Ryan S

Hey ISA fly people. Been a long time conventional angler, I have started making the dive into fly fishing this year. Its been a great and difficult learning experience. The fish I caught this year weren't as big or plentiful as previous years but that made each even more special. Here are some pics from the first fish I caught on the fly.. an Illinois smallmouth. Cheers. Ryan

1 hour ago, Mark K said:

 

Off the top of my head is there any wadeable river other than the Des Plaines in Cook County?  Large stretches of that are boot sucking mud, right?  I wonder , if it's a navigable waterway do they have any say in the matter? Des Plaines is navagable in the whole channelized section.

Off the top of mind I can't think of any other. Growing up near the Des Plaines, I can attest that there are many wadeable stretches and I know many who do well fishing it. Overall, its quite a bit tougher to fish due to the faster current but quite a great fishery overall if you can crack it!

1 hour ago, Scott Ferguson said:

I see in the regs that wading isn’t allowed in Will County forest preserves.  In the 20 years I’ve been involved in the ISA, I’ve never heard of a single person who was ever asked to stop wading in the DuPage in Hammel Woods in Will County. We have held several outings there over the years and it’s always been a popular area to wade. Wading in the forest preserve lakes isn’t something I’d recommend and understand why the rules is there for those.

Awesome thanks. Good to know. 

5 hours ago, Mark K said:

I was just looking at Will County FP. 

 

Fishing - Forest Preserve District of Will County (reconnectwithnature.org)

FISHING REGULATIONS

Fishing is allowed year-round, weather permitting. Ice fishing is not allowed. Only line fishing is permitted. Anglers may use a maximum of two poles, with no more than two hooks or lures attached to each. Taking frogs, turtles and mussels is prohibited.

Swimming, wading and float tubes are prohibited. Persons must be entirely secured in watercraft.

All statewide fishing regulations apply, including daily creel and size limits. Illinois fishing licenses are required for everyone age 16 years or older who fishes on a public waterway, and may be purchased at the Monee Reservoir's Visitor Center. All statewide fishing regulations apply, and may be obtained from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Additional regulations apply. For more information, download the District's General Use Ordinance No. 124 or call 815.727.8700.

 

 

Thanks! Its interesting how difficult it is to find wading regulations for Cook County with a quick internet search but easy for Dupage and Will. From what I can understand so far...

Dupage County- Wading is allowed in FPs in river and creek but not lakes and ponds

Will County- No wading allowed in FP

Cook County- No wading allow in FP

Town/City Park Districts- Fish at my own risks but probably not an issue

On 12/9/2020 at 7:48 PM, Scott Ferguson said:

As long as you are not trespassing on private property, you are fine. Lots of access points from Naperville all the way to Channahon 

good to know! thanks for the info. Look forward to exploring and finding new spots this spring!

Hey everyone,

I know wading regulations on Illinois waterways have been discussed on here and many other online forums, but I had a specific question that I can not find through a back search. I am aware that wading on the Dupage is allowed in Dupage County forest preserves and but NOT allowed in downtown Naperville. My question is whether wading is allowed in other parts of the river particularly in other town's  park district parks such as Plainfield and other towns along the river. 

I try to pride myself on staying within the regulations as a sportsman, so I want to make sure I understand those regulations.

Thanks,

Ryan

Thanks for all the recommendations. Just received my first Bronzeback Bulletin the other day. Looks like I will have plenty to read during this winter.

Hey everyone,

I have been out fishing the Dupe and some of the Fox River Creeks this fall/winter and have not been catching many fish these last few outings as the weather has gotten colder. Additionally, I have seen a lot less movement of smallmouth and other fish that I typically see when wading. I was wondering if anyone had any insight into the behavior of how the smallmouth that inhabit these small waterways (Dupage and Fox creeks). For example, do these fish migrate to deeper water in the main river if they spend the spring and summer months in the creek?

Thanks!

Hey all,

Anyone know any books focused on Illinois smallmouth fishing? Or fly fishing in Illinois? Thanks!

Ryan

Hey Mark!

Thanks for the response. I'm hopeful to get out 1 or 2 more times this year (if my legs aren't too cold) to check out some new spots. Let's hope its over in 2021. Looking forward to meeting you all.

Best,

Ryan

Terry and Paul,

Thanks for the welcome. Exploring and finding new spots is half the reward! Look forward to learning from the other fly fisherman in the club. Its been a lot of fun but challenging to learn. Maybe I will see you out there!

Hey everyone,

New member here. Wanted to say hello. I currently live in Chicago and spent most of my life in the south suburbs fishing for bass in ponds, quarries, and the Des Plaines and its backwaters. I also spend a lot of time in Wisconsin fishing lakes and rivers across the state. This year I have started transitioning from conventional tackle to fly fishing. In addition to fly fishing, I am trying to learn more about Illinois' smallmouth population and improving the conservation and habitat for these beautiful fish in our state.

With my fly rod in hand (and novice casting ability), I have spent most of this summer and fall exploring the Lakefront, Fox, Dupage, and the creeks across the greater Chicagoland area trying to learn the smallmouth waters that I have spent years overlooking. So I am excited to join the Illinois Smallmouth Alliance!

Best!

Ryan