1 hour ago, beardown34 said:

Wow, nice fatties Tracker22

Not bad for Southern Illinois! Anything over 5# is rare.

Spent yesterday getting the boat ready. Got to finish respooling reels and find room for the tackle I bought during the off season. I also went out scouting ice. Pretty sure it will all be gone after this weekends weather.

Don't post here often but I'm in the west suburbs of Chicago. Definitely getting out this coming weekend on a lake or two and the Dupage River.

Went to coffeen Tuesday and Wednesday. Couple of little ones. Tried to teach myself skipping. Lots of backlash! Getting their. Kind off glad I'm working this weekend, gonna be crazy out their. Be safe!

Well, It's been awhile since I've posted here with work and just life in general... But we managed to get out on Saturday and stuck a few 25 to be exact. No big pigs yet. Man it was nice to be on the water!

Nicely done!

Tom H - looks like the bass grow larger in all of your left hands!

smallies are starting to heat up on the river. Only got out for a couple hours and managed 7. all in the 14-16 inch range. Super shallow on rock with current, only thing they'll hit is a tube.

 

Fished Bangs today. Water temp 38* My son got 1 bass on a jerkbait and I got ****. We did mark some good size schools of panfish relating to weed edges in 7-10fow at a couple different spots on the lake 

My first of 2017. Been a really slow start of the year out at the pond. 6.5 @Mattlures Strongshad

Monster shad.  Bullshooter 160 next to it

Can't get any closer to matching the hatch then that

8 minutes ago, slonezp said:

Can't get any closer to matching the hatch then that

If I had my dark fin gizzard tied on it would have been identical. But yes size and everything it was almost dead nuts.  I never knew until this spring the pond had shad in it, monsters at that.  I've been seeing them swimming in big schools around the shore each time i've been out.  No lurkers though..none that were interested in my bait anyway.

For anyone interested, Walmart on Rohwling in Addison still has a bunch of Berkeley fireline 125yd on sale for $7 

On 3/14/2017 at 0:54 PM, beardown34 said:

For anyone interested, Walmart on Rohwling in Addison still has a bunch of Berkeley fireline 125yd on sale for $7 

I got a bunch at Streamwood for $5

Caught some dinner today. Probably start chasing bass next weekend.

Hit up Braidwood Sunday.  Good day- caught 12-15 bass.  Biggest were a couple 16"-17" fatties.  They weren't going crazy but we had relatively consistent action.  Normal producers for me- chatterbait and finesse baits did most of the damage.  Beautiful day to be out.  Mid 50s, light winds, partly sunny.  Surprisingly, the lake wasn't too crazy.  Off to Southern Illinois next weekend for my spring trip.  Going to fish Newton and some of the 10 HP lakes.  Hope I approach the success I had last year down there.  

The Saugers are on fire on the Illinois in the starved rock pool. Was out Sunday looking for crappie, a day after the MWC had a 2 day tourney and everyone seemed to be catching them. Talked to a few guys at the ramp and they all had limits of big saugers. Fat females full of eggs. The crappie and smallmouth bite was non existent compared to a couple weeks ago, I did manage to catch a few nice bluegills.

On 3/20/2017 at 4:45 AM, Junk Fisherman said:

Hit up Braidwood Sunday.  Good day- caught 12-15 bass.  Biggest were a couple 16"-17" fatties.  They weren't going crazy but we had relatively consistent action.  Normal producers for me- chatterbait and finesse baits did most of the damage.  Beautiful day to be out.  Mid 50s, light winds, partly sunny.  Surprisingly, the lake wasn't too crazy.  Off to Southern Illinois next weekend for my spring trip.  Going to fish Newton and some of the 10 HP lakes.  Hope I approach the success I had last year down there.  

 

I was there Sunday as well, I didn't catch the numbers you did (about half of that) but I did ok and had a couple of those fat 16" fish.   Caught everything on either a ribbon tail worm or a 3/8oz jig and craw.  I was pleasantly surprised as well with the crowds, I actually got there around 10am and didn't even have to wait to launch.   

Thats a pig RyneB. Congrats!

 

Paul, those are some fat perch. How'd they taste?

On 3/22/2017 at 8:25 PM, RyneB said:

got this stud today. Scale was in my boat, so I didn't get a weight. Went 22 1/2 inches. Only one I caught in a hour of casting. Hit a Hudd 68

 

 

At 22½",  that's no 'stud' 

Roger

Man all you guys with these nice fish.  Job well done. I've been so busy at work, can't get the boat out yet. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks. Keep posting those pics.

Fox Chain today. No wake was lifted this morning. Winds we howling today. Water is warming up quick. Fished with dad from 7:30 til 2:30 but no bites after 11:00. Sorted thru alot of small crappies. Still have eggs in their bellies.

Looks like a decent mess! Why is their a no wake restriction for part of thee year?

11 hours ago, Skunked again said:

Looks like a decent mess! Why is their a no wake restriction for part of thee year?

 

the water level can get very high with the spring rains.  trying to limit erosion

Dare we start thinking about topwater yet?