This might help you as well http://boatinglakecounty.com/directory/category/boat-rental

6 hours ago, slonezp said:

I think your best bet is to spend a day on Bangs Lake which is about 15 minutes south of Volo. Wauconda Boat rents pontoons, and if you are military or ex military, they have a free rental but it needs to be reserved. We killed them a few weeks ago on texas rigged senkos.

The Fox Chain is difficult to find bass during the summertime. Most of the shoreline is choked with weeds. You can rent 14ft Lunds with motors at CJ Smiths on Grass Lake Rd. CJ also allows shore fishing for a fee. There are a few other free shore fishing spots that should hold catfish and carp. A word of warning, The Chain gets crazy with boat traffic after 11:00am. Makes fishing less than enjoyable.

Long Lake is part of the Chain but not accessible by boat from the Chain so it doesn't get crazy. Swanys on Long Lake rents pontoons

I'm heading out right no. If I think of anything else I'll post it later. If you think you are interested in any of the lakes I mentioned, PM me

While you're in Volo, You need to go to the auto museum and stop in for a hotdog at Fratellos

Thanks for the info! I'm familiar with the Chain. To much personal watercraft and Rich kids in daddy's boat for me. I've fished a few tournaments on the chain. Three Oaks rec center? Have you heard of this? Looks like a new place to fish as well.

My son has fished 3 oaks. Its an old stone quarry that is supposed to have som big fish. They have a boat rental but i believe they rent quick. Independence grove is about 1/2 hour east of volo that had decent fishing but i havent been there in years

Yall are making me feel very grateful for living "down south"! Carlyle is 35 minutes away. Coffeen 45 minutes. Kincaid or shelbyville 1 hr 45 minutes. Washington county lake 1hr 15 minutes. Oh yeah, silver lake, 9 minutes.

I stay off the big lakes on weekends and holidays !!!

1 minute ago, Skunked again said:

Yall are making me feel very grateful for living "down south"! Carlyle is 35 minutes away. Coffeen 45 minutes. Kincaid or shelbyville 1 hr 45 minutes. Washington county lake 1hr 15 minutes. Oh yeah, silver lake, 9 minutes.

I stay off the big lakes on weekends and holidays !!!

I'm 35 mins from Braidwood, 45 mins from Illinois river.. Good bodies of water pretty much all over.

3 hours ago, Skunked again said:

Yall are making me feel very grateful for living "down south"! Carlyle is 35 minutes away. Coffeen 45 minutes. Kincaid or shelbyville 1 hr 45 minutes. Washington county lake 1hr 15 minutes. Oh yeah, silver lake, 9 minutes.

I stay off the big lakes on weekends and holidays !!!

The fox chain holds the title of busiest fresh water waterway per acre in the U.S  Its also the lake i call home. 

On ‎8‎/‎7‎/‎2016 at 1:21 PM, slonezp said:

I might as well retire. Last keeper I caught was on Bangs 3 weeks ago. Upper dells last weekend caught a ton of catfish, 1 walleye, and some short smallies. 3 shorts this morning on the Fox River. Think I'm headed to Castle Rock and/or Petenwell this coming weekend.

This weeks plans are in the toilet. Toxic algae bloom on the Wisconsin river https://www.juneaumessenger.com/articles/1711/view

I would go! Will be less people their. Went to a lake that had this last summer, it was great, very little traffic. Was not good for the local vendors that where dependent on summer revenue.

Personally I think their making a mountain out of a mole hill. One of the oldest life forms on the planet, and we're just now making a big deal of it. From the world health organization, to the federal EPA, and state EPA's, none can agree on what levels (and for what length of time) are dangerous.  

At what point do we cease all activities and walk around in bubbles? 

Also, if sent to a lab, the testing process is approximately a week before you get results. Their is a test kit that gives results in about an hour, though it is very subjective.

4 hours ago, Skunked again said:

  

At what point do we cease all activities and walk around in bubbles? 

You never met the wife...When we were up there 2 weeks ago she was commenting on the "disgusting" algae in the river. At her request, I made the mistake of going on lake link to check the fishing reports, and that's where the link to the article was. We're going to work on the summer home tomorrow instead. I'll head up there to fish in 2 weeks

Gotcha. My wife is on the same line. Although she did get in the "nasty" water, cringed the whole time. 

Gotta love em.

Screw working on the house. We went fishing.

Fished East Fork Lake this past weekend with a club tournament and it was TOUGH to find keepers (15").  Winner on Saturday had 2 fish for 7.5 lbs and no one had more than 2 keepers.  Didn't hear the weigh in results for Sunday but it wasn't much different.  Heard that 4.5 lbs won a club tournament there the week before.  We caught a lot of 13"-14" fish but the keepers were few and far between.  

State Championship tournament will be held there in a month.  Curious to see if things improve by then.  

Not an Illinois report...but oh well.

Spent Thursday through Sunday at lake of the Ozarks and was determined to fish for only big fish.

