Greg C

Rich, you'll have to get a hold of me through PM. I have a few dozen of various designs to send your way.

This is an EXCELLENT pattern for smallies on Salt Creek (in Logan & DeWitt counties). It doesn't do very well in Kickapoo, though. So, I think that it's worth having in your flybox, but it might not work everywhere.

Furled leaders are of a more traditional nature. They were the predecessors to the modern knotless tapered mono leader. They are not bad, as leaders go. However, they are more expensive. AND, totally not necessary for smallmouth fishing. A good tapered leader will work as well for casting a popper, or streamer. Add to that, the furled leader will "fling" water. That is, it will hold a small amount of water, and as you cast, it will throw that water ahead of the false cast. So, if your target is twenty feet away and you pick up to make your presentation again, it will fling that water both forward, and back until all the water is expelled. This means that you MIGHT disturb calm water where a big smallie might be hiding. Admittedly, this is nit-picking. But, it's something to consider. Jonn, if you want to keep your store-bought knotless tapered leader longer, make a perfection loop in the end of your leader. AND, make perfection loop in any tippet material you add to this leader. You can either get a 7 1/2 ft leader, and add 2 ft of tippet...for a 9 1/2ft leader. Or, you can add 2ft of tippet to a 9 ft leader for an 11ft leader. I generally use a 9 ft leader, and attach 3 ft of tippet....but, that's just me. I will get a 0x, or 1x leader, and add tippet of around 10-12lb. It should last you all year. I had a furled leader once. It worked, but it didn't last as long as the knotless tapered. And, it cost me $14, vs $4. Since you're down for the rest of the season, maybe I can get you up to speed on what you might need (based on how I do it), at the first winter meeting.

I think the Central Region meetings are going to morph into tying nights, now!! Long live the Sith!!

After trying virtually everything that there is, I opt for the pre-made, tapered leaders. The furled leaders are expensive...and absolutely unnecessary. The object of a leader is to transfer the energy from the cast, through the line, and then on to the tippet. Level mono cannot do this effectively. Yes...you can MAKE it work, but if you are going to mess with that, you might as well use a level piece of 30lb mono (2 1/2ft), blood-knotted to an equal length of 20lb mono. Then blood-knot a 2ft piece of 16lb. To that, make a perfection loop at the tip. Tie a perfection loop to a 3ft piece of 10lb mono. There you have a crude, but effective "tapered" leader. BUT, hand tied leaders have knots. Knots pick up weeds. Unless you like removing weeds from your leader every cast, stick with the knotless tapered. I usually make a leader last for a whole season. So, cost is not an issue for me. A knotless tapered leader is only around $4. P.S.-I have never found flourocarbon leaders to be necessary for smallmouth. You MIGHT use fouro, if you are going to Sylvannia. That's about it.

Jonn, I doubt I can make the trip, this Saturday, but I can get you some flies to play with. One you REALLY ought to consider, at this time of year, is the Hopper. DEADLY in the smaller meadow flows. I've taken several 17"-18" smallies with it, so it ain't just for the dinks. Sparkleminnow, sz 4 pearl, of course. And, A few Coffey Grinders. With all the rain, this year, I've not had much time on the water. But, maybe we can hook up for a Saturday trip, and some Flyfishing instruction.

Thanks, Norm! This is one of those subjects near, and dear, to my heart. I have seen the very same attitude around my area, in central Illinois. That type of mentality is VERY hard to correct. And, I have tried! It seems that they can't move beyond the attitude mentioned by Brian A. "It's not on my property now. It's not my problem." You know, we try to educate sportsmen, but I think the farmers are the group that we need to educate the most. I think if the state bought up the areas that were formerly wetlands, and redeveloped them as wetlands, the farmers couldn't complain that they were paying taxes on "wasted" ground. AND, they just might have fewer problems with flooding.

Well, the Quantum Energy PT showed up in the mail Saturday!! MAN that was quick! Anyway, I am still waiting on the rod, but it sholdn't be much longer. I just need to spool it up with some line, and get on the water for some testing.

Mark K, I have a Shimano Calcutta 100, also. I like it as a low profile round reel. Most other round reels are out for me. I like using my Calcutta, but I was looking for something else to try. The only way to learn what you like, is to try it. I have been extremely happy with my Quantum spinning reels. I thought that, unless I heard from some one about major problems with this reel, I would get one to try. I bought a Diawa spinning reel for a bit more money than my Quantums, and it lasted all of one and a half seasons. It literally came apart in my hands. Next the bail fell off. I fixed it, but then the spool shaft stopped oscillating during the start of the next season. The spool would not ride up & down like a spinning reel should. And, there was an issue with the drag. I chucked it in the trash, and didn't bother with it again. I had an issue like this with a Diawa baitcaster 10 years ago. The thing I decided was that if a certain reel model had issues, and you know about it, don't chance it. Also, I have had fantastic customer support from Quantum. I had an older model Quantum spinning reel break off at the reel seat. I sent it in to get a new real seat/side plate to repair the reel. It was out of warranty, BTW. They instead sent me a brand new Energy PTi reel!! I have had it since, going on my third season with zero problems. I have three others just like it, and they have no problems. My best friend wanted me to get a Team Diawa X-series reel. I might have to try one of those, as well. Unless there are problems someone knows of with that model. ???

