Creek. Found a public park along it's shores. Forgot to book mark it, but should be easy enough to find again. That's my way in on that creek. Plus a couple of spots way north on Big and Little Rock.

Sounds to me like I just made my fishing plans for the next few months.

That structure and those colonades caught my attention. As you know early settlers had to live by a water source, so I'm always curious when coming across stuff like that and our area here has flowing water every where which had to be heavily relied on by past generations. I alos explain to my kids how rich in our whole area is with indian history. Even the farms, I just tell my kids when we will see a farm plot that catches my eye with certain types of unique arcitetchture, that there is so much history on that land. You also see tribe names every where naming creeks, towns , rivers ,even towns and schools. How about that one guy who had a whole collection of indian artifacts that he collected on his land and through out the woods in the area. I want to say he was from the Newark-Sheridan area and I think he made most of his findings in his retirement years. I think he had a show room at his farm or homestead where he had certain visiting hours during the day where you could look at the stuff. The Timber Creek Best Western Lodge in Sandwhich has alot of his stuff on display in their lobby and they kind of tell his story. That is the theme in their lobby; Kendall history , old maps and indian tribes that populated the area along the creeks and the Fox. We stopped there for dinner one time to check the place out. Food wasn't bad and the wine was going down pretty goooooooood!