What to do Today

[Ken G]

It's 9:30 AM and I got everything done that I wanted to get done for the day around the house.

The river level sucks, tired of high water. But the creeks I can check on line are looking pretty good.

I may have to get out of here in a little while. Pick the most remote spot I can find in Kendall County. If the river is any indication, the fish should be on, if they're around.

[Special Ed]

I look forward to another edition of "Walking Through the Wilderness" - with your host, Ken G.



I drove over Rt. 30 bridge Thursday night. Water didn't look too high, but it was fast and off color. This morning I took a good long look at the DuPage at Boughton and Naperville Plainfield Rd. Water was just slightly fast and just a bit off color. Walked a bit of Flagg creek near work an hour ago and it looked perfect to me. Little high but slow, and just enough tinge to the water to keep from spooking the small pods of chubs until I was right up on them. I even spotted what I think were green sunfish hanging out underneath some overhangs picking off bugs. It got my blood pumping for a wade......



New breathables are in the mail according to my lovely wife. Either she loves me cause she got me what I wanted or she hates me cause she bought me something that will make me want to get the hell out of the house more frequently!

[Ken G]

Walked a bit of Flagg creek near work an hour ago and it looked perfect to me. Little high but slow, and just enough tinge to the water to keep from spooking the small pods of chubs until I was right up on them. I even spotted what I think were green sunfish hanging out underneath some overhangs picking off bugs.

If I recall my river saving days, Flagg Creek was pretty degraded, but that was 10 or more years ago. That would explain the green sunfish. They can live in water carp don't like.

Problem is, I haven't felt like writing much down lately. But I'll get pictures up. Put in a pitch to the Kendall County Record to do an outdoors column. Maybe that will inspire me. Problem is, everything is done via email these days and no one responds. Probably goes right into junk mail.

Did pick up a 16, 18, smaller ones, the biggest rock bass I've ever seen that shook out of my hand before the picture could be taken. It was well over a pound and easily 12 inches. Big creek chubs, shiners and even a creek dwelling bluegill. That creek was so full of bait fish it was unreal. Spooked my little deer from the last time I was there. Twice the size already.

Wait, was that the report?

The river looks like crap and it was flowing around 2200.

And, I almost impaled myself on a log while stumbling through the wilderness. That would have been interesting.

[Special Ed]

Wait, was that the report?

At least I'm not the only smartass around here.

And, I almost impaled myself on a log while stumbling through the wilderness. That would have been interesting.

If the possibility of bleeding to death out in the woods all alone is your idea of interesting, then sure.

[Ken G]

If the possibility of bleeding to death out in the woods all alone is your idea of interesting, then sure.

That's why I make sure my wife knows at least the general area where I'm fishing. That's the chance you take when you do the dumb things I do by yourself. Not the first time I've almost impaled myself. Almost knocked myself out one time running into a tree. Had my back go out a few times and had to crawl out a few times.

Worst one was getting out of Mill Creek years ago at dusk. Tripped and my leg landed on a big rock. I'm laying half in and out of the water, my leg twitching uncontrollably from the pain and a good quarter of a mile from my car. I thought I had shattered my leg just below the knee. I layed there for a good 15 minutes, tested out my leg and it was still good. Apparently just landed on a nerve. At least that's what I told myself. Hurt for a couple of weeks. Never did get it x-rayed. Maybe that's why my leg gives out in that spot now and then.

Then there's this story from 2/8/04

viewtopic.php?f=32&t=27

And this one a month later. The last two paragraphs continues the saga from the month before.

viewtopic.php?f=32&t=30

I don't write like that anymore, do I?

[Norm Minas]

No, you don't and neither do I for the most part. Burn out, getting older or the feeling that it isn't appreciated by most of the readers?

[Ken G]

No, you don't and neither do I for the most part. Burn out, getting older or the feeling that it isn't appreciated by most of the readers?

A little of all of that maybe. Definite attitude change of some sort. I seem to rely more on pictures these days and just narrate those.

Personally, the last 5 years have seen a tremendous amount of changes. That seems to have knocked the wind out of me.

At least I'm still enjoying being out there on a good day. Especially the creeks. And I have plenty of words in my head.

Maybe I need the personal stability in my life to get them out of my head.

They seem to always be appreciated by the readers. I think you and I just need a wider audience. There's only a couple of hundred combined internet readers across all the sites as far as I can tell.

[Norm Minas]

Well hopefully now that my heart issues have been resolved, I'll get the itch again. It's been a lack of desire, time and health issues.

To reach all of the internet readers, we would have to post on every website. There are reasons neither of us would do that and the biggest one is the time required.

I've thought about submitting to magazines again, it was nice to see myself in the pages of In Fisherman but even then, how many of them really get into river stuff in a big way.

[Ken G]

Gray's Sporting Journal for me. I don't write enough technical fishing info for anyone else.

Mr. Maciulis would gladly print anything you send him if you just want to see your name and story in print. You could do worse.

One of these days I'll get back to it. Time is my main issue. Not willing to put in the time.

[Norm Minas]

Nah, I'm past the ego driven aspect of it. I'd like to pass on stuff to others, I can do the techinical but I think the mental part of fishing is more important than gear. Unfortunately, at least for me it's harder to write the mental aspect stuff because so much of it stuff you do without really thinking about it.

I like to write conservation type stuff but I don't think most folks really like to read it because they don't want to think about those types of issues.