Took advantage of Saturday and Sunday's beautiful weather to try and get the kayak out a couple of more times.  I had not caught a fish out of the kayak until saturday.  Caught 4 on Saturday and another 5 on Sunday.  All on squarebills.  First picture is the first fish from a kayak and the second picture is what happens when squarebill meets kayak...

 

 

with work and family things going on I really have only been fishing a couple times this fall...feels like that is how my entire year went.  Ended up at Evergreen for 3 hours on Saturday and absolutely torched them- maybe it is because my expectations were low, and everyone coming in as I went out were talking about how miserable the fishing was. 

Here is the big one of the day- all fish caught on deeper isolated timber in 8-10fow and one off a laydown in the same.  All on southern sitting banks with the wind blowing hard into them.

Had to use two wind socks all day to fish proper with the wind blowing me into cover-I would kill the trolling motor about 20 feet away and started flipping as many times as I could and hit bottom and right back up. All fish on 3/4 pbj jig and skinny dipper trailer in bluegill I believe...

Hope your guys fishing year has been better than mine.

Well, I'm done for the year. Emptied the boat out today and will be dropping it of for scheduled service and winterize next weekend.

Got this bad boy around a week or so ago. Waiting for this weather to lift so I can get back out there. 

 

 

Pyramid State Park boys here

Pyramid State Park boys here

Best park in the state

Got this bad boy around a week or so ago. Waiting for this weather to lift so I can get back out there. 

Looks like the 40's for the weekend into next week. You're going to need a punch rig to get thru the ice.

Looks like the 40's for the weekend into next week. You're going to need a punch rig to get thru the ice.

Don't joke ive done it before lol

Got this in my email today. Lucky us who trailer boats

 

The Illinois Tollway reminds commercial truck drivers that rates for commercial vehicles will increase beginning January 1, 2015. The toll rate change will also apply to cars and trucks pulling two-axle and three-axle trailers.

New rates will help rebuild, improve and expand the Illinois Tollway's 286-mile system of toll roads to make travel easier and more efficient. New toll rates for cars took effect January 1, 2012.

The Illinois Tollway's truck rates will average 44 cents per mile in 2015 - still in the bottom half of all toll road agencies in the nation.

First Rate Change for Trucks in Ten Years
The phased toll rate increase will be the first for commercial trucks and trailers since 2005 and includes a 40 percent increase in toll rates beginning January 1, 2015, and an additional 10 percent increase in rates in 2016 and 2017 from 2014 rates. Beginning in 2018, annual toll rate increases for trucks and trailers will be linked to the Consumer Price Index.

The toll rate increase for trucks and vehicles with trailers was previously approved by the Tollway Board of Directors in 2008. The phased toll rate increase remains in place and will help finance the Tollway's current 15-year, $12 billion capital program, Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future, which was approved by the Tollway Board in 2011.

Move Illinois will benefit truck drivers and the commercial trucking industry by improving roadways and enhancing reliability and on-time delivery of freight and product shipments. The Tollway's capital program will ensure that roads will safely accommodate more trucks while relieving congestion, potentially saving the trucking industry millions of dollars in lost time and fuel.

Toll rates are typically higher for trucks and vehicles that tow trailers than for cars and motorcycles because their weight causes more damage to roads, ultimately impacting agency maintenance costs. A fully loaded truck weighs up to 80,000 pounds and causes as much damage as 10,000 cars. The average truck traveling on the Illinois Tollway is not always full, resulting in damage that more typically equates to 4,000 cars.

As part of a more comprehensive commercial vehicle strategic plan, the Tollway is also considering ways to enhance truck parking along the Tollway system and exploring new customer service features that can improve account management for commercial vehicle fleets.

Only reason I'm posting here is bc it's so regionally specific.

 

I have to take some younger kids fishing this week, and bass bite is nonexistent, so I'm thinking Bluegill and Crappie. How has the bite been and what's been working? 

 

I'm down in Champaign

Can anyone recommend a good fishing club that meets northwest of Chicago in the Woodstock/Crystal Lake area?

I don't have a boat and would like to be a co-angler with some experienced fishermen....there's so much to learn in this sport.

Can anyone recommend a good fishing club that meets northwest of Chicago in the Woodstock/Crystal Lake area?

