Mark K

Here is a link with a map to all the DNR properties.

https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/Parks/Pages/default.aspx

20 hours ago, gordon p said:

Sad but necessary

The FPDCC closed the buildings- but left the grounds and trails open.  Maybe that will change.   Good Lord I think I am going lose my marbles. 

I called.  As long as it's not DNR property you are okay.  This is a directive of the governors office. 

42 minutes ago, Terry Dodge said:

No they don’t.

You are right.  The state does, the DNR has jurisdiction.

14 minutes ago, Andy C said:

Just the access to waterways.  Find other means.  Private launches, US army corp boat ramps, city parks, etc. 

I was just thinking about it, if it's a navigable waterway the DNR owns it.

Do you have a link for this?

You should write an entire epic prog concept album on the pike/mepps dream incident. 

16 hours ago, Terry D said:

I have some of these Zman hooks and craws and have used them but I need to be using them more because I agree it is very realistic combo. 

I appreciate you posting the video because I was wondering how well the hooks with the bigger weights could be rigged and have avoided buying the bigger versions. That Elastech material is amazing. 

In the video the hook was never texposed. I have been carefully texposing the hooks by just barely catching the smallest piece of material. I've taken the hook and ripped the material a bit to get just the right amount of catch. 

Anyone else have a preference on this or experiences to share whether to texpose or not with Elastech? Whenever possible I do prefer the more weedless approach. 

 

wonder if you could shave off some lead on the sides of the head of the heavier ones leave that big keel.  I am pretty sure the elastech would stretch over the keel thing on the larger one.

If you don't texpose it picks up weeds. 

This combo is so effective even I am catching fish with it.  If you like the regular TRD give it a try.  I had my doubts but it does NOT get stuck in rocks on every cast. In fact it's pretty darn "rock-less".  I am only using the sizes roughly equivalent to 1/16 and 1/8 (they come in weird weights) and I only used them with TRD Craw- which in a river (not like this video) looks really natural in the water- more of a craw scooting accross the bottom horizontal.  If you rig it right the craw stays on better than any other jig I ever used.  I don't think it would work with a conventional (not Elastech) rubber craw as well, as you would tear it getting it over the keel thing.  They are 5 bucks a pack of 3 and the craws are like 5 bucks a half dozen.  If the plastic don't melt in your car on the way out and ooze all over the back of your car, like Zman stuff did to my car then it's a good buy.

You don't need a koozie (neoprene beverage can insulator) when the air temp is low enough to sustain water in it's solid phase. I work with a group of very nice folks all with really advanced science degrees who still take up precious refrigerator space by putting an entire lunch cooler bag in there.  

He does touch a nerve. hobbies get out of control. @3:35 hoarding old gear.  It's hard to let go of stuff that you pretty much should have not bought in the first place.

On 1/29/2020 at 4:20 PM, Dan Draz said:

It speaks to the growing movement of those who feel compelled to share with everyone else how far they've run (Err… suffered).Dan

 

Think of it as fish bragging rights when you take fish picture and pretty much share it to the world..  Only in this case when you hold it closer to the camera a 5K does not become a marathon.

5 hours ago, Bart Durham said:

A pleasant surprise, seeing clean tributaries like these dumping into the DesPlaines river  help to explain why the smallmouth is making a big comeback in the DesPlaines River!

That and 50 or so years of not dumping toxic s...t in it.

No.  it is a tributary of the Desplaines. Near I 55.

https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/inpc/pages/area3willgrantcreekprairie.aspx

https://www.instagram.com/p/B7EToXRlPIW/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

Spoiler: Grant Creek wins healthiest stream.

tinyurl.com/riverwatch-2019report

1 hour ago, Terry Dodge said:

Which forest preserve sent you that?

Not that it even matters.

I think it was the district office.  I was driving when I callled. Whatever  number Siri pulled up

4 minutes ago, Kev-mo said:

I remember reading some of those articles on the fossils, made me want to go down.there and do some digging myself. I might even still have one if it didn't go in the last file cabinet purge.