Did not catch a fish over 19 inches though.  not really great fishing although I was able to catch a limit every morning by around 9 (just a small limit).  I don't think I have caught a fish over 6.5 this year so I may need to rethink going back down there until next year.

Fishing was tough though in that I had wife and daughter and did not get to fish a single afternoon/evening as we were doing other activities- tubing, eating, drinking. 

Not sure how the fishing was around here last week but when the storms were coming through (only about 50 miles from the lake but never at the lake) the bite pretty much shut down.  On top of that Ameren screwed up and let too much water out and then they shut down pulling any water for 2 days. that really screws the bite up bad.

Fished the big lake today and caught a 4.7 lb smallmouth which is my biggest in IL.  Had a bigger fish on but I didn't get a good hookset and when it bulldogged under the boat the lure popped out.  It was a brute.  Caught some other nice keeper fish as well.   Fished some new areas since I have a tournament out there Saturday and was looking for new stuff.  LOL- found out later that the keeper size for IL is 20" which is where I was fishing.  Me and my partner are not fishing for seasonal points so do we go fish for a big bass or stay in Indiana with it's 14" size limit?  Think I'll leave it up to him.  

12 hours ago, Junk Fisherman said:

Fished the big lake today and caught a 4.7 lb smallmouth which is my biggest in IL.  Had a bigger fish on but I didn't get a good hookset and when it bulldogged under the boat the lure popped out.  It was a brute.  Caught some other nice keeper fish as well.   Fished some new areas since I have a tournament out there Saturday and was looking for new stuff.  LOL- found out later that the keeper size for IL is 20" which is where I was fishing.  Me and my partner are not fishing for seasonal points so do we go fish for a big bass or stay in Indiana with it's 14" size limit?  Think I'll leave it up to him.  

Is the tourney in IL or Indiana waters? If you think you'll get bigger fish in IL, fish for 2 big ones and then head south. I know on the Madison Chain, that's exactly what they do because Mendota has a different creel limit than the rest of the chain.

On 8/18/2016 at 6:01 PM, slonezp said:

Is the tourney in IL or Indiana waters? If you think you'll get bigger fish in IL, fish for 2 big ones and then head south. I know on the Madison Chain, that's exactly what they do because Mendota has a different creel limit than the rest of the chain.

 Maybe do it for half the day then come back to Indiana.  

On 8/18/2016 at 6:01 PM, slonezp said:

Is the tourney in IL or Indiana waters? If you think you'll get bigger fish in IL, fish for 2 big ones and then head south. I know on the Madison Chain, that's exactly what they do because Mendota has a different creel limit than the rest of the chain.

Ended up not going to IL and fishing only IN waters.  Scored a 3 fish limit (culled 2) for a little under 10 lbs and big bass at 3.95.  That was good for both the win and big bass.  First win in my new boat.  Happy about the that.  

Went bluegill fishing with my dad today. The bite was off the charts but the big ones were nowhere to be found. I can only guess we hit the 100 mark with number of fish caught. 9 1/2" was the biggest gill got enough meat for 3 meals. I was shocked by the amount of LM bass we caught on 1/2" pieces of nightcrawlers . Bass upwards of 14". Had some perch and rockbass in the mix as well. Plan is to hit Petenwell and/or Castle Rock next weekend barring any deadly poisonous algae.

Anybody have any tips for fishing Busse? 

jhc1,

Are you fishing from shore or from a boat at Busse?  I fish busse from a kayak and do a lot of frogging there.  It's big and weedy and has a lot of places for fish to hide.  Weed edges and paying attention to what types of weeds are on top will help you a lot.  If you can find areas where there is a steep drop off to about 10 ft of water, that's where I have had most success.  Also try to find an area called clearwater bay.  I have only fished the main pool, southpool might be worth a try as well.

7 hours ago, stk said:

jhc1,

Are you fishing from shore or from a boat at Busse?  I fish busse from a kayak and do a lot of frogging there.  It's big and weedy and has a lot of places for fish to hide.  Weed edges and paying attention to what types of weeds are on top will help you a lot.  If you can find areas where there is a steep drop off to about 10 ft of water, that's where I have had most success.  Also try to find an area called clearwater bay.  I have only fished the main pool, southpool might be worth a try as well.

Hey thanks for the quick reply. I was on the bank this weekend and was focusing on the south dam before the vicious downpour. I'm going to return in a couple of weeks and rent a boat for a good while in the morning/early afternoon, so I'll be able to explore many more areas. 

been fishing the fox river with a squarebill crankbait, got a few largemouth. planning on hitting up the hollows with a frog soon

I'm tweaking. Haven't seen the water in a couple weeks. hoping to get out on Sunday before the Bears Game GO BEARS!!!

37 minutes ago, slonezp said:

I'm tweaking. Haven't seen the water in a couple weeks. hoping to get out on Sunday before the Bears Game GO BEARS!!!

Hang in there my friend

A-Jay