Paul Trybul

Anyone out there scouting for the elusive morel mushrooms? I found some today in Winnebago County. We really need some rain up here bad. They are just starting to pop little 1-2" shrooms. Some were already dried out never to get any bigger than 1". This is the earlist I've ever found them in Northern IL. It must be prime time for you central IL guys.

Kevin you were probably better off fishing where you did. At least you had more trees to block that blustery wind.

We had 9 members show up for our Rockton Rock River outing in search of spring bronze. Conditions on this day were high water, 6" water visibility, brisk north winds with high gusts and cool temperatures. I had to leave a little early to make my daughters volleyball game but at the time I left it was a total skunking. I'm not even sure I had a legitimate bite. I know a few fish were on for a little while but the bites were very light and the fish were not hooked well. I haven't got full reports from everyone yet but it was a tough early spring outing. We even has a flyfisherman fighting the stiff winds.

There was one guy, not part of our group, that had a stringer with a few legal walleyes on it fishing below the spillway of the dam. That area was too high and dangerous to wade and he was in the only spot that was really fishable. The race area that we fished just wasn't happening on this day. That's why they call it fishing and not catching.

Nicely done Mike. It look like there are a lot of good opportunities to get out there, get involved, and feel good about it too.

Just a friendly reminder that ISA members will be meeting in Rockton, IL at 8AM for shore fishing outing on the Rock River. The water levels are high so this will be shore fishing only, don't bring your waders. The dynamics of this location is high water proof so there is always quality water to fish no mater the level. So far 2 members have shown interest. If you are interested contact Paul T @ 815-703-2651. If we get enough interest we may meet for breakfast before the fishing outing.

Don't feel bad Terry. I've tried YOUR creek twice this year and I don't even have a nibble to show for it. I did try the Kish last night after work with my father and we both caught 1 decent smallmouth. I had nice 16"er t-bone a suspending jerkbait and my dad caught a chuncky 17.5" smallmouth on a jig. Coloring were very different. Mine was a light colored golden bronze and my fathers was dark. Things are starting to happen but fishing was still slow.

It off of Riverside rd just east of tollway 90. Thanks for helping out.

Meeting on March 16th at 7PM at Gander Mountain in Rockford. We are supposed to discuss lure making but we can certainly have a conservation discussion as well.

Saturday is usually the busiest day of the show and Jude & I will be at the Bronzeback Blowout. We could use all the help we can get on Saturday. It's just me on Sunday so another helper would be nice.

I know that nobody here can identify this spot.

Been there done that. Did you hear any pigeons cooing from up above while you were there?

This was one my father caught at one of the July ISA outings. Water was up a little that day but show still went on. I think my father caught a bad case of poison ivy that day so beware. He's brought breathable waders every trip since then.

Watch out for falling ice cycles Don.

You didn't say others couldn't conribute.

July 2008 when the IL DNR asked for the ISA to help with shocking surveys. I found it to be very educational.

Karen can tell you the difference of an Ozark minnow from a central stoneroller. Comes in handy when you are trying to match the hatch.

Terry,

I know exactly where you're talking about. It does look ugly compared to the past looking upstream from the tressel bridge. It does look like the construction company did thier due dilligance. Silt fences along with rock to stabalize the bank. New rock typically is not good for holding fish. As the rock ages and covers with algea it will attract crayfish which will attract smallmouth.

There was similar work done on the north branch of the Kish west of Distillery Rd when those new subdivions went up. The area of the bank that they reinforced with rock does hold some fish. Maybe it held more fish before, its hard to say. Man made structure in rivers do hold smallmouth bass.

All of this construction will affect our rivers. We can only hope they use good practices and minimize the impacts.

You are correct Ed. I took that picture of Gregg with what I think was a 20 or very close to it.

Terry,

Thank you for stepping up at the Rockford show so an Officer like me can go to Blowout. Blowouts are a blast and I still have a great time even though I'm working 1/2 the time.

