John Loebach

Get a permit for your boat & you can learn in several of Dupage forest preserve lakes - safer than the rivers at first. The Fox offers alot of good access & safe water at low flows - 1000cfs on the Montgomery dam guage, just be careful if you venture out on higher levels, you might have to respond faster. Also get used to wearing your PFD when you need it you won't have time to put it on. It helps to boat with another yakker.

Thanks for the kudos all. Rich , they are 7' 11" so they are legal in tournaments & are not line weight rated but come with the Sage taper designed for that rod. All three models load close with power but can cast distance as well. The bluegill rod we had there is between a 6 & 7 wt. & would make a good stream smallie rod. Mike next one will be next year but we may have a casting day or two this winter if I can find a venue.

For rod building & supplies try Eric at Coren's Rod & Reel 773/631-5202. Not on the south side but he would be able to answer all your questions and yes he has helped the ISA & continues to do so.

Thanks to all 12 who attended all had a good time casting at least 24 different rods. Member Jim Velgueth(FFF cert. instructor) worked one on one with tips on improving casting form & several showed visible improvement from the help. An informal poll rated the most votes for favorite - Sage Bass/ bluegill a 6/7 wt., Elkhorn 4/5 wt., Scott S3 a 4wt. We wound up with some rather charred hot dogs & were gone by 1:30.

Chicago region meeting at Pal Joey's restaurant in West Chicago with Vic Santucci as speaker. Fall of 2002? - anyway Ken was region coordinator at the time. Water willow planting the next summer was the first event I attended, run by Mark Kasic. Was very impressed by the turnout & what the group could accomplish in a half day.

Just a reminder to come out for the Bassbugger Cast & Compare this Saturday at Hidden lake forest preserve, Rte. 53 just south of Butterfeild Rd. 9AM start. Third year for this event where the goal is to try different rods, weights, lines and share your ideas after casting. Bring one or more of your rods you use for smallies and sample each others equipment. I will bring 3,4,5,6,7,8, & 9 weights some fast graphite, some fiberglass. As well I will have some sinktip & full sink lines. Add to that a few new rods on loan from vendors to see whats arriving this season. Stay untill noon & we will grill some lunch- fish after if you want. Hope to see a good turnout.

Wow! Awesome colors, both the fish & the trees. Do my eyes deceive me or is that Don with a fly rod. Nice to be in the right place at the right time- it doesn't work out that way that often. Steve were you keeping up with the fly rod during the fast action?

Better than you would think but I don't think the minnow would agree.

Low & slow is my most productive approach 80% of the time on area rivers. Right now until the water temp. drops to 50 or lower & stays there I always start an outing with more aggressive action higher in the water column, usually fishing a down & across swing with the current. If that doesn't work then slow it down. If you catch it right the fish will pursue & nail your fly on the lift as the current buggywhips your line straight at the end of the drift. When that is the case shallow or deep, fast or slow water doesn't much matter. I agree with Caig on large minnow patterns as the fall progresses. Whatever you do get out as often as you can, fish midday & on & cover water. You will find the fastest fishing with the flyrod this time of year. From the results that Eric has posted that time is NOW.

I'll be there on Saturday unless work gets in the way.

Rich, I'll have some anyone else can get them to you at the next tying on 9/22, check the calendar for details - it is Monday although the oct. & nov. meetings will be on tuesdays as I have a class this fall on Monday nights. we can tie some extra then as well.

Jonn - most of the fly nuts I know have too much gear but can't part with any of it. Next blowout should present some possibilities, in the meantime call Eric at Coren's rod & reel 773/631-5202. He sells some used tackle on consignment & may have what you are looking for.

With floating lines I start with tapered 9' 1x or 2x and use until the tippet is gone then add 1x florocarbon 18" to 30" & repeat. Eventually I will build in a section of 0x to keep some taper as the mono is used up. One leader per reel & line is good for the year. Sink tips go straight to tippet 36" or less. I agree with Ron 1x,2x are the start occasionally 3x. Sometimes in clear water I will cast 10' leaders most of the time 7 or 8' is a good working length.

Take your kids to anglers international in palatine. They have a wide range of imported Aussie & Japanese stuff mostly too expensive but there is a section of realistic panfish lures that are moderatly priced & look like beetles, dragonflies ect. that your guys would get a kick out of. I suspect they also work at catching fish.

Congrats Don, You da man!! Who else is still fishing the rivers come december? Your enthusiasm is contagious & as president it will only rub off on more new members. Rich, a great two years, you are a hard act to follow. thanks for lots of support for our goals & for the Bassbuggers.

Hi, Jeff - I don't know your area but watch for outings in the central region or pm the coordinator of previos outings for more info. Also consider buying a Illinios Gazateer & do some exploring, smallies are in most flows from Wisconsin to I74. if you get up to chicagoland I will happily provide you with some pointers.

Josh I've tried your spinnerd minner ( as Fox Statler calls them) & think a small snap swivel at the fly is the answer - I just haven't tried it yet. By the way they trigger alot of fish - I'm still waiting to get one in front of some bigger fish. Thanks for sharing, we would like to have you tie it at either tying night.

Overline by a weight is best suited to the larger wt. rods or the very fast tip flex rods. A 6 wt. which bends into the middle of the rod ( medium or progressive action) will not handle long casts with a 7 wt line. Also at 6 to 7 wt the gap(# of grains) becomes larger making the effect worse. Add to that many lines such as Rio clouser & outbound are really 6 1/2 wt. Don't be in a hurry to overline & do not buy your only or first line for a rod oversize. Lefty Kreh says that at times underlining a rod will make it perform better. Its complicated by the rod action, skill & needs of the caster & lenght of cast & size of fly.

Jonn, take some time & get used to what you have. I think you will find the 6wt. is your first choice most of the time. Try to come to the Cast & Compare outing on 10/18 at Hidden Lake - the whole point of this outing is to cast different action,size & taper rods for feel. You won't know what you like until you try it & its alot cheaper to winnow the choices before you buy more. Also expect your requirements to change in the next few years as you cast developes. The Midwest fly show in January is another chance to do this but not on the waterlike the C&C outing. The blowout is a great place to hook up with bargains as we have more fly gear as interest in the group grows. Let us know how it goes - summer & fall low water is my favorite time to fly fish moving water.

Also flow & guage ht. at Montgomery - These do get stuck a good hint is when the height goes flat for a long stretch.