eugene f collins Posted June 10, 2014 Report Share Posted June 10, 2014 Saturday, June 21 @ 8 AM You ready? Start at the skate park in Batavia/Clark island (east side of the river, just north of Funway). We can float to Les Arends or down to the north Aurora police station. Let's hope for some nice weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugene f collins Posted June 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2014 Anybody ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Durham Posted June 10, 2014 Report Share Posted June 10, 2014 if on the 21st of June I'm in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Loebach Posted June 11, 2014 Report Share Posted June 11, 2014 I plan to come. I want to try steel leader to see if the bass care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikea Posted June 11, 2014 Report Share Posted June 11, 2014 Going to Michigan, next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 FYI, the city of Batavia has added large concrete barriers over the launch near the skate park / Clark Island, presumably to help divert high water away from flooding the nearby baseball field. You can still launch near there if you carry your craft across the footbridge and launch off the south end of Clark Island. IMHO the chutes in that stretch are conducive to wade-fishing but a bit too swift for successful float-fishing. Think a better plan is to launch above the NA dam and paddle upstream and pick apart the wide pool all the way up to where it bends mid-way through Les Arends Forest Preserve. Smallmouth hangouts will become evident 10-15 minutes north of your launch and you can simply float back downstream when done and takeout at the same spot. A much more manageable paddle with no car drop-off required. Many "Point A to Point B" downstream floats become more about sight-seeing and exploring than actually fishing, whereas an upstream paddle slows you down and let's you concentrate. You've also got an added bonus of being near Harner's for some breakfast or coffee and donuts beforehand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Loebach Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 Turn your back & someone drops a few tons of stone in your way. Thanks for the heads up. I've done the float you describe & it does work well. I was thinking get out & wade at prime points along the way if starting at Clark Island. Harner's is a good place to meet up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugene f collins Posted June 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2014 Well Shaz bot. .. water block. .... That works for me! Breakfast at Harners. Fish above N/A dam Would like to see a show of hands. ..... How many are interested? 7:00 am-breakfast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Durham Posted June 17, 2014 Report Share Posted June 17, 2014 I like Eric's suggestion. Save me a seat at Harners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Posted June 19, 2014 Report Share Posted June 19, 2014 I'm in for 7 AM breakfast + fishin' of some sort. It's a good excuse to get out of the house and let the wife sleep in on a Saturday. Will bring one or both of my sons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugene f collins Posted June 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2014 So far 7 for breakfast. Anyone else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Ferguson Posted June 20, 2014 Report Share Posted June 20, 2014 I'd like to be there for breakfast, but getting up early enough to be there at 7 on my day off is a deal breaker. You wouldn't consider brunch instead would you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Buric Posted June 20, 2014 Report Share Posted June 20, 2014 I do believe that I can make it for breakfast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Posted June 20, 2014 Report Share Posted June 20, 2014 I have a feeling with all the rain, the river won't be in great shape for paddling. Just the same, I plan on drowning in the flow of some syrupy pancakes... Plus, there's always room for the Mimic Minnow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Durham Posted June 20, 2014 Report Share Posted June 20, 2014 At the present cfs I don't think the Fox is fishable right now, unless your a high water expert like Eric. I can't believe the Vermillion is still at relatively low cfs given all the rain, so I may head to Pontiac for the central Illinois outing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Buric Posted June 20, 2014 Report Share Posted June 20, 2014 I agree with Eric I will be there for breakfast but I will forgo the float. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugene f collins Posted June 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2014 Thank you god of rain! At the present cfs I don't think the Fox is fishable right now, unless your a high water expert like Eric. I can't believe the Vermillion is still at relatively low cfs given all the rain, so I may head to Pontiac for the central Illinois outing. Ok fine run away from a little haha lot of rain. I am thinking hitting a pond/lake somewhere close I already have pond hopper in back of truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Durham Posted June 21, 2014 Report Share Posted June 21, 2014 Sounds like a plan Eugene Ill still bring the yak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Posted June 21, 2014 Report Share Posted June 21, 2014 I'll be there for eats with Brent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugene f collins Posted June 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2014 John l, Mikea, Ed b, Bart, Edward l, Eric and his son Grant and I met up for some breakfast and fish talk. Decided to fish A pond/lake west of 47. Eric and Brent went hole hoping their way to Geneva Swedish days. While the rest of us set out to fish new waters. John brought an extra kayak For Mantis to use. WHICH WAS EXTREMELY COOL! THANK YOU JOHN! I enjoyed being able to fish without running the trolling motor. Pretty sure Ed caught the most and probably Still smiling. Lures-jig & paddle tail, shadow cranks Flies-bead eye clauser, pigboat, wullybugger, crystal bugger, poppers. Ed what we're yours called? You'll need to tire more. Mantis lost it. But he caught one Before losing it. and lost it on a bigger bass. Had a blast! Thanks everyone! See ya when the rivers mellow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugene f collins Posted June 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2014 Was able to take a couple pics before battery died. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Buric Posted June 22, 2014 Report Share Posted June 22, 2014 Good job Eugene and thank you for putting this together Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Loebach Posted June 22, 2014 Report Share Posted June 22, 2014 Thanks Eugene & Eric for suggesting the pond. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Posted June 22, 2014 Report Share Posted June 22, 2014 Was nice to meet up. After breakfast, Brent and I went north to try for smallies from shore. I caught a foot-long smallie on a pearl jig 'n twister at our first spot. Second spot we didn't even get started yet when Brent tripped and skinned both knees and one arm. We headed home and it was nurse mom to the rescue. After a few hours recovery we headed to the forest preserve lake to check on the ISA armada. I could not believe the amount of watercraft out on the lake! Have never seen it so busy. We tossed a popper and a buzzbait from shore for about 15 minutes in the blazing sun. Caught one small largemouth on the buzzbait along a weed edge and then headed to Geneva for the Swedish Days carnival. Stopped at the Fox once more on the way home and tried two good urban spots. Struck out at the first trying the buzzbait and swim jig. Second spot was just the ending I needed. Dunked the pearl jig 'n twister and got bit immediately. Big smallie just waiting in a swirling eddy behind a piling. Taped a hair under 19". Called it a day. USGS 12.37' / 3,050 CFS Was gonna kayak and try for pike on Sunday but the Saturday evening deluge sure screwed up that plan! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Durham Posted June 23, 2014 Report Share Posted June 23, 2014 Thank you Eugene for organizing this event. Had a great time with the group at the lake after a delicious breakfast. Using a black popper on the fly rod caught a number of smaller bass and hybrid bluegill out of the kayak. The bluegill seemed to fight as much as the smaller bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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