I don't have a boat and would like to be a co-angler with some experienced fishermen....there's so much to learn in this sport.

Anglers Choice and Anglers Dream both hold tournaments on the Fox Chain. You can contact the tournament directors Chuck-Anglers Choice and Sal-Anglers Dream and sign up as a co. These are buddy tournaments, so you may or may not have a chance of getting in. AC has a message on their web page that someone is looking for a co. http://usanglerschoice.com/tdata/schedule2014.asp?Selectvalue=303 http://www.anglers-dream.com/#!2015-div-24-fox-chain-of-lakes/c1ip5   

Can anyone recommend a good fishing club that meets northwest of Chicago in the Woodstock/Crystal Lake area?

I don't have a boat and would like to be a co-angler with some experienced fishermen....there's so much to learn in this sport.

You can also try Anglers Unlimited in Round Lake. They are always looking for members and have a partner draw system. They will always partner you up with someone that has a boat. They fish approximately 10 partner draw tourneys, and they fish maily S.E Wisconsin lakes. If you need more info check out their website or I can give you a contact number.

Great site! I live in Sandwich, about 50 miles SW of Chicago. Looking to get back into the fishing seen this spring. Grew up in Door County fishing salmon with my dad. Now excited to do some bass fishing and reading some great info on this site as the game is quite different from what I grew up on (in the 70's) and need to learn a lot.

Welcome from the NW burbs

Great site! I live in Sandwich, about 50 miles SW of Chicago. Looking to get back into the fishing seen this spring. Grew up in Door County fishing salmon with my dad. Now excited to do some bass fishing and reading some great info on this site as the game is quite different from what I grew up on (in the 70's) and need to learn a lot.

 

There are a lot of guys here who would be jealous to learn how close you live to the Plano outlet store. Welcome to the site from another Flatlander

There are a lot of guys here who would be jealous to learn how close you live to the Plano outlet store. Welcome to the site from another Flatlander

That's pretty funny. I actually graduated high school in Plano. Have quite a few friends that work at Plano Molding including my brother. He just gave my son a tackle box for Christmas;)

New tournament regs for 2015 http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/fishing/Documents/IllinoisFishingInformation.pdf

 

Page 58 of the 2015 IL. regs

1) The capability of the fishery resource to absorb the tournament with minimal impact to its well-being. Permitted hook and line tournament fishing during
the months of July and August south of Interstate 74 and during the month of August north of Interstate 74 shall be held only in the morning or
after 5:00 p.m. and all weigh-ins must be concluded by noon (12:00 p.m.)

Supposedly put in effect to decrease fish mortality rate yet meat fishermen can still harvest fish 24/7

Anybody else looking forward to the fishing show coming up in Schaumburg ?

Anybody else looking forward to the fishing show coming up in Schaumburg ?

 

I'll be working the booth for my fishing club, The Illinois Smallmouth Alliance on Saturday and Sunday at the Schaumburg show. Stop by and say hello while you're there. I'll be the big guy with the beard.

Hi Scott I'll do that

I'm the big guy without a beard

Lol

Hi Scott I'll do that

I'm the big guy without a beard

Lol

Me too. I'll be the guy wearing a tackle warehouse t shirt

My club had a booth at Rosemont for years but it is such a ghost town anymore it just wasn't worth our time to participate anymore. Having to pay what is it, $12 or $13 just to park is more than the show is worth. I used to love that show back when I was booking a lot of Canadian trips and doing a lot of traveling to fish but, that time is gone.

Not sure if I'll make the Schaumburg show this year, if my schedule permits I'll swing out. I'd like to see Swindle on Friday but doubtful to make that happen.

No to Rosemont basically from what Scott described. That place used to be great and had a ton of deals. I haven't been to that one in over 5 years.

Not sure if I'll make the Schaumburg show this year, if my schedule permits I'll swing out. I'd like to see Swindle on Friday but doubtful to make that happen.

No to Rosemont basically from what Scott described. That place used to be great and had a ton of deals. I haven't been to that one in over 5 years.

My teams there right now at Bass U https://www.facebook.com/fightingillinibassclub. They basically confirmed my suspicions, less fishing more lodges etc.