Norm M

Hey, the eyebrow thing worked for Belushi too.

Ron,

You did hear the part about flies in Chicago Cubs colors being the best ever for river smb, didn't you?

Marc Miller did know about the bill, I don't know how much he could have done to stop it. The State of Illinois sued the State of Indiana in I believe 1979 and there was a settlement reached. The terms of that agreement in Federal Court are still in place and in effect on the Kankakee.

What this bill did was to remove the IND DNR from the permitting process for logjam removal. The COE and Ind Environmental Agency[ I forget it's intials] are still involved on the Kankakee. Without being able to access the court agreement I can't say for sure if the IND DNR is still required to be involved on the Kankakee but I suspect not. Even if they are bound by the court agreement to be involved in this watershed, it's an absolute disaster for the rest of the state.

I don't have time right now for my full rant, maybe later, depending on meetings and fishing.

So after Tim's talk, I understand Ron is ordering a new 8 weight and some 5 inch flies.

First let me say next year Mike Clifford is sitting next to me, Steve Spiz is going to check my numbers and I'm not sitting any where near Joz, that seems to be the formula for getting your number pulled from one of the bags.

The presentation on fly fishing for smallmouth bass should have drove home the point to everyone, find the active smallies is the first thing to do. After that if you present a lure with the proper depth and speed control, you will catch fish. The method you use to deliver that lure is strictly personal preference. Many make this harder than it needs to be because they have their priorities skewed. Dick Berglund [Mr Jig] on River Smallies said it best, an ounce of biology is better than a ton of gear.

I have had the privilege now of seeing Marc Miller speaking to different types of groups three times in the last month. He said the same thing every time and he answered the questions the same way every time. He does not tailor his response to what he thinks that group wants to hear, he gives you the straight stuff as he believes it to be. It may not be what you want to hear but it is a welcome change to have a man in that office that operates from the courage of his convictions and tells you what he believes to be the truth.

He is also very open to good ideas that would help improve things for the sportsmen of our state, I have watched him make notes about those suggestions to look into later. He is also open to facts that could prove the official position wrong and I believe he would do his best to use those facts to rectify the situation and make sure the right thing gets down.

We have never had a Director of the IDNR who is so open and accessible and I believe the way he is going about his business will help rebuild the trust we all should be able to have in that agency.

All in all, it was a great night, I got to meet some new people and put faces to more names.

Y'all come back now, heah. And come out to some other events, drop a post in on the website and if you have the knowledge to pass on. write it up and submit it to the newsletter. Your experience with the ISA is what you will make of it, do yourself a favor and make it a good one.

sssooooooo...if i spend the money, will my butt look like that picture? tjtroester

Only if you ride and run as much as Mark does

Just make sure the goop is dry before you go busting brush or you'll get an interesting look to your waders. Might even get asked if there is a cure for that infection in your groin.

Not that I'd know personally.

Scott,

Never heard of any smallies in Braidwood. Rob Miller would be the IDNR biologist to ask.

CREP or Conservation Reserve Program- basically pays farmers to set aside farmland along waterways with natural cover to reduce siltation and chemical runoff thru natural means. farmer gets set amount of money for taking land out of production

Fed US Farm Service Agency USDA Natural Resource Agency and IDNR involved

$% million total in budget. it was closed out in 2007 account funding cutoff.

100,000 acres potentially availible would now expand to include Kaskaskia River Basin area.

COE Rock Island Division

Yellow River[K3 trib in Indiana] 519 Project

181 acres, meander back in channel, manage woody debris, riprarian channel work and wetland restoration.

The funding for the feasibilty study of this project is being held up because the State of Indiana is not paying their share of the study.

Stateline Bridge 206 Project

Backwater lake, flood relief and clam bed restoration

COE sees 2 issues Indemnification and maintenance-operation agreement between IDNR and local groups after funding and construction

This next is from what I know- not from COE.

J.R.Black meeting with K-3 county groups and IDNR to help get agreements in place and the IDNR to get funding for their share.

Another snag- Momence Conservancy Dist, holds title to the land[ ask me in person if you want details on why]. They don't think lake is the way to go and would rather see more efforts to stop sand from coming fom Indiana.

Another possible issue is depth of lake. if possible both J.R. Black and I would like the lake to be deep enough to hold fish year round and provide new recreational opportunity for the area.

Back to COE Chicago Division

k3 riffle project in Wilmington area

Fish passage in Wilmington Dam is main issue for COE

would increase riffle areas, establish mussel beds and decrease sedimentaion

Funding issues here as well for all parties.

Chicago Fish Barrier Maintenance- COE Chicago Division

Romeoville/Lockport in Chicago Ship and Sanitary Canal

Barrier 1[test barrier for technology] in Romeoville is up and running, Pulse-DCCurrent rate of electricity may not be effective against 4 to 5 inch or smaller Asian Carp

Barrier 2A up and running Pulse- DC current effective against all sized Asian Carp

Barrier 2B will have same or possibly exceed capability of 2A expected date to finish Sept 2010.

Once both barriers up and running can shut one down for maintenance without use of chemical barrier.

DNA testing indicated presence of Asian Carp in North Channel, Cal-Sag channel and Cal Sag harbor but no fish found yet.

Flooding causing bypass of barrier into Des Plaines River and I&M canal. COE to do detailed study to find out conditions necessary for transfer of fish in this type of event. Current plans include Rip RAp in I&M canal to plug passage and make a discontinuous flow.

