John Gillio

Thanks Tom, exciting video.

There are a couple of new sand mines moving into the Utica and Starved Rock area. Due to their proximity to Starved Rock State Park, there is a concern that the waters that feed many of the parks falls will flow toward the deep sand pits leaving the falls dry. I hope this never happens . Only time will tell. Back in the 1950s a cement company changed the flow of Bailey Creek leaving Bailey Falls dry. The falls was just downstream from the wildcats. It was easily seen from the river, as it was at the junction of Bailey Creek and the Vermilion River. This is a newly discovered video of the falls as it was in 1937: Imagine seeing this on the river left as you Kayaked by. It's a shame it is gone.http://youtu.be/_SDPQ76QzJI

Life size on my screen. Nice!

Yuck!

Sweet!

Looks great Jonn.

Looks good Tom.

This seems to be the case with most Rods I have cast.

Rob, I have no experience with "Common Cents", and I'm not much of an aerialist so thanks for the info. Does the 5 wt. cast better with a 6 wt. line?

Tom, I would say yes. They come in black and brown also. Just like your Foxy.

In general they seem to like larger baits in the fall. Even smaller fish more readily hit larger baits in the fall. Baits sporting orange have worked exceptionally well for me in the fall. As things begin to cool down the fish are less likely to be in heavy current areas. I usually like more aggressive baits in early autumn then tone it down as the cold moves in. I'm interested in hearing what others have to say on the subject. Most of my best fish are fall fish , but I leave the smallies alone in the spring.

Happens to me all the time. I just figure that over the years I have gathered so much info. some of it has to be stored in some dark corner where it may or may not ever resurface. We just know too much.

The Dobson fly larva is a prized bait for smallmouth and channel cats. Like crayfish, they are found under rocks on the stream bed. They can be a few inches in length, and when disturbed they roll up and tumble down stream. The one pictured is a male. The jaws of the female are not nearly as large. They too, however ,are rather formidable. Those of the larva are similar in size to those of the female adult. There are many hellgrammite patterns that are effective in catching smallies with the flyrod. In my little experience with using them, they work fairly well for channel cats too. The Woolly Bugger mimics the hellgrammite fairly well. They are somewhat common in the Vermilion River.

a no-see-um.

I like to party . Thanks for the info. Rob.

Rob, how do you like the MHX 5 wt blank, and do you have any experience with the 7 wt MHX?

No problem Rob. The Vermilion peaked at about 7 ft. I expected more. Leonore is boring compared to your Indiana stream.

Ouch!

It should move them around a little, being the playground has been expanded.

They are.

Check out the USGS gauge height graph for the Vermilion River at Leonore.

Never tried studded boots though they may be best under most conditions. I really like the felt soles on rocks but a rubber sole is much better on a muddy shoreline. While in the river I feel much more secure with the felt.

About once a year, I think in the fall sometime, thousands of those massive green & brown ones hatch. I haven't been on the river when it happens but the bridge over the Illinois river is coated with them. You see heaps of dead ones on the side of the road under the bridge lights. That would be a trout fisherman's dream come true.

Thanks Alan.