Author Topic: Weekend (Read 14587 times)

jimmygunns · « **Reply #30 on:** Dec 16, 2007, 10:17 PM »

John, you left too early!!! They were hitting real light at about 12:30 or so. I started sight fishing & changed to my 16" Thorne Bros. Sweet Pea w/ a small Marmooska (size 14 maybe?) w/ 1-2 waxies on the end. Had about 1/4 second to set the hook, or they were gone. Could hardly feel them. Did this for about an hour. Moved out a little deeper, not much, & sight fished for another 2 hours or so. Weeded out a bunch of dinks. Got about 20 8" Crappies. The 4 I kept were 9"-11". When it got too dark to sight fish, I noticed they started getting more aggresive, & went back to just using the Vex. By more aggresive, I mean I could see the line move! Did that for about another hour or so. I was off the ice by 5. Turned out to be a better day than it started. We need to do this again, but you need to get a truck!

bluegill63 · « **Reply #31 on:** Dec 17, 2007, 12:32 PM »

Well went out yesterday afternoon and we caught and released 128 fish in total, gills mostly. I had 15 gills over 10 inches Right before dark the crappie started to bite was alot of fun. Even caught a couple bass. I love my new St Croix rods I bought they are outstanding!!! Would have taken a few pics but went to the Rockford Icehogs game Saturday night and the wife dropped the digital cam and broke it

so no pics will have a camera soon. Bait used was a waxie and green/glow rat finkee and a Genz worm green/chartreuse.

Gil

Ps We use a golf stroke counter to keep track of the fish we catch just in case you were wondering how we know how many we have caught.

John_BZ · « **Reply #32 on:** Dec 17, 2007, 04:55 PM »

Quote from: jimmygunns on Dec 16, 2007, 10:17 PM

John, you left too early!!! They were hitting real light at about 12:30 or so. I started sight fishing & changed to my 16" Thorne Bros. Sweet Pea w/ a small Marmooska (size 14 maybe?) w/ 1-2 waxies on the end. Had about 1/4 second to set the hook, or they were gone. Could hardly feel them. Did this for about an hour. Moved out a little deeper, not much, & sight fished for another 2 hours or so. Weeded out a bunch of dinks. Got about 20 8" Crappies. The 4 I kept were 9"-11". When it got too dark to sight fish, I noticed they started getting more aggresive, & went back to just using the Vex. By more aggresive, I mean I could see the line move! Did that for about another hour or so. I was off the ice by 5. Turned out to be a better day than it started. We need to do this again, but you need to get a truck!

glad you ended up fairing out good! i am about to go close the deal on a pickup. hopefully next week i can get out and stay out. when that lake produces it produces good.

blufloyd · « **Reply #33 on:** Dec 17, 2007, 05:33 PM »

Hey Il. icer, did you see Angel fish? She must be holding out on me....

John_BZ · « **Reply #34 on:** Dec 17, 2007, 10:25 PM »

well jim i am the proud owner of a 2002 F250 supercab with a 7.3L turbo diesel ! that should be able to haul some ice gear.

jimmygunns · « **Reply #35 on:** Dec 18, 2007, 04:39 AM »

Good to hear! The Saudi's are happy too! You just got them a new palace!

jimmygunns · « **Reply #36 on:** Dec 18, 2007, 10:36 PM »

John, my buddy is talking about hitting Pistakee on Sunday. Not sure where, but I will let you know. I'd like to go hit Bangs on Saturday, but not sure yet. I'll let you know.

John_BZ · « **Reply #37 on:** Dec 20, 2007, 11:00 PM »

thats fine, just let me know, i'll be at work tomorrow. i have to do all my x-mas shopping on saturday so if im going to fish it will be on sunday. besides word on the street is that pistakee bay is the place to be right now.

