scotth

backs been out past few days so decided to get aquainted with the smallmouth reports. started all the way back at the first entries..it is interesting to see that from the start of this to present that there are 4 main lures that are being used the most and productive...YUM CRAWBUG...SWEET BEAVER...HULA GRUBS...FLUKES., i did see the ususal spinnerbaits and cranks and topwater lures.....*****SHOULD NOTE, JUST READ THE KANKAKEE ENTRIES****..and the good ol' grub.. lots of fine fish have been caught in the kankakee. i don't know if it's just me, but i think this river is very underated. it is very clean (as rivers go) and very accessible for boats, bank fishing and wading. as i was looking at pictures, most of the guys were in water between waist/knee deep.. oh yeah, and i did see one Jerry Garcia sighting (sorry Norm had to throw that in).. hopefully i will get out sunday morning (back pending) as reading all those reports got my fishing blood flowing.. scott

ahhh kids, what we do with electronics without them.. correct me if i'm wrong anyone, but that first picture looks like a MUSKY, with the vertical bars on the side..a northern has more horizontal lines/spots i believe..

been trying to get used to using more plastics this year, however this seems to me more aggravating then pleasurable. basically i'm out of my "comfort zone". i need to get back to my cranks and spinnerbaits and hopefully my numbers will go up..after fishing the state park area this morning, i see why you (norm) use the heavier equiptment, the current is quite a bit faster/stronger than upstream where i usually fish.. scott

never been too much on the walleye thing, of course never really "tried to go after them"..

so Norm,,,did you see any big'uns

ok guys, thanks, that was a big help.. scott

i see the current flow and water height but exactly what am i really trying to understand here as being useful to fishing?? i see guys using it all the time in they're water/fishing discussions..just curious if it is something i "need to know".. scott

wow, i can't even think what was going through your mind..quick thinking in a life or death situation..Norm you Are the man in more ways than one...great job. i only met you once and i got the feeling you not only do what you do because it's good for the environment and our river system but YOU ENJOY DOING IT..my hat is off to you.. scott

i would have said, "and you are?"

is there anyone out there that's NOT catching anything besides me. been fishing for 3 days and i lost one on a buzzbait by the shore and that's been it..throwing spinnerbaits, rattletraps, plastics, cranks...talk about frustrating..then i see some of you guys are catching several in a short amount of time. now i know i'm not as "seasoned" as some of you, but i'm not a beginner (although lately i feel like one)...i have never given up but holy cow, do you guys have a secret or what? i'm fishing eddies, riffles, runs, slack areas, seams, behind falldowns, along falldowns...ughhhhh any tips would be helpful or i guess i will have to hire one of you for a guide.. scott

don't be sorry, this is a good topic that a lot of people don't know about regulation wise, myself included. scott

so....if i want to fish a local creek that runs through some farmland and there are NO signs, i should be alright to fish that area.? i would be wading by the way..

i'm the one that asked about the white thumper and was replied to as being the color (061 white thumper) in the terminator series of spinnerbaits..ask Eric, that's his baby......... scott

i read somewhere, (will never forget this and can't remember where i read it), that you could catch a fish with a stick and a hook tied to it if presented at the right time at the right place and the right presentaion..now i don't know about that but everyone has they're confidence bait or baits. mine are the chartruese/white spinnerbaits and the bomber 2a in crawdad. this year though after everything i've read on here this past winter, i think my goal is to WHERE I FISH more than WHAT I FISH..if that makes sense. scott

yeah, i seen that at 12 am last night. can you imagine if both these sites went down for a week..with the weather breaking for the better it wouldn't be too bad, but when its crappy out, well i don't have to tell you.. of course Norm will fish no matter what.

whew, thought it was just me, haven't been able to get on since sunday either. tried to e-mail them but wouldn't go through either..

ok, pretty much common sense then, take turns and share the water, thanks.. scott

just a general question about wading, is there any "etiquette" when you and your buddy are wading the same area? i don't want to get to technical about this, just curious.. scott

kankakee river last summer **note, if you click on pic, it is a close up**

whew, ok i feel better. thanks. yes, i have fished those without knowing the exact term and yes they are productive. another tip learned from you guys, thanks. scott

ok, you guys talking about SEAMS. now is that the line you see between the fast water and slower water? i've never heard that term before. excuse my ignorance.. scott

now, THAT is a good tip in itself. fish the ugliest, scariest area you can, there will be a fish there. i've seen rick clunn discuss the "banjo pluck", use it quite frequently. and....using snaps on crankbaits, not swivel snaps, just snaps, more action to the bait and quicker lure changes. scott

you must be talking about the button down shirts?

go to the ACTIVITES section and you'll see shop for ISA merchandise. they are some cool looking shirts. i will be ordering 1 or 2 myself .. scott

i would have to agree with the "lake fish" answers. river/stream smallies (i don't think/or never seen) would get that fat.