Des Plaines River Put up fence with mesh to prevent fish movement. I believe 13 miles necessary and COE working on obtaining property rights.

20 million spent so far on barriers. Estimate 4 million a year to maintain the 3 electric barriers.

Asian Carp found as far north as LaCrosse in Mississippi River. Not found in Wisconsin River yet, still checking Fox River.

Asian Carp in Ohio River- canals there could provide passage to Great Lakes as well.

Side note found Round Goby in Ship-Sani Canal during chemical phase.

On the Asian Carp front, some of you may have already heard some of this.

There will be a multi agency- defense in depth with multiple techniques. The electric barrier in Lockport is the front line, chemical barrier when electric barrier down for maintenance[as was in news]. Use of Environmental DNA to provide info on fish presence.

Use commericial nets at warmwater discharges[treatment plants] in Ship-sanitary Canal with electro shock to drive fish into nets to remove fish from system[also in news lately]. Use market forces to reduce carp numbers, currently plants in Fulton[zero waste even uses offal for fertilizer],Pearl[smoke fish for export] and Havana[fish oil and meal].

No commercial netting allowed above Spring Valley account game fish[walleye,sauger, bass]. IDNR would contract out removal of Asian Carp above Spring Valley with proper safegaurds for game fish.

Question was raised, if we want to deplete carp how can business based on carp be sustainable? Answer was due to fecundity of Asian Carp probably means we are fighting a losing battle on total elimination of the species.

A suggestion from party from Peoria was to increase efforts to keep fish from entering Illinois River from Mississippi with techniques being used for Lake Michigan. Marc Miller took that for future consideration.

Website to check if desired www.asiancarp.org/rapidresponse

Depends.

personal experience?

I hope Steve bought "The Stool" a ticket to the Blowout. Joz needs something to sit on when he's calling those numbers.After all them old fogies get tired real easy and don't have the wind they once had. Maybe a few decades or so from now, I'll find out first hand.

Ron

My point is why buy two pair of waders, one of them only good for part time use, when one will do. It's not like I only use the polypro for fishing in the winter, I use it for other activities as well. Therefore polypro is a worthwhile investment as it has multiple uses. The neoprenes being used only a couple months of the year are an unnecessary expense when I already have gear that I can use. Then you add in taking up storage space for most of the year, the CFO asking why you bought them things and never use them and there is no upside.

I am quite comfortable in my breathables year round and at the rate I go thru waders, I'm buying a new pair every year anyway.

and it will be raining...

To merely say it will be raining is like saying hell will be warm.

I read the Crane Creek thing. A bit of over reaction from some.

Wading is what kept you skinny, you get fat sitting in a boat, that's why it's called boat butt.

Good work getting that chapter organized, mebbe I could come down and sing for y'all to help raise funds.

You can petition the IDNR to make it public, that's what the folks on the other Vermilion are doing.

Ron

The point is why buy neoprenes when you don't need them in the first place, waste of money.

I've got 4 stints and take lots of meds than affect the way my body works now. Polypro is worth the investment.

$50 breathables and polypro work for me, neoprenes simply a waste of money to hang in the garage for 9 months of the year.

Ron,

Ask any woman, she'll let you know I'm one hot dude.

Stocking foot breathables w/ seperate boots year round. Buy bigger to allow layering underneath. Polypro socks below wool socks. Polypro pants-shirt w/ underarmour combo below that in needed. Fleece is good but havn't gotten around to new pair yet.

Too many birthdays, I know I wrote an article about cold weather fishing but can't remember right now which issue it was in.

I prolly do as much cold water wading as any smallie guy in the midwest. I don't like neoprenes and bootfeet waders are too heavy for me. Go as light as possible, pack as little gear as possible.

This issue was addressed at the Illinois River Coordinating Council meeting last Wednesday. From my notes, it was stated that Lonestar was negotiating with the IDNR on the issue and as long as that continued the state rep was not going to move forward on the bill.

Some things in the ongoing discussion was a possible lease with Lonestar. The IDNR would pay a nominal fee and there would be limits to the liability of the landowner. This would come under Illinois Statute 745 Section 67. Design and installtion to address safety concerns for both short and long term. A management plan for safety with access in mind.

A group known as the Better Fishing Association of Northern Illinois has filed a petition to designate the Vermilion River a Public Navigable River. This was filed by the group and jointly as citizens of the state under authority of 615 ILCS 5/8.

Some interesting items from the petition:

From Il Adm. Code 17 section 3704.20- Definitions

"Private Waters- waters of the State of Illinois that are wholly upon properties held in private ownership and contained on the land of the owner.

Public Waters- all other waters of the State of Illinois."

It is thier interpretation that since the river" is not wholly on the property of any one owner or contained on the property of any one owner but merely flows over or past it, that it should be classified

as a public water under the standards and definition of the IDNR itself." If that interpretation is correct it is my belief that every creek, stream or river in the State of Illinois is Public Water and should be treated as such.

They also have examples of Illinois and US Supreme Court rulings that support thier position.

I obviously have a copy of the document and will make copies if you let me know you want one. I'll give it to you at the Blowout if you are there or PM your mailing addy.

Usually when you see the two of us together, there is a river being cleaned up.

I was happy to help out. One of the show's organizers told me they had about 4,00 paying customers on Saturday, the best attendance figure in the show's history.

Scott, I think I forgot to put the dollar amount on that slip I processed.