Quick stop at the pond on the way home from work produced another small one. This rat bite is addictive!

Went out and threw the Gantarel at a small local spot; this was last week on that last rainy, windy, wretched day when only a crazy person would be out chasing em ha.  Got rewarded with a nice one.  Where's everyone else, I know somebody's catching fish in Illinois besides me?

Went to a local retention pond Monday for a few hours, these are the best 3. My favorite was the ambitious little guy who whacked a Berkeley  “Choppo 110”  I was playing around with. The others all came on a ultralight lipless crank fished on a light rod with 4 lb line. 

NICE, you even got a fat gill to eat the lipless? That must've been fun!

6 hours ago, Jig Rookie said:

NICE, you even got a fat gill to eat the lipless? That must've been fun!

Yeah this retention pond has a lot of dink bass but some nice fat gills. 

21 hours ago, Jig Rookie said:

Went out and threw the Gantarel at a small local spot; this was last week on that last rainy, windy, wretched day when only a crazy person would be out chasing em ha.  Got rewarded with a nice one.  Where's everyone else, I know somebody's catching fish in Illinois besides me?

Nice fish! I post all of my pictures to the latest catch pics thread that’s why they aren’t on here.

Had a fun day at Braidwood Wednesday.  The biggest 3 were 17" but I caught a bunch of 14"-16" chunky fish.  Probably caught 50 or so on the day.  Had a couple flurries of fish on every cast or every other cast.  The bigger fish came pitching weeds in the shadows early but as the sun came out that bite died.  I was surprised how many fish I caught on a couple relatively small flats throughout the day.  Caught fish on a Stupid tube, swimbait, and a dropshot.  I caught so many on a dropshot that I was going through different dropshot baits that I had never caught fish on before.  A half shell was a big producer.  I did realize how nice it is to use the Z Man plastics since they stay on the hook so much better than a traditional plastic.     Hell, I never even took the Ned Rig rod out of the box.  

On 6/2/2021 at 12:52 PM, Jig Rookie said:

Went out and threw the Gantarel at a small local spot; this was last week on that last rainy, windy, wretched day when only a crazy person would be out chasing em ha.  Got rewarded with a nice one.  Where's everyone else, I know somebody's catching fish in Illinois besides me?

I cheat and run to my place in MI, about 1:45hr away.  I'm impressed you're finding water with decent fish!  To be honest I can't remember the last IL largemouth I caught, its spring and fall harbor smallies for me.

 

scott

 

 

On 6/3/2021 at 7:24 PM, softwateronly said:

I cheat and run to my place in MI, about 1:45hr away.  I'm impressed you're finding water with decent fish!  To be honest I can't remember the last IL largemouth I caught, its spring and fall harbor smallies for me.

 

scott

 

 

 

you'd be surprised, there's a lot of nice largemouth in the suburbs but you need a kayak or shore fish ponds to get them.

1 hour ago, Allen Der said:

 

you'd be surprised, there's a lot of nice largemouth in the suburbs but you need a kayak or shore fish ponds to get them.

True--most of the big, public preserve lakes are so pressured from shore these days it's tough. Neighborhood ponds have been key for quality fish this year. 

Got out to the pond the other night about 2a.  Topwater bite is still on; it was calm, no breeze, so I decided to tone it down from the rat and use a smaller wake-and-crank, the Boogie Back.  Caught a bunch, only two keepers, but the action was great.

Took the grandson out today.

 

2 minutes ago, slonezp said:

Took the grandson out today.

 

Starting em early! What a good-looking kid, and so lucky to have you for Grandpa, Slonze. Happy Father's Day!

1 minute ago, Jig Rookie said:

Starting em early! What a good-looking kid, and so lucky to have you for Grandpa, Slonze. Happy Father's Day!

He's hooked. He's going to be 4 next month. We're having a fish fry tonight. I posted additional pics in the "Post a photo a day" thread.

2 hours ago, slonezp said:

Took the grandson out today.

 

That’s awesome ???

Just got back from the local pond, caught four on a coffee tube. This was the biggest one.

6 hours ago, Eric 26 said:

Just got back from the local pond, caught four on a coffee tube. This was the biggest one.

Nice--is a "coffee tube" just a coffee-scented tube bait or something different? Nice to see your ponds are producing too.

13 hours ago, Jig Rookie said:

Nice--is a "coffee tube" just a coffee-scented tube bait or something different? Nice to see your ponds are producing too.

Not going to lie... they are Strike King KVD coffee tubes which are supposed to be coffee oil infused and sprinkled with coffee dust but I’m not smelling much coffee. I just know they worked when nothing else would yesterday.

Myself and @cadman volunteer annually in a one day program which introduces kids ages 5-15 to the outdoors and conservation. He and I and a couple other volunteers run the casting/fishing portion. They also have archery, .22 rifles, sporting clays, hunting dog demonstrations etc. There is a raffle and door prizes as well. It's Saturday August 21st in Pleasant Prairie WI. If anyone is interested in attending with their children or volunteering, here is the link to register. You do not need a WI fishing license as this is on private property and is 100% catch and release. 

https://sites.google.com/site/youthdaygamefair/

On 6/23/2021 at 6:27 PM, slonezp said:

Myself and @cadman volunteer annually in a one day program which introduces kids ages 5-15 to the outdoors and conservation. He and I and a couple other volunteers run the casting/fishing portion. They also have archery, .22 rifles, sporting clays, hunting dog demonstrations etc. There is a raffle and door prizes as well. It's Saturday August 21st in Pleasant Prairie WI. If anyone is interested in attending with their children or volunteering, here is the link to register. You do not need a WI fishing license as this is on private property and is 100% catch and release. 

https://sites.google.com/site/youthdaygamefair/

You sir are a good man??  I used to go to the power plant before it was shut down, beautiful area. Looking forward to hearing how the event goes with maybe some photos.

Stopped by my local pond after work yesterday for 45 minutes and did pretty well on a 1/8 oz jig.

Two more?

 

One more 

3 hours ago, Eric 26 said:

You sir are a good man??  I used to go to the power plant before it was shut down, beautiful area. Looking forward to hearing how the event goes with maybe some photos.

Stopped by my local pond after work yesterday for 45 minutes and did pretty well on a 1/8 oz jig.

Two more?

 

One more 

You're welcome to come volunteer. We could always use more help.

If anyone isn't throwing the frog yet, the bite is ON, at least up in the NW 'burbs.  They're eating em real good, from dusk til dawn.  Haven't fished much during the sunlight hours, but low-light conditions the past couple weeks have been super-productive in my local ponds.

Hit my local pond just before dusk throwing a frog and still can’t get a reaction. I’m going to keep trying ?

We've got some FISHY weather up here in the N/NW part of the state the last few/next few days with all the summer storms passing through; hope someone gets out hammers a few! I probably won't get out this weekend so I'll be checking in here to live vicariously through you guys ha. Let's get some!