MikeF

Jeez I had no idea Yorktown was chopped. I had heard a few locations were closing but didn't see the Yorktown store in the article. I would stop by every so often as the location was closer to me than Dupage Fly.  I've met Ike several times, great guy and I wish him well in his future. 

Cool looking bait. I've thrown the Jackall Pompadour Jr a few times for river smallies. That's the one with the metal "walking" wings. Extremely loud and annoying. Cast well and gets bit too. Though nothing has replaced my go-to, the whopper plopper.

Jackall Pompadour Jr Walking Bait - Tackle Warehouse

On 4/17/2022 at 9:56 AM, Bart Durham said:

The restoration work will soon begin on the east branch and should help with the silt and bottom problems I mentioned. I'm excited to see the project once completed.

Bart, has work begun on this project? I can't find any current info about it.

13 hours ago, Bart Durham said:

Mike, I'd would be interested to hear about some of your winter fishing techniques on the East Branch.  In its present condition, with silt pockets and deep drop-offs, I find it difficult to wade fish.  Are you mostly shore fishing?

 

To cover water I'll walk the shore. When fishing I'll get in and wade to position or for a better casting angle. I know the river bottom of the areas I am wading otherwise I'd advise anyone not to just get in and wade a long stretch of this river. I have most of my luck dragging plastics for the fish, dragging shad pattern flukes, tubes, 1/8oz finesse jigs in the dead of winter. Lightly weighted, usually 1/8oz for me and rigged weedless due to a fair amount of wood in the East Branch. I've found them sometimes more active at each end of winter and willing to chase or they're set up in faster water than you'd think for the time of year.

Interesting. I fish a lot of this river in the winter/cold months. It'll be nice to see the project when it's completed.

Haha nice name!