Catfish Fishing
MISSISSIPPI RIVER BLUE CATFISH
The big river is flooded right now. That means changes in the structure. It does not mean the big blue catfish will not be still there when the river goes down. Although catfish are at […]
Tailwaters
Catfish Fishing
FALL CATFISH CRANKBAITING
Carefully picking his way through the rock strewn tailwaters, the angler casts a 1/8 ounce jig up under the dam. Almost immediately the line heads for deeper water. Carefully the angler retrieves a 2 pound […]
Fishing News - Fresh
TAILWATER ADDICTION
A summer of record rainfall has resulted in high water situations in most of Illinois lakes and rivers. As a result many fish washing over dams creating rejuvenated fisheries n the tailwaters downstream. Tailwaters are […]
Fishing News - Fresh
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BANK FISHING AND STREAM WALKING
There is a natural evolution from bank fishing to stream walking. It is probably due in part to someone getting bored bank fishing when the fish are not biting. Early angling literature almost always focuses […]
Fishing News - Fresh
THEY CALL THEM ROCKFISH
The screech of the reel is a dead giveaway for some rockfish action on the Ohio River. Even if they are not on the agenda today, rockfish, or as they are often known, striper can […]
Fishing Tips
CRAYFISH – THE ANGLERS FRIEND
From Lake Michigan salmon to the popular catfish, the aquatic version of sirloin steak is the crayfish. Virtually all fish species like to eat them but bass and perch are particularly fond of this crustacean.
Fishing Tips
SUMMER ON THE ROCK
The 155 miles of Rock River that flows through Illinois from the Wisconsin state line to near Rock Island on the Mississippi River divides into three basic habitats for fish. They are tailwaters below dams, […]
Fishing News - Fresh
WHITE BASS OF CARLYLE LAKE ILLINOIS
Carlyle Lake offers some of the best white bass fishing in terms of quantity and quality. The fish average about one half pound. The total population runs 10 to 15-inches in length with 62 percent […]
Trout/Salmon Fishing
TACKLE FOR ILLINOIS TROUT FISHING
Fishing for Midwestern trout is usually a little different than in western or eastern waters. This is due to the fact that most Midwestern trout are hatchery raised and often found in ponds as opposed […]
Panfish Fishing
SPRING RUN WHITE BASS
Lake Shelbyville is a natural for white bass. White bass thrive in large, open-water impoundments containing an abundance of shad, their favorite forage fish. This 11,000-plus acre impoundment is located in Shelby and Moultrie counties […]
Bass Fishing
BASS IN MISSISSIPPI RIVER POOL 13
The Mississippi River extends the entire length of Illinois varying fishing opportunities in the various pools formed by navigational dams. For bass fishing probably the best pool is Pool 13 which extends from Lock & […]
Panfish Fishing
Spot and Stalk Crappie Hunting
One of the late winter rites of passage is ice out crappie fishing. Locating the ice out crappie is a matter of going where they should be and going where they are. The latter probably […]
Fishing Tips
Ice Out Patterns For Cold Fish
Some fishermen mistakenly seem to think fish are like bears and go into hibernation. Large game fish often turn up at this time of the year. The fish are not as aggressive when water temperatures […]
Fishing News - Salt
Rocket Stripers and Hybrids
There is nothing that will stir the heart like the whine of a reel when a Striper or Hybrid Striper has taken your bait. These striped rockets are the state’s greatest battler according to Steve […]
Catfish Fishing
Catfishing The Ohio and Wabash Rivers
Les Frankland, Region V Fisheries Biologist for IDNR is the expert on the Ohio and the Wabash River. His recommendation is Smithland Pool for catfish. Fishing is available in the other two pools and the […]
Bass Fishing
There’s Bass In Them Thar Rivers
River fishing is really a kind of hunting for “fishy water.” To be successful in finding bass, the river angler must know how to read the conditions. Water conditions and structure available are important to […]
Catfish Fishing
Slip Bobbers and Catfish
My introduction to fishing came at the end of some black nylon line with a wine cork tied above a worm-baited hook. Between the two was tied a bolt. It was pretty rudimentary but functional. […]
Fishing News - Fresh
Carlyle Lake Bass
Three species of “bass” inhabit the tailwaters below the Carlyle Dam. The three are Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, and White Bass. The 26,000-acre impoundment that is Carlyle Lake can be located on Illinois 127 and […]
Fishing News - Fresh
Walking Streams In Spring
May is a time to explore the area creeks and streams in search of some off beat fishing holes. With a little planning and careful walking, the fisherman can find water that is his and […]
Fishing News - Fresh
Tips For Spring Weather Fishing
Spring can be the best and the worst of times for the fisherman. The fish are active and so is the weather. It seems that spring is just one front after another. Some contain severe […]
Catfish Fishing
Kaskaskia River Catfish
Beginning with its headwaters in Champaign County, the Kaskaskia River flows some 280 miles to the southwest to join the Mississippi River. The upper reaches of the river above Lake Shelbyville do not produce large […]