I am looking to get a new reel, soon. I have four Quantum Energy PTi spinning reels. They are, hands down, the best sinning reel in their class...IMHO. I have not used a baitcaster, other than my Shimano Calcutta, for almost ten years. I'm looking at getting the Quantum Energy PT for the reason that I have had excellent cucess with their spinning reels. Short of running them over with the truck, you just cast tear them up! That said, not all items made by the same company will work one as well as another. Their baitcasters might suck, as far as I know. But, if you guys can give me your experiences, or recommedations. It would be greatly appreciated. Also, looking for info on the KVD model. Any guys with experience to share? I have smaller hands, so I don't like most round reels. Abu-Garcia pops to mind. Don't like 'em, don't want 'em, won't buy 'em. I will only buy the low profile reels. P.S.- anybody want to chime in about the flippin switch on some model reels? I have no knowledge of how this work, or if it's just a gimmick. ??? P.P.S.- Looking to match with a BPS Extreme rod. Comments?

It's not always the metro areas that see a lot of poaching. In more than a few cases, it's the backwoods residents of Goofy Ridge that run trot lines, and bank poles, that will take whatever is attached to the line....season, or not. They might also run fish traps, and hoop nets. I already got one of them busted, but you would NOT believe the amount of effort it took. If I said the local liquor store was being robbed, someone would have been there in under 3 minutes. The guy I reported took 6 hours to get a response from a CPO. They first tried to refer me to the local law enforcement. THEY told me they had more important things to do than check a guy for a couple fish over the limit! (My response to that was, "They are still breaking the law... Are they not?") So, back to the DNR again. They finally sent someone. The CPO called me back, an hour after I had directed him to the spot. He said the guy showed up not 5 minutes after he arrived at the location of where the fish traps were set. I thanked him, and left it at that. The point is that our DNR is already understaffed, and then they want to cut another 40% of the budget. ?????? Fishing licese sales are on the decline? No kidding? Let the fish populations decline from lack of state funding to improve and protect them, and you will see sales of licenses decline even further! Who wants to buy a license to fish waters that are fished out, or degraded as to the point of no longer sustaining a decent population? People PAY to fly to other states, or countries, to fish. They don't usually come to Illinois for that reason....though they COULD. If only the state would treat certain waters as a serious sport fish mecca. People PAY to hunt deer in Illinois. They PAY to hunt waterfowl, in Illinois. What's wrong with protecting the local waters for the same reason? (Build it, and they will come.) I think they are putting the cart before the horse, on this one.

Hey, the reason the state raised the fines for speeding through construction zones was because $75 was, apparently, not enough to make people slow down. Hit 'em in the wallet, and they seem to wake up! The following should say it all. The state has found that you have to keep hitting people, in the wallet, harder to get them to take notice and obey the laws. "Key details for the program remain the same. Anyone photographed in the reduced-speed 45 MPH zone on a freeway will be mailed a $375 ticket for the first offense. The second ticket will cost $1000 and comes with a 90-day license suspension. Drivers will also face higher insurance premiums as points are assessed for each ticket. The first offense raises rates for 4-5 years, while the second offense remains on the record for a minimum of 7 years. Officials have not ruled out placing more than one van on the same freeway, so motorists find $1375 in tickets waiting in the mailbox two weeks after a single highway trip at 55 MPH." It might seem harsh, but it appears that a single $75 ticket was all but ignored by people speeding through the construction zones. Make poaching WAY too expensive, and MAYBE they might re-think that idea. Also, they might start thinking about BUYING A LICENSE! I'm with Steve.

Well, from talking with a local policeman that fishes, he said that as much as he might be for it, they claim that their resources are stretched too. And, that they don't have time to chase down guys catch two fish over their limit. As they have TOLD ME, they have more important things to do. The idea of the "bounty" if we can call it that, is that the CPOs will have a financial incentive to give priority to a call of fish poachers. As I mentioned to Jonn, you would have to get the word out of what's going on to the papers, as the news of this plan would also give would-be poachers a reason to think twice. As for, "Would we give a bounty to the police for catching a drunk driver"... The PROBLEM with that scenario is that the police already have an incentive. Ask anyone who's received a DUI, what it costs! The police get money for nabbing DUIs now (Well, the court system does.) It's really not a fair comparison. CPO's get little more than a pat on the back for nabbing a poacher. Police get a portion of seizures for drugs, and recovered stolen goods, vehicles used to transport illegal goods or commit crimes. I don't think CPOs get anything close to that volume, though they might seize a truck, atv, or boat now and again.

