Terry Dodge

We didn't get much here, maybe a half an inch but I did notice at work tonight that it was very dark to the north and south of Rockford. We needed it.

BBB Aug./Sept. 2013 Issue: Enjoyed the entire read but really got a kick out of Phil Fiscella "Side Channels" article, as this is something I have been doing much more of this year with success. Great issue all the way around.

I'm not wondering if one way is right or wrong. On ISA outings I too enjoy the other people doing most of the catching. I've noticed this before on ISA outings, I always seem to get way ahead of people. I almost feel like I'm being rude. I do take my time in certain holes with the soft plastics.

When going on ISA wade outings I have noticed that I seem to wade at a much faster pace than the good folks I am wading with. I would like to hear from other members on their wading pace. I believe I wade fast because I like to cover a lot of water but (I don't know) maybe I should slow down a bit?

AUTUMN ON THE KISHWAUKEE RIVER Saturday, September 28 We'll start off of course at the Cherry Valley Cafe for some good breakfast and smallmouth talk around 8:30am After the good food we'll shuttle some cars around and try to start the float by 10am. This will probably be a full day float so be sure to pack a lunch. More info as the date draws near. Please let us know if you plan to attend. http://illinoissmallmouthalliance.net/forums/index.php?app=calendar&module=calendar&section=view&do=showevent&event_id=625 September 29, 2012

I'm not sure. I can remember the banjo music and wanting to get away from there but all my memories seem to turn to black after that.

Dear Jude, We didn't try the moonshine. I was going to try a little sip but just as I was reaching for a swig, I started to hear banjo music. Turned and ran as fast as I could. I did ask if they were having any trouble trying to paddle upstream on a very low river and stated that it seemed like an awful lot of trouble to me. They said they were having a heck of a time. I know us NW Region guys like to joke around a bit but the moonshine offer was real. I should have taken a sip. You only live once. Dang it!

Thanks for the report Eric. Seems your luck got better later in the day the same as mine. You wouldn't think it would work that way with a wide open clear blue sky and high temps. What was your hot bait?

Bill K. Jim S

Nice report. I took my group, which consisted of Bill K, Jim S. Dale B. and myself, and we hit the confluence area of the Kish. After having a pretty decent week of smallmouth fishing this entire week, today I started off looking kind of silly. I'm almost certain I heard someone in my group ask another if they thought I even knew what a smallmouth looked like. Well luckily I had Jim S in my group and he too is a fly fisherman. Jim landed a 15" smallie to get us started. Bill K followed up with another smallmouth a bit over 15". Dale and myself were having a good time swinging sticks in the air. This was a new experience for Dale as he has never really wade fished. We each did have a miss on top water and then I finally got one little dink. Dale had to leave about noon to spend time with family so the rest of us got back in our cars and went to another spot. Spot 2: Things went much better at the second spot as my count for the day ended with 14 smallmouth (13" being the biggest) and a 22" pike. Bill K ended up with about 7 on the day and Jim had 8 smallies last I knew and hooked into another over 15". Jim ditched me and Bill at some point and then as me and Bill were heading back we ran across these guys......... No crap! They had a fire going on a sandbar and asked us if we wanted to drink some moonshine. No kidding. I cracked up when I saw Jude's pic of these guys. Jim S took some pics we'll get posted as soon as we can. It was a fun day on the Kish. Bill K and myself called it a day right around 5pm. Gotta retrieve some info from Paul T Sr.

Oh, and I picked up 18 smallmouth today. 16" was the biggest.

Ed - I thought I heard that you had knee surgery. You had some kind of surgery didn't you? Jude - So are you fishing? I thought I heard that you gave up smallie fishing for tennis? Tennis elbow.....Get it? HA! I crack me up.

Ed, How's the knee doing?

Take I-90 towards Rockford..... https://www.google.com/maps?saddr=Chicago,+IL&daddr=42.2345256,-88.9081357+to:42.2388587,-88.945641+to:Cherry+Valley+Cafe,+216+E+State+St,+Cherry+Valley,+IL+61016&hl=en&sll=42.204616,-88.785324&sspn=0.249738,0.66124&geocode=FWICfwIdGuDG-inty_TQPCwOiDEAwMAJrabgrw%3BFZ1yhAIdmV6z-iklCez31LcIiDGerpij1NQ2Xw%3BFYqDhAIdF8yy-imTCtD3BLgIiDGFZFqWHE4iug%3BFdN1hAIdErOy-iEvhErdvsH3EynhGkPZCLgIiDEvhErdvsH3Ew&t=h&mra=dpe&mrsp=1&sz=11&via=1,2&z=11 Does this help?

Also.... Cherry Valley Days will be happening this weekend. http://www.valleydays.com/index.html

Picked up 9 smallmouth today. 2 @ 15" were the biggest. Five on tubes and four on top water. The area I fished today is an area we will not be hitting on Saturday. Just so you know.

Thanks for the picture taking info. Okay, now back to the outing. Anybody else that plans to attend please chime in so I can reserve tables at the cafe.

Decided to hit the Kish south branch today to see if it had recovered from the algal bloom of two weeks ago. I am happy to report that it has. Picked up 12 smallmouth on a tube. Tried top water a couple times but could find no interest. Biggest smallmouth taped at 17 inches.... Can't figure out how to take a picture when it's sunny out. (here's how not to do it) 17 inch smallmouth http://

Yes please show us. You can't top this................... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Sq-1zyqyMk

Cool! It'll be nice to see you again. Yes, breakfast at 8am. I should be there around 7:30am. JimS has also contacted me by way of email on his attending this outing.

The south branch experienced an algal bloom which began on Saturday, 8/3/13. We'll probably be best to stick with the north branch, which seems to be producing pretty darn-tootin' good right now. http:// Let us know if you plan to attend so as I can get the tables set at the cafe.

Welcome Jesse and thank you for your service. You happened to stumble across a good man. Bart is a smallmouth nut. Not sure if your so called "kayak" will fit in our rivers, but if you want to give it a try.... Try to meet up with some members for some smallie chasing and try to make a couple outings if you uncle will allow you. I had an uncle Sam once, so I know how they can be at times. Welcome again Terry USMC (you know the saying.... Once a Marine, always a Marine.)

Breakfast then fish. It doesn't get any better than that. CLICK; http://illinoissmallmouthalliance.net/forums/index.php?app=calendar&module=calendar&section=view&do=showevent&event_id=624

Breakfast then fish. It doesn't get any better than that. CLICK; http://illinoissmallmouthalliance.net/forums/index.php?app=calendar&module=calendar&section=view&do=showevent&event_id=624

ScottP, I know the area in which you are speaking. I know it very well as a matter of fact. Once the water levels got down to a safe level to access this area, I hit it in hopes that the log jam might have been washed away from the high waters of April and even with hope that WCFPD had removed the jam as I noticed that they had removed other log jams in other areas last Fall. Of course as you know the log jam is still there and is now twice the size. This thing is pretty massive, it's going to take heavy equipment to remove it at this point. It is not going to go away by way of Mother Nature at this point. And yes, I do believe this needs to come down for the good of the river.