SKollmann

Thanks for sharing, Mike . . . and quite timely! A group of four church friends are heading up to Sturgeon Bay next week. Upon our return, will let you know if this spot is indeed among the Top 10.

I see that there is only one ISA outing scheduled in October and November, the months during which smallmouth (and other species) enhance their food intake in preparation for winter. Why no outings scheduled?!?

Here's the rap on a Lake Michigan charter service that members of our church have used for years. All would endorse them. Suggest you give Jerry a call and request promo materials. Dear Fishing Friends, Just a quick note to let you know how we have been doing on the lake. Spendthrift II just caught our largest King Salmon for the season so far, it was 31 pounds. We are expecting the action to continue. So call us so we could help you build some great memories with family, friends or those special clients. Also we are doing well on our night charters, they will continue to run to the end of August. The underwater LED lighting is AWESOME on our night charters. SO DON'T MISS THE BOAT. Please feel free to call 1 800 726 7309 or visit our web site at www.spendthriftcharters.com Always remember FISH ON FISH ON !!!!!!!!! Captain Jerry Nied 1091 West Dearborn Lane Vernon Hills Illinois 60061 1800-726-7309 cell phone 1847-514-4276 fishjerry@aol.com www.spendthriftcharters.com "Lake Michigan's Most Popular Charter Service"

What flies have proven successful in the past?

I also contacted the IDNR and requested Land Access Authorization Cards. Just received today . . . quite expediant in responding to my request.

Hi, Scott . . . will do my best to make it down, but my wife has us lined up to attend a Yo-Yo-Ma concert at Ravinia Friday night starting at 8:00 pm. So probably won't make it home until 11:00 pm. That said, if I do make it, I'll undoubtedly be late since I have two-hour drive to the 3K State Park.

Inasmuch as my daughter and family live in Algonquin, I just inspected the area below the dam and found it to be a fabulous fishing spot. That said, next summer when my grandson is 3 years old, I had planned to take him to this area to fish from shore. Sorry to hear about your experience with the law, John . . . let us know how the case turns out in court. Thanks to all for providing the guidelines and documentation associated with this location . . . would be quite embarrassing to my athletic grandson if "PaPa" had a run-in with the law while enjoying one of his favored sports!

Snail Mail to Northbrook . . . haven't received my copy to date.

Based on purging results this morning, Gregg, you're quite influential. Inbox has been reduced from 100% to 16%, readily available for setting up LM bass outings on your local lake. Thanks for the reminder ... been meaning to do so. Steve

Amen to that, Jim. It clearly appears at times a few ISA members get caught up in the "politics" of sharing their thoughts on fish population, fish size, and/or fish weights. Remember the adage when we fisherman discuss catches . . . "My fish was sooooooo big!" which generally results in good laughter. That said, enjoy the moment . . . and consider yourself fortunate that you're not yet experiencing the Alzheimer condition of a close friend who is trying desperately to learn to cast with lessons I'm providing him. Unfortunately, his loss of short term memory precludes retention of even the simplest of processes like casting. Yet he desperately want to learn and fish. There's much more to the sport of fishing than how many, how big, and how long are the catches . . . like the beauty of the day, the joy of the experience, and the camaraderie of spending the day with friends. Like I share with my tennis buddies . . . if I fail to win a set one evening, I'm still a winner. Beautiful evening, the thrill of competition, a good physical workout, and the joy of spending time with my friends. If I do win all sets (which I did last night), all the better! Same goes for fishing . . . at least in my seasoned mind (note I did not say "aging or old"). Now excuse me . . . I'm heading out the door to spend a few hours with another friend of mine . . . FISHING!

Sunday AM with the Wilmette Racketeers Tennis League, Monday PM and Thursday PM.

Nick . . . perhaps you, Don and I could find another interested tennis player for a foursome. September or October would be ideal since I'm already playing in a league 2-3 times a week.

Don . . . friend's name is Doug; and the brand of my tennis racket is Wilson Sledge Hammer. Care to take me on sometime? Then again, you're younger . . . so perhaps you could spot me a set or two.

Catch and release, that is! While all are worthy of special consideration, Joe . . . the first and last appears to replicate the look of crawfish, the favorite prey of smallies in rivers. Preachin' to the choir, I'm sure. Thanks in advance . . . most appreciative!

If so, please include materials used. Thank you.

Care to share a step-by-step pattern of these flies for us newbie fly tiers?

