What ya know about the fox river north of Boy Scout island up to the south Elgin damn ? I've been on A very small section a few years back to check how a boat was runnin. I'm thinking about giving it a shot after crossing it on the red gate bridge. Looks like it might hold some green and brown ones? Any info appreciated? Thanks in advance
Definitely some good smallmouth and some very big flatheads.
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I live close to Boy Scout Island and hit that stretch of river every year. It is a good stretch of river, caught both greens and browns on it. Would be interesting to hear what others have to say....I sure wish I still had my flat bottom tin boat....have not ventured up much past the first bend after Red Gate Rd due to the pucker factor/glass boat
A fisherman is a jerk on one end of the line
~~~~ waiting for a jerk on the other ~~~~
2007 Triton TR21XHP
2006 Mercury 250 Optimax Pro XS
Is that a good ramp? Would it be a bad idea to launch a fiberglass bass boat there?
I fish it frequently from my kayak. I would be really careful trying to run it in a boat. During the summer it is a foot deep, maybe less, in a lot of places. I catch fish, generally smaller river smallies and occasional largemouth. Can't remember seeing anything other than a jet ski and guy in a small tin rig once. It's mostly canoes and kayaks.
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Interesting.... Ive seen many many pleasure boaters (pontoons, wakeboard & ski boats) cruising this stretch. They usually put out buoys for slalom skiers just south of red gate.
A fisherman is a jerk on one end of the line
~~~~ waiting for a jerk on the other ~~~~
2007 Triton TR21XHP
2006 Mercury 250 Optimax Pro XS
I run full throttle up to the five islands area , there are a lot of pleasure boaters and skiing . I've found the average is about 6 ft deep so you shouldn't have problems if you stay in the channel . The ramp is single wide and protected from the current . I know they started charging now but I can't remember how much . Have fun and stay safe !
This is more my experience.....Originally Posted by Basshunter64
Just havent made it up as far as 5 islands. May have to give that a shot here in the next couple weeks. Anybody have any kind of mapping on this section of river/know where to find something?
A fisherman is a jerk on one end of the line
~~~~ waiting for a jerk on the other ~~~~
2007 Triton TR21XHP
2006 Mercury 250 Optimax Pro XS
I usually put in with my kayak just north of the 5 islands, at the Duerr forest preserve. Maybe that is the stretch that gets shallow, but I'm used to my paddle hitting bottom if I'm not careful. I've seen lots of boats down closer to Boy Scout Island as well as further North, but I would not try to put my bass boat in where I kayak fish. 5 islands is the stretch where I don't see many boats.
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2023 Mercury Pro XS 250 4S
That makes sense north of five islands getting shallow - I keep looking at the railroad bridge pilings north of there on google earth . Is it worth me trying to get up there through the shallow water GMT ? I also been looking at that pocket that goes into the golf course on the east side across from boyscout - anyone know about that area ?
I have never paddled up to that bridge to say how the fishing would be around those pilings. May have to try, but its a good paddle against the current from where I launch. In my experience, the real shallow area is around, under and south of the Fox River Trail bridge, at times there are a lot of areas that seem to be 18" or less. It gets wider and deeper again north of that bridge. There are pilings for the Fox River Trail bridge too. the tailwaters are shallow but do hold some fish. I still think it would be risky trying to get there through the 5 islands area in a boat. Maybe come down from the north, I'm not sure. It looks like some islands just north of that RR bridge where it gets shallow too.
2023 Lund 2075 Pro V Bass XS
2023 Mercury Pro XS 250 4S
I guess its a good thing I too never tried going further than the bend before 5 islands!
A fisherman is a jerk on one end of the line
~~~~ waiting for a jerk on the other ~~~~
2007 Triton TR21XHP
2006 Mercury 250 Optimax Pro XS
Well it sounds like if I do I’d better trim up and go like I stole the boat ! Better take a few props as well ! Actually I probably won’t even try now - I crossed the River a few times today and it’s low already so I’ll stay south or head over to Shabbona to try and find’em ! Thanks gentlemen and good fishing to all !
Just installed Mega 360 so I was thinking to go tune it up out there before making my trek north for smallie prespawn.
A fisherman is a jerk on one end of the line
~~~~ waiting for a jerk on the other ~~~~
2007 Triton TR21XHP
2006 Mercury 250 Optimax Pro XS
Shabbona is a good place to check electronics due to the amount of structure there . I head out there with that on my mind and about 30 mins in I end up fishing and blowing off the electronics practice ! I wish we could idle there . Let me know how you do up north and with the 360 , that should change the off shore game for sure ! Enjoy!
Got er all dialed in yesterday. I end up doing the same thing! I forced myself to
do it by leaving all my rods at home.
I’ve got a place up on a lake in Minocqua. I’ve been going up there for ~15 years. It’s an amazing place, nothing like it in IL. Prespawn is definitely a fun time up there but all times of the year bigguns can be had. Just need to know where to fish/what seasonal “stage” they are in. I definitely cannot wait to find and target some of the offshore studf that I have otherwise missed up to now. It certainly should be a game changer.
A fisherman is a jerk on one end of the line
~~~~ waiting for a jerk on the other ~~~~
2007 Triton TR21XHP
2006 Mercury 250 Optimax Pro XS
Excellent ! I've only been north a few times but I hear it's amazing with huge smallies. I was in Canada boundry waters In the 90's and that was a great memory ! Glad you got them dialed in and I hope you get on'em when your up there . I'm hopefully going to the mighty Mississippi by savanna this weekend to see what I can find out there . Let me know how you do up north . Good fishing and be safe !
I live just off the river near the railroad bridge (also Stearns road) I just walk through my across the street neighbors back yard and I'm in the river. If you don't have a jet it's not likely you'll get past 5 islands/Capones. In the summer I can walk across the river and barely get my shorts wet. I wade from that bridge to Pickerel point all summer, there's a couple of islands there as well and I do very well for smallies with the occasional pike, walleye, white bass or flathead thrown in.
The Boy Scout Island ramp is fine. I put in there to test props every once in a while, you're fine in the channel at least up to Red Gate. If you get there before the kid who works in the pay station gets there it's free.
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