Rich, Illinois is full of channelized streams. All need structure. If there is any way to see more of this type of structure installed, I'm all for it! I have seen it installed on all maner of trout streams. I can't help, but think that any smallie stream woud benefit from it. One stream per year, would be a good motto. Installing fish holding strucure on a stream void of said structure would seem like a great idea to me. BTW, at the Central meeting tonight, I mentioned the plight of the IDNR to Jonn G. The 40% reduction in budget seemed a handicap. However, it seems that it MIGHT be a benefit of sorts. How about offering the DNR a "bounty" for the apprehension & conviction of a poacher caught taking more than their legal limit of smallmouth?? If there is a conviction for the taking of smallmouth, the DNR would get $50 for each poacher caught & convicted of poaching smallmouth. If the DNR needs funding, lets let them earn it in a way that benefits us! Jonn had mentioned that they would be short of money to pay for gas. If the reward was that they would be getting money to apprehend smallmouth poachers, it might encourage them to follow up on leads to respond to calls about fishing infractions. They MIGHT ignore a call about someone illegally taking ginsing, or something, but they would benefit financially in responding to a call about smallies being taken illegally over other calls. In addition, make the news available to the local papers. If the poachers hear about it, before they start, they might think twice before trying. Opprtunity knocks....

I guess I do, but I was more interested in trying to get more of these in place...anywhere. We are for conservation, AND improving habitat for them. Many streams are channelized, and could benefit from structure such as this. I have fished trout streams that have them, and they do a tremendous job of providing cover in a stream that has little or none. Of course, it still takes the permission of the land owner. So, there might be a lot involved in getting it done. But, I loved seeing them installed SOMEWHERE! I know that they work, and I would like to see more of them put in place in a few areas around the state. Another problem. I read that the Blogovernator cut funding to the IDNR, by 40%. I would imagine that this will severely limit installations of this kind of stucture in the near future.

I'm glad to see this done on ANY stream in Illinois. And, the ISA had a hand in it. However, what would it take to get this done on another stream in the state? Would there be a possiblity of the ISA making it a goal to install one of these, per year, on an outside bend in some other smaller streams that are short on cover?

If I'm not mistaken, you pivot the reel 90 degrees to cast it, correct? You have to explain this stuff to us downstate guys, as I had not even heard of a Centerpin reel until 2000. I have NEVER seen one until now. It's more popular with the steelheading crowd, but outside of the G Lakes area, most are likely to have never heard of one. I would have thought it to be a fly reel, if you hadn't said otherwise.

Done deal! I can donate a couple dozen, at least. Rich, does that get me two tickets?

Here's one you might try... Coffey Grinder

I live just 30 minutes south of you, Darin. I think I can ind some time this weekend if you want to ply the flyrod on my waters. I have all the flys you'll need, so don't worry about that.

When I was there, baits that worked well were clear chartreuse twistertail grubs with metal flake, clear Olive twistertail with metal flake, chartreuse topwater baits, and I had some success with my pearl sparkleminnow. The fish in these waters were very touchy about color. Floater/diver baits should work well. A lot of deep holes, interspersed with long fast water runs with lots of wood cover. The water's clear so flouro lines would definitly not hurt.

I didn't want to have to sell this, but I'm engaged, and will be moving. It will be easier to sell it than find a new place to store it, so.... It has been used approximately a dozen times. It's still in good shape, and is very light for it's size; 53 lbs. Ash gunwales, and cherry deck plates accent the green royalex body. Very manueverable, so it can be a good one man , as well as two man craft. Two wooden paddles included, one blue fold up seat w/backrest, and a plastic coated window weight anchor. Paid over $1300 new for it, 4 years ago. Asking $750

It was my understanding that the adults had no mouth parts. Only the juviniles had the ability to eat. LOCUSTS have mouth parts, and eat vegitation (Many times people call the cicadas, locusts. Hence, the confusion.). CICADAS do not eat after emerging as adults. They merely emerge to mate, then die. (98% of their life is lived underground. They DO feed as larva.)

Rock River, in the QCities area. Particularly, the Iron Dam area. I was there last weekend, and a guy was attempting to string a smallie. I asked him if he knew it was illegal to do that. He made some comment like, "I'm just going to put it in my aquarium". I said, "It doesn't matter. The Law says...All smallmouth caught between April 1, and June 15th, must be released immediately." He then asked me if I was a game warden. I said, "No, but I have the number on speed dial." He was obviously angry, but threw it back(after debating the idea for a couple of minutes), and left. He was bound, and determined to take that fish...whatever the cost!! After he was convinced that I would call the law on him, he threw it back...but he didn't like it!! No signs there...

If you can read this, you're too close! Actually, that would be a great T-shirt for all fishermen!!