Scott Ferguson

I don't know about fees for title transfer, but you'll have to pay state sales tax on the retail value of the boat and an $18 watercraft registration fee.

Even if you could prove that scent increased your catch by 50%, I wouldn't use it. That stink seems to get into your tackle box and everywhere else. I smell bad enough as it is.

Jonn, I'd suggest the Regal rotary vise. The jaws are spring loaded and never lets the hook slip. As a time saver, the spring jaws are great. The pedestal version sells for $220 but if you can live with the c-clamp model, they're only $165. Cabela's sells them

Another item I've come to depend on is a small storage box model 1070 from Plano. Originally designed for flies, the dividers come out, and I use it for my jigs, hooks, and small hardware. Closed up, it's dimensions are 4.5" x 3.5" x 1.25" The box fits very easily into a vest, or wading bag and keeps everything visible and organized. Though I don't often see them in tackle stores, the Plano outlet store always seems to have them on hand for $3 or $4 dollars.

Menards sells the post pounders for $20. Pick up some more if you need them.

That was Phil Fiscella demonstrating the slider/tube rigging technique. He put it to good use catching around 15 smallies while he was with me and Jim Kast with the biggest at 18.5 inches. Jim has a photo of that one. Here is Jim with one that he got that was 16 or 16.5, I'm sure he can tell you what size it was. Between us we had 26. Maybe a third came from right next to the bank and most of the rest were caught on the slow side of a current break that was about 15 feet or so from the bank near a big eddy.

Guess where I learned those spots I showed you, at an ISA fishing outing.

We have no one on our member list with the first name Nathan and the last name beginning with the letter A. Because you did not register using your last name or even the correct first initial of your last name, we have no way of knowing who you are. I need a last name to match you up to the paid member list.

I did not have any of the white signs made. We never discussed them.

I got a call from a member who may or may not make it to help put up the signs. He wants us to be sure to put one up at the dam in Hammel Woods. Make sure to take lots of good pictures so we can do a story on the signs for the next newsletter.

Krispy Kreme is closing stores too. The Bolingbrook store is gone!

6:30ish at Bakers Square?

I know the river is already running high and fast and the weatherman is calling for more rain, but come out anyway. The Kankakee has miles of fishable shoreline. The bass are likely to be holding tight to the banks to stay out of the fast current. While we're there, I hope we can make some time to put up some of our new yellow catch & release signs. Anybody want to meet for breakfast first?

I agree about the 85's not walking right. Or at least not as easily as other baits do. The Rapala Skitter Walk is a bait you should try. Casts a mile, walks easily, and makes a good racket thanks to the weight inside. Braided or superlines are a must with walk the dog baits. After throwing it a great distance the no-stretch lines make it easy to transmit the action from the rod to the bait. Springy monofilament just doesn't work.

I just bought that same pack last week and used it for the first time last weekend. I also prefer the sling style that swings out of the way when I don't need to get in it. There are not a lot of companies that offer that type of wading bag. Good room in it and comfortable to wear. A big thumbs up from me.

The discussion about what lures to use is an endless one. One of the things I carry with me while wading is a "Gear Keeper" retractor. I usually have 2 of them attached to my lure bag. This is a heavy duty retractor that I attach to my camera and another I attach to my pliers. Although I use a waterproof camera that will not be harmed if I drop it in the water, it can get lost or I may have to get wet in places I'd rather keep dry if it falls to the bottom of the river. With this retractor, if I drop it, it comes right back to me! Another tool I find very useful is a combination scissors and hemostat. This one is made by Dr. Slick. Since clippers are not very effective on braided lines, scissors are the preferred tool for cutting line. One problem with scissors is that they can open up when you have them hanging from a lanyard and poke you. These clamp shut when not in use and the hemostat is used for removing hooks from your catch. These also have a flat bladed screwdriver bit and a pointy piece for cleaning the paint from the eye of a painted jig all in one tool. Multi-tasker tools are always appreciated when trying to travel light.

I prefer a 7 foot rod when I'm trying to hit those close to the bank pockets from the other side of the river. I like making as long a cast as I can. I cover more water and I reduce the chance a little bit, of spooking the fish by getting too close. When wading, I want to cover as much water as I can with the least amount of movement. But, it all depends of the river. Smaller tighter flows where the overhanging trees get in the way, and long casts are often not even possible, call for shorter rods.

The spectra fibers they make the line out of doesn't hold the dyes very well. I don't much care what the color of the line is. I don't believe fish know what line is. My theory is, if they know what line is, how come they can't figure out what treble hooks are? They are probably much more sensitive to the vibrations the line gives off coming through the water than they are about the fact that it may be more visible. I believe when using mono, that lighter lines catch more fish not because of the reduced visibility, but because lighter, thinner lines let lures run deeper where they encounter more fish. I like to be able to see my line. Especially the superlines that float. I watch the line as my bait is drifting in the current. When a fish picks up the bait, the line will twitch and start to straighten out which tells me it's time to set the hook. If the line is hard to see, I lose my strike indicator.

How else do you keep your reel attached to your rod?

If you haven't already done so, it's time to get your 2008 Illinois fishing license. Your old one expires 3/31. Get it online here. https://www3.wildlifelicense.com/il/license...action=custlkup

The 26 million dollar figure is a little more than 10% of the DNR's annual budget. For 2008, the budget is $213 million. For 2009, it's going to be $223 million. The state spent around $22 million just on land acquisition last year. Don't forget, the DNR takes care of all the state parks and services a lot more people than just hunters and fishermen.

Freddy, I'm sorry but we have rules against posting spots on the open forums. I hope you'll consider joining the ISA and coming to some meetings and outings. Your fellow members will gladly share information at these events.

I used to make my own in-line spinners. The dimensions involved were set more by the type of tool used to twist the wire. The tool I was using needed room to hold onto the wire so I could never get them just the size I wanted, there was always more wire above the clevis than I wanted, but it didn't seem to make much difference in the way that they fished. I have a lot of extra bodies, beads and clevis' that I could afford to part with if you need them. If you need anything, send me a PM and I'll let you know what I have.

The number of fishing licenses sold in Illinois is a lot less than 2 million. In a quick search on the internet I found that the peak number was in 1979 when 769,000 were sold. The latest number I could find was in 2003 when 701,000 were sold. Nationwide, the number of hunting and fishing licenses sold has been on the decline for years. This is one big reason the governor feels he can take away money from the DNR because public is losing interest in these activities. Although poaching is obviously bad, I don't believe that overall it has much of an impact on the quality of the smallmouth fishery in Illinois. The majority of people who fish for bass in Illinois release most of their catch and the number of poachers here does not seem extraordinarily high. Poor habitat, and water quality are much more detrimental to smallies than poachers are. I actually believe that catch and release fishermen accidentally kill more smallies that the poachers do. I have no facts to back this up, but there is good reason to believe it's true. I'd like to see the state spend the limited amount of money they have protecting the woods and waters of our state from future development like the mega-dairies and other industrial developers.

As part of the cleanup of thorium on the West Branch, Tronox will be staring work on The McDowell Grove Dam this fall. The McDowell Grove dam is scheduled to be removed in the next couple of years after the cleanup is done along with the Warrenville Grove dam. There will be significant work done on the DuPage River in this area in the next couple of years as well. This work should eliminate the debris problem once and for all.