First fish of 2019 was a good one. Megabass Vision 110.

I bought a lifetime Illinois license for myself and my wife in 1992, it was $200 each back then but I never have to buy a license anymore unless it is for Lake Michigan or a trout stamp. For those of you who are younger in their 20's, 30's, it may be worth looking into this as it is still available. Lifetime Illinois resident license is $435 dollars and yearly licenses never go down in price. Just a thought.

Looking forward to May. Hauling the kayak up to my home state to fish 2-3 weeks.

Heck of a start @RyneB thats a pig,  congrats!

7 hours ago, cadman said:

I bought a lifetime Illinois license for myself and my wife in 1992, it was $200 each back then but I never have to buy a license anymore unless it is for Lake Michigan or a trout stamp. For those of you who are younger in their 20's, 30's, it may be worth looking into this as it is still available. Lifetime Illinois resident license is $435 dollars and yearly licenses never go down in price. Just a thought.

It's $15 for a yearly license.  It'll take you 30 years at the current price to break even. Most of us won't be living in this broken state by then.  

2 hours ago, Allen Der said:

It's $15 for a yearly license.  It'll take you 30 years at the current price to break even. Most of us won't be living in this broken state by then.  

Like I mentioned, it is probably for a 20 or 30 year old. I bought mine when licenses were $9.00 (I'm not sure what they were exactly in 1992. But if you figure licenses go up every year, in 10 years, they will probably be $20/year or more.  You are probably right in regards to living in IL. I intend to move in 6 years, so my license won't be any good, but it has paid for itself.

On 3/15/2019 at 11:21 PM, slonezp said:

Bass Lake IL...Chicago Suburbs....Army Trail Rd?

...I have never heard of such a place...

On 3/16/2019 at 9:20 PM, RyneB said:

First fish of 2019 was a good one. Megabass Vision 110.

MONDO, nice fish!

Y'all got me lost,  lol.  Im speaking of central illinois. Newton,  il power plant lake. 

 

Ryan that things a slab! Good fish! 

On 3/16/2019 at 9:20 PM, RyneB said:

First fish of 2019 was a good one. Megabass Vision 110.

Ggggggiant

Any luck recently (beside the GIANT)? Anyone got a pattern down in northern Illinois? I know it’s still cold but I was able to get out and “test” the new gear. I got break next week so I’ll be out there a lot.

Extremely shallow rocks.  This one went a hair over 18" yesterday.  Water temps 46-49.

 

Still hard water on the lakes up here. Small ponds are thawed and large ponds are half thawed

Yep still ice on many lakes up here. I was out shore fishing a small pond yesterday. Ice out was Monday on this pond. Water is still cold, no fish pics yet.

First tournament was last weekend.  Tough day for most.  Ended up 4th with two fish,  big going 4.8 lb

On 3/19/2019 at 11:14 AM, JWall14 said:

Any luck recently (beside the GIANT)? Anyone got a pattern down in northern Illinois? I know it’s still cold but I was able to get out and “test” the new gear. I got break next week so I’ll be out there a lot.

Central Illinois here, but my buddy up north of Rockford followed suit and finally caught his first fish of the year. Slow retrieve with a Rayburn Red Cotton Cordell Super Spot around the shallows dropping off to deeper water at the warmest point of the afternoon. Can't get them to bite on anything else or different color lipless - this has been in smaller shallow ponds and lakes thus far.

On 3/19/2019 at 11:14 AM, JWall14 said:

Any luck recently (beside the GIANT)? Anyone got a pattern down in northern Illinois? I know it’s still cold but I was able to get out and “test” the new gear. I got break next week so I’ll be out there a lot.

 

10 hours ago, wcjohnson said:

Central Illinois here, but my buddy up north of Rockford followed suit and finally caught his first fish of the year. Slow retrieve with a Rayburn Red Cotton Cordell Super Spot around the shallows dropping off to deeper water at the warmest point of the afternoon. Can't get them to bite on anything else or different color lipless - this has been in smaller shallow ponds and lakes thus far.

Central Illinois here also.  I fished all winter at least once or twice a month.  Either when we had a freakish thaw and I had water open nearby or I drove to Clinton Lake and shore fished at the bridge downstream from the hot water discharge.  I caught at least small LMs each time and almost always on a Ned rig.  

 

I got the boat out of storage recently and put it back together.  I took it to Clinton Lake today (North Fork) to sort it out and make sure everything was working properly.  Unfortunately the water was chocolate milk and 49 degrees.  I threw some lures around for awhile but it was pretty hopeless.  Muddy water is my nemesis.  The boat is totally squared away though so I should be set as things get better in the next few weeks.  

Anyone else struggling to get a bite this past week? With the recent temperature spike up into the 70's, it seems like they have lockjaw at a few of the places I've been fishing.

Yep couldn’t get any bites on either of the lakes I fished. I did get one bite in the Dupage river but couldn’t land it.

Went to Sparta East lake today. 2 people, 4 bites, one fish.

I went to the trout open caught a fair amount and the wife has enjoyed eating them. A couple small bass too.

 

Fished in the rain for 5 hours yesterday from shore as I was too lazy to get the boat or kayak out.  Caught one decent bass on a kalins grub.  Also had two large pike come unpinned after a short fight.  Both on a chatter bait.   Ended up walking at least 3 miles around the forest preserve lake so at least I got some exercise in

First fish of the year on a rage tail swimmer. Not a bass but my first ever pike!

 

(Pic not working on my end- can you guys see it?

8 hours ago, JWall14 said:

First fish of the year on a rage tail swimmer. Not a bass but my first ever pike!

 

(Pic not working on my end- can you guys see it?

No picture visible.

For those who buy their licenses online, and print them, I did not print mine this year, I have it on my phone.  At the trout opener on Saturday the DNR agent that checked my bucket said that it's much easier having it on your phone, and that it is totally acceptable these days.  Some people would still rather have it on them physically, but I'm going to save the wallet space, lol.  

As long as your phone works !