I have a few really nice ones.  We used to go float the river fish and look for rocks.  The river is pretty much picked thru now.  It was 15 years ago.  If you are interested in that stuff look up ESCONI , Earth Science Club of Northern Illinois. They meet at C.O.D. and run trips to Braceville where you can (legally) find those same types of Fossils. you can hunt at braidwood also, but you need to check in.

There actually refered to as "Mazon creek Fossils" from the Pensylvanian era (250 milion ish years ago)  and I think there are very few places on earth where they exist and none in the numbers that were found in that area. 

This is a cool forum also.

http://www.thefossilforum.com

21 hours ago, Terry Dodge said:

The circled area is the land owner property. The red X is the forest preserve canoe launch. The red arrow indicates flow direction.

 

The forest preserve sent me a PDF of their brochure on canoeing. Here is the disclaimer. 

Canoeists on Illinois rivers receive permission from landowners whenever utilizing private property. Many of the streams in Illinois are bounded by private land. Any stream that is not legally public and navigable is private and can only be used with permission from the landowners. Obtain permission from landowners before launching, take out, camping, picnicking, portaging, or parking vehicles on private land. Remember that your conduct will greatly influence the landowners attitude toward other canoeists.

So yeah, that old man is probably right.  You probably need his permission to be legal.

Why they built a launch to the south of there i have no idea.  Maybe they are hoping to buy that property at some point?

There is a canoe launch and a parking lot just to the NW of that guy's property. 

They sent me PDFs of maps of a bunch of FPs around there. looks on paper to be really nice.

2019 Canoe Brochure.pdf

12 hours ago, Scott Ferguson said:

Besides being a nice article on the Mazon, it reminded me of what a wonderful writer John Husar was and how much I miss his outdoor column.

I have not paddled the Mazon in a really long time, there was no cow pee pipe when I paddled it so that call must have worked.  The waterfall he is talking about was WhiteTie Falls, which I believe is just run-off from farm fields across Whitetie road.  Claypool Ditch, I thiink it's called.  It used to be really pretty, like a real creek and a waterfall.  then they poured concrete in  it i guess for erosion and it's truly hideous now.   

He also doesn't mention that the landowners were pissed because fossil hunters would go in there sometimes with shovels and tear up the already eroding banks.

4 hours ago, Mike Clifford said:

Wouldn't it be interesting to corral various people in the legislative and enforcement sectors for a town hall meeting type of thing to nail down some specifics. Give a power point with specific areas across the state and put the ball in their court. Laws regarding every other crime on the books is specific. We have a right to know that if we do "this", the consequence is "that". 

That's my whole point.  Unfortunately I think the more you find out the more will be in favor of the landowner.

John Husar in 1987 on public access.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1987-05-13-8702050664-story.html

4 hours ago, Terry Dodge said:

I don’t even think the IDNR has any jurisdiction from what I have heard from their stream sampling teams.

I have an email into the  (1)CPO, we'll see what he says.  if he doesn't get back to me in two weeks, i am going to call his cell.  Then I am going to call him again if he does not respond. 

I was also bored driving to a physical therapy appointment, so I called the County FP and asked about that specific details a very nice and trying to  be super helpful person answered , but was pretty much hadn't heard a thing about that stretch, totally unfamiliar with Illinois access law (like pretty everybody) much  and essentially referred me to IDNR.  

45 minutes ago, Terry Dodge said:

They only care about the land not the water.

I don't think they have jurisdiction over the river IDNR does.

So if it's navigable at best you have the right to thru it. 

15 minutes ago, Terry Dodge said:

The circled area is the land owner property. The red X is the forest preserve canoe launch. The red arrow indicates flow direction.

 

Based on this, from everything I read and assuming he owns that property the old man is right.  You have no business being there. 

Is there anything from the forest preserve district telling you that it is okay to float this?  

1 minute ago, Terry Dodge said:

Wrong branch.

Have you called the conservation police to ask if it's cool to float thru there? 

Have you talked to anyone that was actually busted for trespassing?

Did you confirm on the county GIS that he indeed owns both sides? I took a fast look at it, and looks to me like property lines go up to the bank.