Mike Clifford

Yes! Thanks again to Ed and John and to the members that joined us for this presentation. Really interesting conversations about places not normally talked about. Dale- Dan Basore-

Dale Bowman speaks at the Bass Pro in Bolingbrook TODAY at 2 PM!!!

Has PRN gotten involved in this yet? This is right up their alley. Thanks for the update, Eric!

Rod. Vest. Camera (Just to be certain nothing photo worthy happens). That's one item more than Norm typically carries.....but, hey!

Would love to see a Case Helgie fly........just sayin!

Thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family, Bart.

I had a Grumman 14ft. Jon that had a 3 h.p. and had no problem floating and motoring on any local rivers. Actually, I would float downstream and motor back with a fully charged trolling motor as well. Only got into trouble one time with that on the Kankakee. Floated farther than I had planned and just barely had enough juice to reach the launch.

Myself and the kids have done the Bird Park quarry trout opener many times over the years. Some have been better than others. I have no problem with the program, it's the "where". But......it's a moot point around here.

Just did a little search and found that we were discussing this issue back in 2006. The same people (myself included) hold the same opinions now as then. I tried then to initiate discussions with the IDNR biologists and they ran from the issue. Wanted no part of discussing any of it and refused to answer any questions. Money talks.

I used to bring it up every year. A biologist (that was an ISA officer at the time) and myself went to the opener one year just to take notes on the whole circus atmosphere. When we got there, the ISA sign and post had been yanked from the ground and thrown in the weeds nearby, the place was TRASHED and there was no sign of anybody checking anybody for anything. I didn't just fall into this mindset overnight. It's been brewing for years. I will say that every time I do bring it up, a few always shrug it off as no big deal.

I wasn't aware there were studies on this, though I've been searching for a very long time to find them. If you have anything, by all means share it and I'll keep an open mind. The only study I ever found was done in some OK streams. It's really long, but to paraphrase their findings.... From the large PDF file of the studies done.....

Overreacting, my ass Ron. At NO time is it ever acceptable to introduce non-native species of fish into ANY river system. For ANY reason. Ever. I strongly disagree with anybody that FINDS a reason to do so and then argues the merits where no merits exist. It needs to stop, and as long as I have a conservation bone in my body, I'll fight to see that it does. End of discussion from my point of view. Talk amongst yourselves all you like. My mind was made up regarding this a long time ago.

I think it's a great program.....for lakes and ponds. I've heard all of the usual rhetoric about the trout dying, all being caught by anglers......yada yada. What I have also seen are studies done in other states that claim it's just not a good idea to put non-native trout into smallmouth streams. OR the other way around! This is a joke and it needs to cease. Period.

As if it wasn't bad enough that somebody decided years ago to introduce trout into the Kankakee River system, now those same people decided that it would be a good idea to DOUBLE the number. For what purpose? To turn Rock Creek into a "playground" of sorts for fly anglers. Which brings to mind a few questions on my part. 1) Where is the science behind this? Is anybody doing studies to see what effect this has on the NATIVE populations of fish in this system? 2) Who is policing the circus created by all this madness? Are there extra IDNR staff checking licenses and keeping an eye out for poaching violations? 3) Who, exactly, decided this is a good idea? Do they have a contact number? http://www.daily-journal.com/news/local/catch-release-trout-fishing-introduced/article_39ad83d4-df90-5bb3-a42a-06a5a92ce6e3.html

$8.50 each, plus shipping. Maybe I'll use the "gift registry" link. Next month is my 50th B-day. 50 for 50!!

What Terry doesn't tell us is that he is that little dot in the photo, standing naked in a dried out creek bed with a fly rod. That is just wrong on so many levels.

I was stunned when he told me that!

Worst episode I ever had was when I dropped my cell in the Kankakee, then got lost in the woods on a death march with Rego. Couldn't call anybody to find my extraction point. Of course, nobody gets a signal in this God-forsaken dead spot anyway....but still.

Awesome! Thanks for sharing that!

Now I'm thinking I should have put mine in the microwave after dunking it in the Kankakee.....no? Bag of rice NEVER worked for me.....

There were hundreds of flies at the Blowout that intrigued me....more than you know. I was JUST that close.... Then there was wine.. Priorities!

That thing looks amazing! If somebody put these things (and Jonn's craft hair flies) in water and showed how they flutter underwater in a video.....I might become a fly angler. I said "might"......don't get too excited.

Of course!

Thanks. I figured it must have been a fly related thing. Nonetheless, I did a little search and came up with this interesting discussion- http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/83743-which-way-do-you-go-wadefishin-upstream-or-downstream/