Been a couple weeks for me- but heard crappie are prespawn and water is 70 at 48 bridge.  Bite has got to be hot on Wednesday after this warming trend- then I think a cold front coming though Thursday.  I may be wrong though, as that is what the weatherman said!   Going out Friday and most likely Saturday so let me know how it goes.

Time to pay up the State if you have not already have or already have lifetime license! 

twas a good day gents, water temp started at 51 deg and ended up 62 in the same area later in the day. it was 70-72 on the warm side. 

it was a zoo out today,most boats ive ever seen in the parking lot. state park lot was almost full.

 

mainly caught them on red eye shad traps. had one almost four lbs and my buddy caught a 21 inch female about to explode that went nearly 6lbs, good way to start the year.

 

going to tmrw as well

 

green smokercraft if any of you are out there come say hi.

Wind discouraged me yesterday, and work.  Today- looks a bit wet right now.  Going to a couple meetings but my try to see what this afternoon looks like.

congrats.  I think I am going to try to be out all weekend at least.

Got my license yesterday and headed out. A bit windy but kept it to my back. I managed a 2.7# bass 

 

Got my license yesterday and headed out. A bit windy but kept it to my back. I managed a 2.7# bass 

 

You take that pic with a phone or a camera? That's really crisp and clear.

Camera  Canon SD800is small point&shoot 

Thank You

Got out Saturday we they were biting good on spinnerbaits and jigs, my son hooked up with a couple pigs.

Hell yeah

Those are some good hawgs right there. Nice!

well now I really question why I moved from southern Illinois...

is that cedar or orchard... or where are you at?

Hey everyone! I just recently moved to the Joliet area from Massachusetts and dont know the fishing here at all. Any good spots for bank fishing for Large or Smallmouth around here?? I heard Heidicke was decent but Ive only been fishing the retention ponds in the neighborhood so far. Anybody that wants to point me towards a great spot I would appreciate it! Thanks!

Minooka huh, there is a "secret" spot on the Illinois River just outside of town. If the water isn't too high, it's a good shore fishing spot. Send me a PM and I'll give you directions you also have the DuPage River not far away, lots of good smallmouth action there. The Fox and Kankakee Rivers are also within reasonable distances. All 3 have good shore access and good wading possibilities. Nice to have you here. I live about 15 minutes from Minooka myself.

is that cedar or orchard... or where are you at?

 

 It was little grassy we had 3.2 inches of rain the day before. Fishings been hot there the last few years, and the fishing and hunting is only reason I still live in southern Illinois, lord knows I could make much better money and pay less taxes someplace else.

Hello IL Anglers,

 

I am planning a fishing trip the weekend of April 25th.  Would like to go to one of the good lakes in Southern IL.  We are coming from St. Louis.  We are not very good fishermen so we need help.  We do have a boat.

 

Can you offer a lake recommendation and some more detailed tips- part of the lake, depth, etc.

 

We have heard of:  Crab Orchard, Lake of Egypt, Little Grassy, Kincaid.  Can anyone make a recommendation?  Thanks in advance.  I appreciate any and all help

 

Larry

 It was little grassy we had 3.2 inches of rain the day before. Fishings been hot there the last few years, and the fishing and hunting is only reason I still live in southern Illinois, lord knows I could make much better money and pay less taxes someplace else.

Very nice- have not been to grassy in years- but worked at Crab Orchard with U.S. Fish and Wildlife and would take my jon boat there about every day after work.  Always a nice little lake.  Great fish no matter where they came from!! 

Hello IL Anglers,

 

I am planning a fishing trip the weekend of April 25th.  Would like to go to one of the good lakes in Southern IL.  We are coming from St. Louis.  We are not very good fishermen so we need help.  We do have a boat.

 

Can you offer a lake recommendation and some more detailed tips- part of the lake, depth, etc.

 

We have heard of:  Crab Orchard, Lake of Egypt, Little Grassy, Kincaid.  Can anyone make a recommendation?  Thanks in advance.  I appreciate any and all help

 

Larry

Larry- may want to talk to Scott above lol!! 