You are in the right spot if you're looking for like minded anglers. Many of us spend plenty of time thinking about what stretch of river I'm going to fish, what fly am I going to use to land that big smallmouth,

where is that big smallmouth hiding at and on and on. Some may even call some of us obsessed.

The ISA is like anything else in life, the more you put into it the more you will get out. If you take the time to meet and fish with members you will learn more about smallmouth bass fishing period. If you have dreams and visions of cleaning up our waterways and improving the habitat, this is a good forum to execute them. We have some money set aside for projects and a large member base to leverage volunteer manpower.

Some members just lurk the forums and read the newsletters happy knowing their $30 goes to a good cause.

It's all up to you and we're happy to have you either way.

The ID is easy, but the pic is a hoot.

Gregg

When I show people that picture they don't believe that is a wild deer and not from some deer park like in the Wisconsin Dells,

I really find the picture journal stories of boundary water trips very entertaining. Reading the stories is a nice way to cure a little cabin fever. If you guys want to read more stories like these there are 2 great websites just loaded with stories of outdoor adventures in BWCA and Quetico. Try www.bwca.com or www.quietjourney.com . Someday I hope to go there too. Through all the reading I've done, I already have a vision for the route of my adventure.

Don,

You're right on with your guess. Looks like a Sylvania background too.

Last picture would be a past ISA officer by the name of Pete Plauk. If you spend a day fishing with Pete you'll most likely learn something about river smallmouth fishing. Lewandowski was an ISA coordinator for a brief time. That looks like my canoe he's fishing out of.

Plus it looks like the first time in a long time we won't be getting 5 inches of snow that night.

Maybe I forgot to specify but that would be 7:00 PM next wednesday. Unless you work a night shift you shouldn't have to take any vacation to make our meeting.

The Northwest Region will meet on Wednesday, January 13th at 7:00 at the Rockford Gander Mountain on Perryville Rd. I was unable to find an quality affordable speaker so we are having a social pizza party. A little comraderie among like minded anglers sharing stories and techniques. The Winnebago County Forest Preserve District has recently shown some interest in habitat improvement of the Kishwaukee within its parks, so come to the meeting armed with ideas for potential projects. They’ve asked for our input, so let’s give it to them. We will also schedule our 2010 outings. If you are 90% sure you can attend please RSVP me so I can order the right amount of food.

Paul Trybul

815-703-2651

For me last year it was Florida. It's hard to beat fishing in shorts and a T-shirt in late December. This year after a tough year in sales I'll be lucky to make it to a cooling lake like Powerton.

I still have a small stash of the original ones in black. The supply is dwindling though and they only last a few fish. It did produce my 2 biggest local smallies of the year now that I think about it.

Those CB plastic leeches. Are those the replicas of the original berkley ribbon style powerleeches that have been discontinued for several years now?

I'm doing pretty good. I haven't got out much lately. This time of year I like to take my boat out on the Rock. I can't since the truck I have access to has a break in the break line. Those water temps seem way too low for early to mid October. Temps in the 40's usually means you need minnows to get a consistant bite. Smaller rivers like the Kish and Pine creek are probably mid to low 40's

I did fish below the oregon dam in early August. We did good for channel cats and caught some smallies and a walleye around the dam. The fishing seemed to get worse the farther downstream we went. The usual good spots around Castle Rock were super slow. That cool rock out outcrop with the eagle nest produced 1 smallie and 1 white bass and we worked it hard. Kyte produced only 1 dink. There are still fish there just not in the numbers that we were used to.

I haven't been fishing very much since the cold snap hit. I know things have changed a lot over the past 2 weeks. I was wondering if anyone has been on any rivers lately and took a temperature reading. If you could name the river along with the temp that would be great. I'm going to be restocking my wading vest here soon. Out with craw imitators and in with the swim jigs, suspending jerbaits, float & flies, and gulp minnows. Water temp is going to play a big roll on the feeding habits now.