Have fished plenty below McHenry Dam to Algonquin (or whatever the spillway South is) but during the Summer.  This year's Spring may be a consideration with all the ice.  Was thinking to go to Braidwood even.  With all the salt on the roads, I'll keep the rig at home and won't pull in it anyways. 

 

Any reports from Braidwood?  From boat or shore?

 

FL

LOL, that answers the Braidwood question. 

 

Give us the Braidwood report, stk.

 

Thanks

FL

I read elsewhere shore was slow and boats had got 22lb 5 fish bags. I find that hard to believe. 

 

Crank, Braidwood is off I55 south of I80. It's an Excelon cooling lake. LaSalle will be open next weekend 

I also find that hard to believe.  Maybe the lake has made a full comeback but it just sucked for a while   Also, with all that riprap, there should be some bass taken from shore also.  I may go this week, walking, my rig isn't ready to go anywhere yet.

 

Thanks for your reply, Slone.

 

FL

Flipnlimits,

Sat was kind of brutal for my first time there. We fished the south shore from the boat dock to pretty far east. I managed a bite off a shakey head but I lost it. Others in my group were throwing spinners and cranks, no bites for them. They did manage to snag a few shad. Lots of birds hunting shad as well. The wind was coming from the north and had a pretty good clip. Which made for a pretty cool photo with the fog coming off the lake. There were more boats than I expected and there were other shore fishermen there, one getting small channel cats, others going for carp.

Pretty cool place, I would be interested in a second trip there.

Flipnlimits,

Sat was kind of brutal for my first time there. We fished the south shore from the boat dock to pretty far east. I managed a bite off a shakey head but I lost it. Others in my group were throwing spinners and cranks, no bites for them. They did manage to snag a few shad. Lots of birds hunting shad as well. The wind was coming from the north and had a pretty good clip. Which made for a pretty cool photo with the fog coming off the lake. There were more boats than I expected and there were other shore fishermen there, one getting small channel cats, others going for carp.

Pretty cool place, I would be interested in a second trip there.

Thank you for your reply.  The fog on that lake is something else, isn't it?  I imagine all cooling lakes are like this.  I've fished Powerton before but it was warmer so no fog.  Anyways, I have fished the south shore before and it has been hit-n-miss.  It was better years ago before the lake crashed and 2 years ago was my last visit.  My last visit was horrible but it was great to get out this early in the season, so might do the same this year just to get outside.

Thanks guys

I think I might head out the there Saturday morning

I also find that hard to believe.  Maybe the lake has made a full comeback but it just sucked for a while   Also, with all that riprap, there should be some bass taken from shore also.  I may go this week, walking, my rig isn't ready to go anywhere yet.

 

Thanks for your reply, Slone.

 

FL

I know they've been stocking bass regularly the last 5 years or so as well as dropped some fish cribs around the lake. I will say I never caught a short bass fishing Braidwood during the last 15 years, but I have never caught more than 1 per outing and was skunked fishing for bass, more often than not.

Thanks guys

I think I might head out the there Saturday morning

Make sure you have a fishing license. The DNR is always checking

Make sure you have a fishing license. The DNR is always checking

They weren't out last saturday.  They probably didnt think anyone was foolish enough to go.  Im glad I can squeeze out a couple more outings before last year's license expires.

I know they've been stocking bass regularly the last 5 years or so as well as dropped some fish cribs around the lake. I will say I never caught a short bass fishing Braidwood during the last 15 years, but I have never caught more than 1 per outing and was skunked fishing for bass, more often than not.

The lake is tough on me also.  I go one time per year, if I go, and have had good days but the last few times I went it was terrible.  The lake was really good before a die-off, or whatever happened there, and I've read it's been getting stocked since the die-off.  I've fished it from boat before and done well along riprap castable from shore, so I've hiked it the last few times and it's been horrible.  it's an odd lake to fish, I've looked for spawners, topwater bites, deeper water structure, and with the strange temperatures It's been tough to figure out.  It's also tougher when you go 1 time (maybe) per year.  I'll go just to be outdoors and to cast a couple new reels around.  I don't expect to do well from shore, so anything will be a bonus.  Of course I'm referring to bass, not catfish, which is easy to catch it seems. 

Wow...talking about fishing, seems like I will never make it out this year.  Basement flooded back in February and I have had to redo the thing and turned my garage into a workshop for paint, saws, etc. etc.  and have not even prepped my boat for this year.  have not even changed any line on a single reel yet.  d**n. 

I'm picking up the boat from the dealer on Friday. It's been nothing but a run around with the dealer and Lund getting the paint issue resolved. I've got some work to do before I can take it out. I have to install a 3rd trolling motor battery and another onboard charger because I upgraded from a 24v to 36v Terrova with Link. I also got an 1198 to run the Link that needs to be installed. I ordered a Hot foot and blinker trim. The Hot foot showed up but the trim is on back order until the end of the month. I still have to get a new throttle cable for it before it can be installed. I spooled up 2 reels so far. I organized all my stuff when I took it out of the boat in November. I just need to add the crap I bought. Most is soft plastics and I keep those in ziplock bags so it shouldn't be too much.  Aside from fishing licenses and my season ramp pass, I think I've got everything.

