mannym

Welcome. Good group of folks here. 

On 7/18/2017 at 1:42 PM, SeanL said:

Mark,

 

I appreciate you taking the time to check into this. Although the answer wasn't what I was hoping for, it will keep me out of some potential trouble. Guess I'll venture further west and check out the Vermilion more instead. I used to fish near the Matthiessen park area but have plenty more areas to explore there.

Just keep an eye on water levels. 

The main reason I got my scuba certificate this year was to be able to swim in LM looking at these big fish the lake has. Oh and ship wrecks too. 

Now I just need my "needs work"  vintage wood yacht with twin 5.7 L  mercruisers to refurbish and go!  

Sad part is, it won't last. Mother Nature will make it sexy again in a couple years.  

Permits are needed when doing anything to a named river/stream.  Just saying.....

Today is not a good day to wade......

Probably could have fished a few spots, even a little shore fishing or canoe-kayak paddling. 

The hook that starts the clock all over again. 

Did you have BWCA related books? Lake superior shipwrecks?!

7 hours ago, Joe R said:

Manny  do you know why the vermilion varies  so much? All local rivers vary seasonally do but why vermilion  more so? Usually  you can associate  gradient to faster draining  rivers. Last two fall trips passing through  to and from Iowa i waded leonore gauge at 3.8ft other time was 4.4ft both were manageable.  Another  time when I was passing through it was close to 6ft and I didn't  bother to stop for that.

I ask myself the same question every year when i have to wait till late summer to wade my favorite stretches. 

I believe the grade is the primary river characteristic that causes the big difference. I also believe the river doesn't see as much water after ag fields are well into the growing season. The crops along with drain tile lower the water table. So when we get a good rain, the fields act like a sponge and soak up more than it allows to run off. From my understanding, some of the best producing ag grounds fall within the watershed. Having worked in water management for a few years, I can assure you, there are miles and miles of tile in the watershed. Once spring rains are drained, the subsurface can be pretty dry down to about 3 ft. 

Another characteristic i wonder about is the presence of the LaSalle anticline that runs along it for most of its course. How does that affect the river levels? I believe that is why there is enough grade to allow up to class three rapids in the Lowell to the mouth stretch. It also exposed bedrock. 

Just to be clear, most of my experience wading is from Lowell down. This is the section that has the most grade. It is dangerous if you don't have experience reading rivers. If asked, i will be conservative with my opinions in the name of safety. That is not to say it cant be fished. I just don’t because I can just as easily fish other more wadable rivers near by. 

If the original question was about floating, we would be having a different conversation.  

I would be comfortable using median if the river didnt have so much variation. Case in point, median in August is under 100cfs. April it is 1000cfs or better. Clarity can be unfishable at 150cfs just like 1100 cfs. 

Common sense and all of the other points go without saying. But to try and provide a reply that both keeps the community safe while being productive, i would shy away from the suggested rule of thumb. At least on a river like the big V. 

My original reply was based on 20 years of living walking distance from said river. Started fishing it ten years before that. 

I would be interested to hear John G perspective as he has surely fished this river more than i have. 

8 hours ago, Joe R said:

Best advice is what Bart says ...in general if you don't know the water well just reference the median or the mean level  of historical river levels/flow for that particular day. Once you get above the mean and nearing the 75% percentile chances are water will be stirred up and stained and not worth fishing anyways

https://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/il/nwis/current/?type=flow&group_key=basin_cd

I would be careful with rules of thumb. The median on the Vermillion on 4/14 was 1000cfs. I won’t consider wading at that level or even near it.  Especially when the river has lots of grade, as does this river. Even worse when you wade rivers with unexpected boulders and deep pockets. It is a case by case decision based on intel and experience, IMO. 

I certainly have lots of respect for this river. It can humble you pretty quick. 

She was so close. Back up to around 2500CFS. 

Depends on the section. I use the nearest gauge to me and wade when it is under 400 Cfs.  You can wade at higher levels. I am just not comfy wading in the faster sections near my home base. I don't go too far upstream from me. So not sure near Pontiac. 

So many falls, so little time. 

I heard him speak  there several years ago. If I recall, I won a guided trip with him but never used it. He also fished the ever bloom tourney trail on Evergreen and Bloomington back then. Good speaker and fisherman. 

Yes, wading is out for at least a week. Tie tie tie. Get ready for the next small window. 

The Vermillion went way up. Hope it comes back down to wading levels. I have some winter flies to drown. 

I just mentioned to my wife that they need to expand the parks to fit everyone that comes down every weekend. Just need to clean up the mess and we should have lots more room to spread out. 

60 degree jig hook clouser. 

Clouser minnows!  

Change the weight based on depth and current.  Change the hook to a jig hook if you want to drift under indicators. 

On 9/20/2018 at 10:53 AM, mannym said:

I am can commit to helping

 

Looks like I needed to proofread.

Anyway,  I learned today that I have visitors at work from the USPS that entire week. I will have to back out. Heck, if they find issues, I may be in jail...  Don't mess with the USPS   LOL

I am can commit to helping

Im starting to see the makings of a spin vs. fly losers buy lunch in Utica bet........ 

or a big fish pot......

9 hours ago, Bart Durham said:

The Vermillion is down to below 50 cfs and will require dragging our kayaks in a number of places.  Also, Wildcat will be even more difficult to get through at this low stage.  After consulting with John and Manney we've decided to make this a wade trip instead of a float trip.  We'll still meet at Canoe launch near the Lowell bridge at 7 am. and go to our fishing locations from there.   John will likely take the spin fisherman to his stretch and Manney will take the fly fisherman to his stretch.  We'll fish 4-6 hours and have lunch afterwards. Should be a fun outing.

Can we get a count of fly guys and spin guys? 

Starved Rock pet resort is near by. In fact, it is on the Vermillion upstreamnear a bridge...... I take my three dogs there when my wife and i go out of town. There are a few more kennels near the put in as well. 

Time on the water will vary.  It depends on how John keeps the pace. If it were me leading, we would be there till the early winter bite. 

Good news, if anyone has limitied time, there are places to get out earlier than the rest. Specifically, miles 1 through 3 are easy outs. After that, i am not too familiar with take outs. John might have a much better idea. The lower portion is his turf. 

38 minutes ago, Kev-mo said:

I'm a solid maybe leaning towards probably...  Just trying to work things out with a friend who moved back to town. He doesn't have all his stuff up here yet and he'll probably just wade a bit.

Does he need a yak or canoe? Maybe I can help.