Fredmo

Jonn- If Walmart quits carrying it, remember to try Hobby Lobby. Don't know if they have the same habit of switching, but that's where I've found it.

Rich - Did the Shannon streamer catch fish? It sure looks nice.

Probably just wished he was in the Central Region....

Congrats on the grand-daughter. It must be going around, we had a new one yesterday, but it will be easier to get to Indiana to see her. This makes 8 grand-daughters out of 10 grand-kids for us.

Hey! That hat on the left looks like mine. The last time I saw it, it was floating down the Current River without me two years ago when my canoe upset. Wondered where it went.

Sunday afternoons would suit me as well. There may be a football game or two that conflicts, but a guy has to make tough choices sometimes. Didn't I see that there is some kind of session in Urbana in November? Would that be a good starting event? When we get through January we won't have as many football conflicts, or probably we won't care by then.

Greg- You'll notice no glowing reports on Saturday's event. That's because four of us showed up, climbed down the "mountain cliff" to get to the river, fished without success for an hour or so, then waited out rain which never ended, struggled back up the hill, and went home, soaking wet. We would have been better off to have stayed up in the Park, where there was a wine festival going on, and imbibed whatever we could. At least they had shelter from the rain and food and beverages.

What kind of flies are working there? I'm home alone tonight and might tie up a few.

If I get there, which a tentatively plan to do, I want you to direct me to the fish, not the access points. Right now I'm trying to figure how to mount my little canoe onto my new used car. Not sure where to tie down a bow line on the front of the car...too much plastic, not enough hard steel. I am heading to Taneycomo on Sunday, but since my wife is gone Friday night and Sat. a.m., I should be able to come over and try to fish, at least until noon or so.

Any word on how the Vermilion is looking, or any of it's "forks"? Is there going to be enough water to float this year?

Were you and Dave planning on being there Saturday? I suppose somewhere on the Vermilion is the only other viable option that has been hinted at. That doesn't put us ending up near Harold's place, does it?

Brad- Did you get to the Mac on Friday? If so, how was it?

The Mackinaw continues to drop and is at it's lowest in 120 days, still. And Mike L, rain down south won't help the Kank, it needs to be rain up north and east, doesn't it? Kind of depends upon your perspective, I guess. Sure hope it clears up soon, up north. Now if it would cool just a bit, fishing might be more appealing.

I may get shot for saying this, but the Mackinaw is as low now as it has been in the past 120 days. That could change, but I don't hear forecasts for huge rainfall amounts.

Good to hear of members further south. I live within a short walk to the Mac, but up above Lake Bloomington. Where were you thinking of fishing? What park are you talking about? I've got to be in Pekin on business in the morning, and drive across the Mac on my way over and back. Lots of places we fish are accessed through private property, but we have had outings near the Town of Mackinaw on areas that are accessible. The Central IL division of ISA has an outing scheduled on Aug 14 on the Mac. Might be a way to meet folks and see sections of the river. Check the calendar for details.

If the dates work with my schedule,I would be interested in helping with the Mac survey.

I might be interested in the spillway, since it's out my front door, assuming the boss says it's o.k. What time you thinking of? Might be a chance for me to learn something on how to get down there and what to use.

Maybe what I'm really asking is what is a good discharge level at Wilmington, or gauge height.

Will the K3 be suitable to fish on Saturday. I'm thinking about the ISA outing on Saturday and wonder what level does it need to be for safe wading or reasonable floating? I've only fished it a few times and it seemed to me it's a treacherous river even when it's normal flow. Is the rain going to make this a bad weekend for an outing?

Thanks for clarifying some of that for me. I may have misunderstood what you were referencing. You are talking about things I gather that occurred after the Supreme Court decision. I still don't get any connection then between ITLA and the Supreme Court. The Court didn't modify the statute later, did they? That's not how I understand later modification of a statute would occur.

I haven't read the proposed bill, but I doubt seriously that the legislature could allow you to cross someone's land without their permission, or contrary to their express prohibition, and avoid trespass charges (civil or criminal). What I think we want to do is say that if a landowner allows you to cross over their land for recreational purposes and you are injured, the landowner will not be liable to you for your injury.

Just got the new Bulletin and as always, read it cover to cover. I was a little surprised to see the Conservation Report take the Supreme Court to task and tie them to ITLA, the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. In an effort at full disclosure, I admit to having been an ITLA member in years past. But that was because my law firm did defense work and we wanted to know what the other side was up to. I have been a member of IDC, Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel, for a big part of my professional life,, and was a director for 9 years. Disclosure aside, I take exception to Mike Clifford's characterization of the Supreme Court's decision in Hall v. Henn, the case that told us that when a statute applies to use of land open to the public, it means it applies to land that is open to the public, not private clubs or close personal friends. And Robert Thomas, the former Chicago Bear, and later lawyer and Judge, wrote the opinion, not ITLA. There was an amicus brief written by ITLA, but they write lots of amicus briefs, and sometimes the cases are decided in accord with the ITLA position, and sometimes they are not. I'm not at all sure how Mike got the idea the Court and ITLA "teamed up" on this one. I read the decision when it came out, and it made sense to me that when the law said liability protection was afforded to lands open to public use, it didn't mean the same protection was afforded lands only available to invited guests. This was not a "technical reason", but a plain reading of fairly common language, and not difficult to understand. I'm also not sure what Mike meant in saying that ITLA has not benefited in a single instance since the change was made. I don't think ITLA members are particularly more active in outdoor recreational activities than other attorneys or ISA members. They're a bunch of attorneys who represent injured parties, for the most part. All this aside, I agree we need to do what we can to encourage the legislature to make our lakes, rivers, streams, trails and other recreational space available to the greatest extent possible. It may be that HB6072 is something we want to support and encourage. I haven't read the bill yet, but if it helps open land to use by the public, without being discriminatory, we sure want to support it. I think my reaction to Mike's article was partly because I wouldn't give ITLA the credit Mike did. Instead, I think our legislators didn't draft a particularly good bill, and the Court pointed it out. Let's help them get it right the next time.

Kid was cute on the cover, not so sure about that old guy with him.

I've had no repair experience with Simms, but when I bought a discount certificate for waders at the Blowout a couple of years ago, I called them to get an idea of exactly how to size me. They were very helpful, and the waders were as close as I ever hoped they'd be. Whoever I spoke with seemed to know what she was talking about, and made a happy customer out of me. They are pricey, but well worth it.

Followed your advise, search "fox river fish kill", not much out there. Seems the IDNR investigation is ongoing, but doesn't look as if they can recover what was dumped, and it dilutes. Did it get into the Fox, or just the pond and tributary? I didn't find stuff on the operating license issue. ......and I am "to naive...." as you are to guilible? ( no offense taken )