 

I was already on the water this time last year. Gonna take along time for the ice to melt.  

The lake is tough on me also.  I go one time per year, if I go, and have had good days but the last few times I went it was terrible.  The lake was really good before a die-off, or whatever happened there, and I've read it's been getting stocked since the die-off.  I've fished it from boat before and done well along riprap castable from shore, so I've hiked it the last few times and it's been horrible.  it's an odd lake to fish, I've looked for spawners, topwater bites, deeper water structure, and with the strange temperatures It's been tough to figure out.  It's also tougher when you go 1 time (maybe) per year.  I'll go just to be outdoors and to cast a couple new reels around.  I don't expect to do well from shore, so anything will be a bonus.  Of course I'm referring to bass, not catfish, which is easy to catch it seems. 

Chrome and black rattletraps and white and chartreuse spinner baits seem to work the best for me although that's not saying much. 

Chrome and black rattletraps and white and chartreuse spinner baits seem to work the best for me although that's not saying much. 

I can only add the T-rig craws I used there.  When I did well there, it was on the baits you mentioned (exactly the same) with Colorado blades on spinnerbait and the t-rigged craws, black.  Then the next few years, stunk!  I may be going this coming weekend to try my new plastique reels out. 

 

Wow...talking about fishing, seems like I will never make it out this year.  Basement flooded back in February and I have had to redo the thing and turned my garage into a workshop for paint, saws, etc. etc.  and have not even prepped my boat for this year.  have not even changed any line on a single reel yet.  d**n. 

 

 

Chrome and black rattletraps and white and chartreuse spinner baits seem to work the best for me although that's not saying much. 

 Come on guys get out on the water already.

 

 

Nice fish!  Did you fish Braidwood?

 

FL

Nice fish!  Did you fish Braidwood?

 

FL

Nope. Local pond. I was on Clinton the other day. Heading there next week sometime.  I have the chance to go fish kentucky this weekend though. 

Nope. Local pond. I was on Clinton the other day. Heading there next week sometime.  I have the chance to go fish kentucky this weekend though. 

Oh, Ok.  If the weather is fair, I'll try Braidwood on Friday.  I'd much rather try Kentucky!  Again.     Good luck this weekend.

LaSalle is NOT opening this weekend for boaters. It will be open for shore anglers. http://voices.suntimes.com/sports/lasalle-lake-boaters-heads-up/

Nope. Local pond. I was on Clinton the other day. Heading there next week sometime. I have the chance to go fish kentucky this weekend though.

how was Clinton? Boat is a couple hours from ready now tops, sooner with motivation. May be headed to Missouri before I even get a chance to fish Illinois. This weekend I will be on the water somewhere.

how was Clinton? Boat is a couple hours from ready now tops, sooner with motivation. May be headed to Missouri before I even get a chance to fish Illinois. This weekend I will be on the water somewhere.

Going to the ozarks a week from saturday I can fill you in after then. Clinton is iced up in the cold arm still.  Mascoutin to the bridge is open but the back half of the hot arm is blocked off until march 31st. From the shore we are killing them but some of the best locals cant find a keeper on the lake.  Its pretty slow and I suggest going down to missouri. 

Going to the ozarks a week from saturday I can fill you in after then. Clinton is iced up in the cold arm still.  Mascoutin to the bridge is open but the back half of the hot arm is blocked off until march 31st. From the shore we are killing them but some of the best locals cant find a keeper on the lake.  Its pretty slow and I suggest going down to missouri. 

Nice- was thinking about heading down there as well but don't think I am going to make it now.  May try to get the  boat out at Clinton Saturday before the cold comes back a bit.

They're back at it again in Springfield. Another vote is scheduled for March 19th. Here's a link for the newest witness slip http://my.ilga.gov/WitnessSlip/Create/78397?committeeHearingId=11610&LegislationId=78397&SCommittees4%2F12%2F2014-page=1&committeeid=0&chamber=S&nodays=30&_=1394750088640  

Fished Braidwood for 3 hours on Friday 11-2.  It was quite windy and 50F.  Luckily I had a jacket in the car because the hoodie and bibs weren't enough.  Here are a couple pics of the lake and the single fish I caught there.  I did better than I thought I would    

 

I did get to cast the new Crucial, and it's a nice rod but nothing like the previous series.  The action is much softer.  Spoke with a few fishermen (fishing for bass) and each said they caught one or two fish, this included some of the bass boats coming off the lake.  This place can be real tough!  The picture of the lake shows the Nuclear Power Plant on the right and an island on the left.  On foggy mornings (most of them are foggy here) all you will see is the top of the manmade island.  All in all, it was great to get out for a couple hours as the ice is not off the lakes around my area.  Next outing will be with the boat, thank God! 

 

FL