Terry Dodge

Thanks Kevin! Yeah I’m looking forward to this season. I consider the Smallmouth Hunter song to be my Bohemian Rhapsody. Ha!

And I just finished up writing a smallmouth fishing song called Smallmouth Hunter.

Hey Fellow ISA Members, Well it’s been about a year since I made the hard decision to step away from the ISA Leadership and Newsletter. Tough decision but one that I now feel was the right decision. Last season was a bad season for me sight wise. I struggled with hitting my target while casting. Usually not even knowing where that damn lure was even going most of the time. This was using traditional gear. Very frustrating. My plan is to focus more on the fly rod this year as I believe the big colorful fly line will assist in casting on target because I can see it. Anyway, enough about my struggles. Since stepping down, I have started to produce my own newsletter, Kishwaukee Valley Newsletter (KVN), also, I created Kishwaukee River Rec, which is a Kishwaukee River safe level guide to help inform and educate people on the levels of the Kish as it pertains to the USGS PRY12 gage, which is the most popular reach on the Kish. I am currently looking at different ideas of promoting this on a wider scale. I believe it will save at least one life. Near the end of 2023, I was contacted by a group of blind veterans called the, National Blinded Veterans Organization, asking if I would join their team and help out, which of course I did. Funny thing, I had already been working on the same very idea that they presented to me. In 2019, when I attended a VA blind rehabilitation center program, I walked out of there with so many visual aid devices, that when I got home after the 6 week program, it was all a bit overwhelming. Lot of learning to pack into a 6 week program. We at NBVO.org plan to fix that by offering support with these devices. The website and everything else we do is all done by blinded vets. If you know of a vet, with a vision impairment, feel free to share our site with them. Links: https://nbvo.org https://nionwebsites.wixsite.com/nbvoaid I can say that with my vision, the way it is now, fishing just isn’t as enjoyable as it once was. Not that I still don’t enjoy it, just not as much. Sorry for the long post but just thought I’d let you know what I’ve been up to. Looking forward to reading your fishing reports this season. Go out and catch a Brutus!

Damn. Sad news. Fun guy to be with. The wilderness will not be the same.

Sorry to hear that, Corey. That really sucks. I agree with Paul on the run-off, makes me wonder if a farmer recently sprayed manure on his fields?

Enjoyed the latest issue! Sorry I missed Matt Steffan, sounds like a good Zoom. If you are recording those, I am still capable of getting them on the ISA YouTube channel. Thanks!

FREP is having a thing about where to get monies for projects… https://myemail.constantcontact.com/FREP-Downstream---Wed---Jan--10th-Annual-Meeting--Elections---Program-on-Funding-at-The-Centre--Elgin.html?soid=1101934369562&aid=VbuUYVrOqnc

Ran across this today https://www.inwoodlands.org/a-regulated-trapping-otter/

Congrats Brendan! I can already see that you’re getting the hang of CC format. Looks good and will only get better from here. Be sure to have fun with it. Thanks for the large size text. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Tip for Editor; 1) sure to manage CC storage on a regular basis. 2) Download the Mobile App. I did many issues using only my phone. Hope you enjoy doing it as much as I did. Looking forward to Decembers issue.

I must ask how you hooked it?

No problem fellow Torturer

This topic is covered in this video…

Also, yeah, I don’t know how to dye anything but me thinks maybe cracking a closed pod and dying the entire thing, then let it dry? Sure would hate to do those things one by one. 😁

I had the idea and just tossed it together real quick. I do believe it’s doable.

Anyone ever use it? I just started playing around with it and and I think I kind of like it. The time is now to grab a pod or two. Plenty to play with from just one pod. I suggest handing it carefully and put a rubber band around the pod to keep the fluff inside. Tied up a Blockhead, dressed a hook for a lure, and had the idea of creating a Kishwaukee River organic fly, the Acorne Popper. puck a pod and have some fun! It would be interesting to see how the silk gets used. ~Terry Bring it!

This reply makes for a nice Lock Screen on your phone if you screenshot it. Thanks, Paul!

Getting anywhere with this? We should talk. I’m working on a project that I feel can blossom into something much bigger and serve as a great tool for river enthusiasts.

Congrats!

https://www.news-gazette.com/newsletter/content/daily_headlines/tom-kacich-consent-decree-on-coal-ash-near-middle-fork-another-step-in-long-journey/article_d8d2604e-d371-505c-a0a3-20c50d3c71ef.html?fbclid=IwAR125oU7kOhGahXkBeVi348IuPC2bplx3dgyXCqtsE62SPcSMD1uJ0h2xNg_aem_AVGWo5wrk_tV78z7pvi1_6KPG7drswVDAbWxI8ry-w_bbe3-B1FihniJ1F8CcHUxftE#ljqc1rksfnyza332upl

Anybody know what this is?

Hey Folks, I’m sharing around a link to my, Smallmouth Hunter website, that is a level guide for safe recreation. The info is there for you to make your own decision. I hope to have a QR code posted at all put-ins along this stretch (PRY12 Gage) so people can check before they float and maybe safe a life or two. From a kayak fishing stand point, I wouldn’t bother if the level is 7.20ft. and above. The water would be pretty heavily stained. Personally I wouldn’t go over 6.80ft. When it comes to wade fishing, you want the level at about 6ft. I don’t wade much above 6.30ft. Becomes very spotty here on up. Hope you find this helpful if you should plan a visit to the Kishwaukee River. https://duckdodge62.wixsite.com/tdsmh/kishriverrec

Just poking some fun at you. Nice looking ax! I always tell roofers they’re doing it wrong when I see them not using an Estwing. 😁 If you’re interested (conservation wise) in the waters in the, McHenry County area, then you might find, Kishwaukee River Ecosystem Partnership (KREP), to be interesting.. Good group.

Matt, I take it you know Ryan Walker? Great guy! Going off your profile picture it looks like you need a new ax. 😁 I joke because I worked at Estwing for 28 years.