On a somewhat related note, a church friend of mine who got me back into the sport of tennis years ago has contracted severe dimentia and/or altzheimer, but knows I'm also a dedicated fisherman. So he asked me to help refresh his memory of casting so he could spend some time drowning worms at the Skokie Lagoon. Took my spinning rod and reel over to attempt to teach him the trade, but his lack of short- term memory precluded him remembering the simple process. So two days ago, I took over the same rod with a spincasting reel attached which proved to be successful, so I bought him a Shakespeare rod and spincasting reel at BPS. After playing tennis on Tuesday, I stopped by his house with the new purchase. Went back to the elevated deck behind his house to coach him in casting his new rod and reel. Having placed a large washer on the end of the line to facilitate practice casting, he cast the washer a good 40 feet out into the lawn . . . just a short distance from a male robin. As he slowly began to retreive the washer in short spurts through the long uncut grass, the robin eyed the washer and hopped in the same direction. One more jerk prompted another hop. Another jerk . . . another hop . . . keenly aware of the washer in the grass. Three or four more jerks followed by three or four more hops. Finally, the robin took one final lurch, pecked at the washer as if to capture it, found it of an unacceptable tecture, and flew off. With that, I advised my friend that this only proved him to be a natural born fisherman . . . but he only had to change the target for his intended prey. After a few laughs following the incident, we continued with the casting lesson.

Results of conservation research study that appeared in the lastest edition of In-Fisherman. Many studies have examined mortality associated with catch-and-release bass fishing, but not all have been well controlled . . . and results have been variable. A recent study in Texas adds data to the discussion. Researchers housed bass caught by electofishing in holding tanks at water temperatures between 45 degrees and 81 degrees. After the acclimation period, fish were netted and a 2/0 hook imbedded by hand in the jaw, gills, or esophagus. Bass were then played on a medium-action rod until they could easily be grasped by their lower jaw. After unhooking, they were returned to holding tanks and observed for three (3) days to check survival. In this experiment, hooking location affected survival while handling time, playing time, and water temperature did not. Combining the results of this and a previous study into a model of survival, the researches predicted that at temperatures between 45 degrees and 81 degrees, 98% of jaw-hooked bass survive, while survival drops to 55% for fish hooked in the esophagus. When fish died after release, it was typically within three (3) hours. Only among fish hooked in the esophagus did significant mortality occur later. The authors report that an average of 72% of tournament-caught bass survive based on a collection of studies. Survival in these events is inversely related to water temperature. The study shows, however, that a broad range of water temperatures had no effect on survival of immediately released bass. The relationship between survival and water temperatures in tournaments is likely attributable to other stressors, such as prolonged confinement in livewells, oxygen deficiencies, and handling during the weigh-in.

Kankakee, Apple and the Mack.

Four ISA events on one day?!? Appears to be a case of poor planning . . . particularly for those of us interested in fishing one or more of the locations. Surely the ISA Planning Committee members could have coordinated scheduled outings more conducive to avid smallmouth bass fishermen who seize every opportunity to join fellow ISA members in catching and releasing our favored species of fish.

Scott . . . just checked my DVD on which Lefty Krey ties bendback flies. He uses a 3X long hook.

Heading up to Canada for a week of primarily walleye fishing . . . taking along bait casting and spin casting rods. While I'm there on Eagle Lake, also want to try my hand with a few smallmouth bass and large northern/muskie flies that I've tied, but don't want to take another rod along since we're limited in the amount of baggage we can store. Question . . . what type of rig would accommodate casting flies on spin or bait casting rods? Have never attempted, but would like to give it a shot. Thanks for your input.

Just received my July edition of Outdoor Notebook, only to find no smallmouth bass article by our ISA mid-state expert John Graham. This is the second consecutive edition of the publication without a smallie article from you, John. Taking the summer off to fish instead of writing?

When floatfishing from my 17' shallow arch canoe (vs. flat bottom), I attach a set of sponses for added stability. This, in turn, permits me to also secure a second pre-rigged fishing rod by attaching it with a very small rubber strap (for quick release) to the rear sponse bar. In absence of sponses, I concur with previous responses . . . minimize the amount of gear you take along and either restrict yourself to one rod or risk inadvertantly damaging your second rod.

I concur with responses made regarding canoes and yaks. I have a 17' Wenonah Spirit II tandem kevlar canoe that my wife and I paddle with our canoe club (Prairie State Canoeists). But when it's time for fishing, I attach a set of sponses to the gunwales as well as a Minnkoka 30-30 (5 speed forward + 3 speed reverse). This permits me to take a fishing buddy in one car instead of two . . . launch at a put-in site, motor upriver a couple miles, and float fish back to the car. When I want to fish solo, I simply replace the bowman with a 70# bag of sand. Has served me well on all Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan waterways. Now if the local river would settle down.