Anyhow- a bit of that depends on your boat and the type of fishing you want to do- there are some lakes better for numbers or multi-species and some that are some of the best big bass fisheries in the state (in fact, most of the lakes you named included.)  If you are coming for an entire weekend, then you actually could fish more than one of these lakes each day as they are close to each other- and could have entirely different experiences altogether (the difference between devils kitchen and little grassy is incredible, and yet they are a couple minutes away from each other).  Some lakes such as Crab you do need a sticker- just call the field office and they can guide you very easy- cedar lake has hp restriction, but is also a good area lake closer to Kincaid than the others. I usually stay in a cabin now south of Carbondale, and try to fish a couple different lakes.

Hey everyone! I just recently moved to the Joliet area from Massachusetts and dont know the fishing here at all. Any good spots for bank fishing for Large or Smallmouth around here?? I heard Heidicke was decent but Ive only been fishing the retention ponds in the neighborhood so far. Anybody that wants to point me towards a great spot I would appreciate it! Thanks!

Lasalle and Braidwood are not horribly far from where you live and should offer up some good shore fishing for another month or two

Stay safe with these storms guys. Looks like a few tornados already touched down

Fished Clinton on Sunday- looked like a big hs tourney going on and I was a bit frustrated at how many boats were out.  Seriously, I kind of like tourneys but in this area of the country there is just not enough water imo. 

Anyhow, did not see them catching much but I was able to land 4 keepers and lost two big one that looked around 5ish.  Fished about 4 hours at windblown main lake points, but at the very shallow end right at the bank is where fish came from.  All caught on 2.5 square bill. 

had never really thrown one until sunday for the most part, but it seemed to fit the bill as I just tried to cover any water I could not find 2 boats on already.  At one point, I was fishing a point and a boat came up behind me (as in at my back, not off stern and were trying to cast to where I was fishing in another 30 seconds) and another boat came up on the other side of point I was casting across and not one of them even looked at me.  I put my tm on high and drove back and forth across it 2 times, turned big motor on, trimmed way up, and drove slowly away.  Not proudest moment but the folks that were working the boat for the highschoolers were not teaching them well at all. 

I can understand your frustration I had the same type of incident with high school tournament fisherman last year, pulled up right in front of me on a wind blown point like I was going to turn around and let them have it. lol They don't know me well, I just kept moving in their direction, they couldn't control their boat in the wind found some rocks with the trolling motor trying to avoid me cause I was gonna leave a Dale Earnhardt rub mark for them to remember me. As for tournament pressure I'm glad I have Crab Orchard USFWS limiting the big tournaments to 3 a year. 10 Years ago I loved to fish the Lake of Egypt, now I only night fish it, I've never seen so many tournaments on a lake 2-3 tournaments EVERY Sat.-Sun. 

is what it is I guess- I support the HS tourneys and they don't do anything that other folks don't already do as well in non hs tourneys, it is just the sheer number of them now is ludicrous. 

at Clinton on the 12th there was:

 

4/12/15 Illiana Bass Anglers 10 boats

4/12/15 Illinois Bass Federation 30 boats

4/12/15 Lexington Bass Club 20 boats 

4/12/15 Illini Bass Fishing 75 boats

135 boats in tourney format on a 5k acre lake is just crazy.  Anyhow, looked at the results and about 8 pounds won it on two fish.  I guess if I cant beat them, I should join them.  Not really in love with the tx scene but do enjoy it occasionally but I could have cashed a check out there with 4 fish apparently.  fished for only about 4hrs from about 1130 to 330-400ish.    

 

If I remember correctly Bwell helps put that thing together, and I fully support what they do either way. 

nice_bass have you seen the weights for the thurs/fri tournies last week? the 2nd day the winning boat caught almost 25lbs, and day one the had like 23 or so lbs.

 

the big bass was around 8lbs also for the tourney

 

i agree that the IDNR needs to regulate these tournies, to many boats on a 5500 acre lake with only 4000 acres fishable, it sure makes it toughter for recreational guys like me.

Not sure on the Thurs/Friday tourney.... cant believe there were tourneys that many days in a row and fishing was still ok on Sunday lol!

25 great bag anywhere you go...pretty excited I will be headed there in about 5 hours!