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  1. #1
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    IL >Tinley Park & Shawnee N.F. Lakes Explorer. Help..
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    Need replys >How is the Fishing been for you this year ?

    I don't think I started fishing until May 1, pond fishing has been good( fish em at least twice a week for a hour after work or early Sunday morning) but moss has taken over most ponds. I went to a few Central Il. Lakes and fishing was fair (ave. me- 9 bass in 6 hours). I caught a bunch of big gills about a week ago at hidden pond. I would classify this year for me as almost non existant. Ozark trip got rained out and spring was 3 weeks behind. I did well in north Central Wisconsin this past week(Hugh storm this past week with major flooding). I did see a 23/24 inch bass under the bridge on my walking trail- guarding the nest but I did not fish for her-I am glad channel muddied up next day. How about telling us how your Spring has been fishing for Bass ?

  2. Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Brookfield Illinois
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    1,618
    #2
    Very good. Bigger fish this year. Strange start to the year weather wise, but figured them out. But numbers have been about the same on average from previous years. Some weeks up, some weeks down, but overall improving.
    Please release me,let me go.

  3. Banned
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    Jun 2008
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    IL >Tinley Park & Shawnee N.F. Lakes Explorer. Help..
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    #3
    78 Fishermen read this and 1 reply ?? Come on Guys- Lets improve the IL. Section. I started catching a few good fish these last 2 weeks.

  4. Member
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    Sep 2014
    Location
    Illinois
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    1,954
    #4
    Only been out for 2 tournament s. Shelbyville at the end of April, it was a disaster. 26 guys in our Club derby, only 6 keepers weighed.

    Clinton a couple of weeks ago was great. 15 limits(3 fish), big bass was just under 6. I weighed only 1, but caught another 8 that were just short of the 16" limit.

    prefishing the calsag and big pond this weekend for next week's tournament
    Last edited by HOGIE; 06-19-2018 at 06:30 AM.
    I'm not dead yet.....competition is the life blood of any human being

  5. Member hooksetter5's Avatar
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    Aug 2005
    Location
    Northern Illinois
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    2,582
    #5
    Conditions have eliminated 90% of the waypoints we like to hit this time of year on the river. High level, heavy current, and color has been challenging. In spite of these conditions, we have still done well by finding some clean (or cleaner) water in backwater areas that produced good fish. Without at least one good sweetspot, these days would have been tough. We are watching for the river to settle down and to look like a "normal" summer presentation. However, we have always said, " What makes the river interesting is that it is never the same". Bridge construction is complete - but the men are still working because the causeway bridge at Sabula has been torn out and the engineers can't find bedrock to build a new one. So, now they have a ferry service to get you across the river, or you have to drive the 25 miles to Clinton and then 25 miles back north to get to Sabula.


    Mississippi River Pool 13
    Ranger R93 / Merc 200



  6. Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Highland, IL
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    588
    #6
    for the most part it has been pretty good . Some days have had good size but lower numbers . Others have had numbers but not size . I haven't had any days with the right combination of size and numbers but luckily no days without either .

  7. Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Batavia, il
    Posts
    576
    #7
    Fishing has been better this year for size and numbers then it has been in the last few years for me on my home lake. Fished two tournaments on my buddies lake that I had never fished before and he only fished with his kids for bluegill and we have done decent. We are in 9th place after the first two out of 35 boats. See what happens this weekend. Haven’t gotten to prefish for either of the tournaments so fare and this one will be no different.

  8. Member
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    Sep 2014
    Location
    Illinois
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    1,954
    #8
    Quote Originally Posted by hooksetter5 View Post
    Bridge construction is complete - but the men are still working because the causeway bridge at Sabula has been torn out and the engineers can't find bedrock to build a new one. So, now they have a ferry service to get you across the river, or you have to drive the 25 miles to Clinton and then 25 miles back north to get to Sabula.
    Holy Crap! I was out there in late October and fished along the causeway. I had no idea that was getting nuked!
    I'm not dead yet.....competition is the life blood of any human being

  9. Member bassman70's Avatar
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    Jan 2014
    Location
    Central Ill
    Posts
    25
    #9
    I have been catching good size on Clinton
    08 Ranger Z21 Intercoastal Verado 300HP

  10. Member
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    Jan 2017
    Location
    Grant, Alabama
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    281
    #10
    ive been doing well on my home lake and did pretty decent at Springfield. dock fishing has been real good lately, jut make sure you get all those angles. For example: last weekend I lost a big girl wrapped around a boat lift. This weekend, it looked like the same big girl but this time I got her. Same angle and pretty much the same bait.

  11. Member Junk Fisherman's Avatar
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    May 2012
    Location
    Tinley Park (Chicagoland), IL
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    2,928
    #11
    The year started horrible for me but it is getting better.

    Spring- had issues on my trailer twice including a broken spring that caused me to miss nearly a month. Took a trip to So IL in late March and I encountered high, cold, muddy water. Worst days ever at Newton and Cedar for me. Had some good days on Braidwood.

    Summer- had a great trip to Grand Traverse Bay in June. Lots of 4-5 lb smallmouth. I would have had a 20 lb bag on 4 of the 5 days I fished there. I've also caught some nice fish on Lake Michigan locally. I had some very good days on my local sleeper lake.
    2016 Tuffy X-190
    Yamaha F175, Mercury 9.9
    Motorguide 80 lb Xi5
    Garmim/Humminbird graphs and Talon

  12. Banned
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    Nov 2010
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    Chicago suburbs
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    7,978
    #12
    Not a lot of big fish locally but numbers are way up from last year