Terry Dodge

Paul - My "fact" snappage was not directed towards you. Sorry if you took it that way. It just upsets me when I hear stuff like that that I know for a fact isn't true. Dang! I did it again.

First off I want to thank all members for all the support and advice and words of encouragement in my attempt at saving this little creek. I have spent many enjoyable days fishing this creek and enjoying it's sights and wild life. Thank you all! 10/28/11 I decided to stop down at the Kilbuck before work today just to see if there has been any change since the article came out. Didn't really expect to see much change at all but what the heck I had some time to waste. I drove to Kilbuck Bluffs F.P. and as I was crossing the bridge I could tell right away that something was different. It almost looks like a creek again. I parked my jeep along the road side and jumped out with camera in hand. Kilbuck is clearing up! I didn't expect this at all! At the forest preserve ( about 2 miles down stream of the quarry) clarity was about 1 foot I would say. This is the best it has been all year. No blue/gray color to the water. It's kind of a dirty dust brownish stain but much, much better than the way it has been all year. So now I jump back in my jeep and head for the HWY-251 bridge which is about a half mile down stream of the quarry where a couple of weeks ago ( if you remember) I snapped this picture............ Well today I was about as happy as a little girl with a new Easter dress. I could not believe my eyes (eye)! This my friends and fellow members is what I saw (tried to get the same shot).............. That's good, right?! I was sure happy. I'm not done with this yet. I don't really expect it to stay this way. I hope it does but I have to be real about this. There is another step I plan to take to fight this battle and it should be a good blow. It may take a bit of time but I do plan on staying on this thru the winter. Right about now you should be asking, "Okay what about the KICKER?" Here it is. ( I got a kick out of it anyway) As I was taking the latest picture above, the company that is responsible for the staining was at the same location parked just below the bridge with their clay/dusted truck. I didn't see anybody but as I was taking pictures I heard some rustling around in the tree line. I looked in the direction of the noise and right there in my line of sight was a shiny new red & white "NO TRESSPASSING" sign. HA! Like I said, I didn't see them but I'm bettin' they saw me. Then as I was leaving I heard the noise again so I stopped, turned to the trees, waved and then jumped into my jeep and drove off to work a happy man.

PaulT - Sorry bud but you info source sucks! I know for a fact they are (or were) pumping into the creek. No crap. I know for a fact.

I enjoyed that very much. I prefer to drink coffee as I tie.

A hint of Kilbuck to enjoy........ ( at about 1:30 into the video begins the section being attacked from251 including the Johnson mill)

Thanks! But know this..... I didn't actually write the article. The editor put it all together from a 2 hour conversation we had on the phone on Tuesday and put my name to it. I was kind of worried that some of you might be upset from me mentioning that I was with the ISA. I didn't take this step to get people mad at me. I tried the Rockford paper and got no-where and I called all the local TV stations and got no-where. Frank at the Rock River Times jumped right on it with enthusiasm. I have been in touch with the IEPA over the last couple of weeks but that seems to be running into a long stretched out not really getting anything done dead-end alleyway. They say it's going to take some time. I feel Kilbuck don't have time. This has gone on too long. I hope Nancy at the IEPA don't get up set with me. I do appreciate what she has done and what she is doing, it's just taking too long. What am I suppose to do....forget about it until spring of 2012? I think not! I'll keep you all updated on what's going on. Right now all I can say is that I'm still alive. Some locals don't seem to think that I will be for very much longer. We'll see.

.......until Christmas. Gift Idea #1 http://www.getpetrider.com/ For me. Not a dog.

Stop talking about me when I'm not around! Terry has been hard at work with the Kilbuck Creek problem. Still not happy. If anybody knows of any other routes to take please let me know. Mike G - Thanks. I hope I can do as good of a job as Jude did. Jim J. - "upped his wardrobe to ISA colors and logos", That's a great idea!

I believe he's the one that contacted me back. He was there with Nancy S. when the violations were passed out the first time. I guess he is her eyes in the field. Nancy is on vaction until later this week.

Heard back from one EPA person.......... "Thanks for the update. These photos will come in handy. It’s unfortunate that they did not get the “message” the first time."

No rest, No.......... Spent the morning contacting many a folks. Will let you know when I start to hear back. (how do you guys get the youtube player ti embed?)

It's being pumped in from a quary. The EPA was already there and hit them with violations back in Aug. of this year when I first reported it. I'm not going to stop. I'll do what it takes. Ain't got nuttin' better to do. Really don't care to do anything else other than getting this little creek back to the state it was in 3 years ago. I can be a real ass when I want to be. 9 times out of 10 I rather enjoy being an ass. If that's what it takes.....so be it. Oughta be fun. I am so freakin' mad about this.

Stopped by Kilbuck before work (10/4/11) to see if the 4" of rain from last week had any effect on clearing up the Kilbuck. I have contacted the EPA once again as there is still some bad staining going on. The staining was not the brown gunky stuff from before but this time a blueish/grayish color. Very heavy. I'm not happy. Not at all. I guess I have a plan of returning Kilbuck to the state it was in just 3 years ago, my lifes work. In this pic the little feeder stream at the top is running clear into the Kilbuck.......... Kilbuck Creek 10/4/11............

No reply needed. I retract my request. I lipped two (2) nice smallies this morning the biggest being 17 3/4". Computer is still down. Bad mother board. Need to get a whole new system. I'm using my VERY slow lap top at the moment.

I am here to ask the "Men Of The Square Table" for a pass on Law #23. I only have one eye (the right eye) due to the loss of my left eye to glacoma. My depth preception is a tad-bit off, making it difficult to lip smallies at times. As you can see I'm not shy about staying ay home playing with my Barbies but I can say that I have lost the chance of snapping a few shots of nice fish CATCHES because of my depth preception problem. I await your reply.

Thanks for the tips and info but I think I'll just go back to using the fly rod.

I can say that I do seem to have a little bit (between 12' to 15") of mojo on the south branch. Away from the south branch I have nothing. Started looking for wadable and safe (not wade safe, just plain old SAFE) areas on the Rock. Have yet to find an area like that but I'll keep looking. Jude - Stay off MY south branch!

Mojo. I lost mine.

Nice tip Brad. I've been getting a lot of swipes and bumps on my poppers but no takers. I shall try the hoppers. Thanks!

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-dairy-water-rejection-20110908,0,1503991.story

Thank you. I was wondering.

What's up with the Illinois Smallmouth Alliance (ISA) Adopt-A-Stream program? I have not seen or heard anything for some time.

You could be missing the whole thing! Taking up fly tying after receiving eye transplant surgery can be rough. Good luck to you.

Thanks! I have to admit that it is a pretty good feeling but I don't want to get too happy until she is running as clear as she was in the summer of 2009. Until that day I'll just keep working on my new Creek Dance.

UP-DATE (in a nut shell) I contacted the Illinois EPA and they checked it out and and called me back to say thanks for bringing this to their attention. They hit the quarry site on Friday, Aug. 26 and slapped a few violations on the company that owns the quarry. They told the quarry operators to stop what they were doing right away and to fix the problem and also told them NOT to wait until they get the notice in the mail before begining to correct all violations. It all sounds good to me but I'll be sure to keep checking out the Kilbuck to see if there is any improvment.