And i will have you know that my big ole diesel truck gets pretty good gas millage. maybe even better than your four door beast ! i get 19mpg highway and 14mpg city.

jimmygunns · « **Reply #38 on:** Dec 21, 2007, 10:56 PM »

Quote from: John_BZ on Dec 20, 2007, 11:00 PM

thats fine, just let me know, i'll be at work tomorrow. i have to do all my x-mas shopping on saturday so if im going to fish it will be on sunday. besides word on the street is that pistakee bay is the place to be right now.

And i will have you know that my big ole diesel truck gets pretty good gas millage. maybe even better than your four door beast ! i get 19mpg highway and 14mpg city.

Hey John, how does the ice look after today? It's going to be in the low 40's on Saturday. What do you think about Sunday? Play it by ear? Give me a call if you can tomorrow afternoon.

John_BZ · « **Reply #39 on:** Dec 21, 2007, 11:03 PM »

tonight and tomorrow do not look good for ice fishing. saturday night calls for a low of 19. it aint looking good until after monday or tuesday. sunday will end up being brutal with a high of 19, a low of 12 with 25 mph winds. i will give you a call in the afternoon in any case, because things may change. i hope the snow cover holds out just a little longer. if it does we shouldn't see too bad of a loss.

jimmygunns · « **Reply #40 on:** Dec 21, 2007, 11:34 PM »

Yep, give me a call. If it's safe, I'd like to go out there. If it ain't cold, it ain't ice! I'd bring that shanty of yours out if we do go!!!

jimmygunns · « **Reply #41 on:** Dec 22, 2007, 11:15 PM »

**censored**? It's raining! This is going to suck!

pot-belly-perch · « **Reply #42 on:** Dec 23, 2007, 03:43 AM »

I heard its 55 degrees in your neck of the woods

jimmygunns · « **Reply #43 on:** Dec 23, 2007, 08:33 AM »

Now I wake up & it's cold & VERY windy!!!

crappiekid24 · « **Reply #44 on:** Dec 23, 2007, 10:52 AM »

I hear ya! I was going to go out today but all the rain from last night and then the wind today put stop to that thought.

bigbucky1 · « **Reply #45 on:** Dec 23, 2007, 11:32 AM »

Maybe tommorrow if the wind dies down some. I dont think I could stand in one place one the ice with out being blown away today

jimmygunns · « **Reply #46 on:** Dec 23, 2007, 11:47 AM »

My fence is breaking!!!

BrentB · « **Reply #47 on:** Dec 23, 2007, 04:40 PM »

gonna get out Monday morning the slush should have froze back up and hopfully the winds will die down

John_BZ · « **Reply #48 on:** Dec 23, 2007, 07:28 PM »

it was a cold one today. had to keep the truck idling while i was in the stores most of the time. glad my shopping is over. btw Jim, i think we will be alright for this coming sunday lol.

jimmygunns · « **Reply #49 on:** Dec 23, 2007, 08:49 PM »

Sounds good John. Glad I decided to not even try today. It's still blowing hard out there. All you guys have a great Christmas! John, I'll give you a call during the week.

boscolab · « **Reply #50 on:** Dec 24, 2007, 07:07 PM »

Any ice repots from Mendota? Or kakusha? Used to work in Mendota and fished them evey once in a while.

illinoisicer · « **Reply #51 on:** Dec 25, 2007, 01:03 PM »

Quote from: boscolab on Dec 24, 2007, 07:07 PM

Any ice repots from Mendota? Or kakusha? Used to work in Mendota and fished them evey once in a while.

boscolab, check will bluegill63. He's in Mendota and hits Kakusha regularly....

crappie66 · « **Reply #52 on:** Dec 25, 2007, 02:44 PM »

I had plans to go back to Indiana this weekend to try my favorite hot spots. The ice conditions were horrible back there after the warm up and rain. I decided to come back home and try my luck at the Illinois waters. It was my first time fishing in Illinois waters since moving up here back in September. The rain and winds were brutal so I waited it out and decided to try it on Monday morning. I had read many posts all over the internet about Pistakee T channel. I made the trip up there, ice was plenty thick, over 5 inches. I started out in the channel across the street from that Famous Freddies. I drilled a line of holes from the back end of that channel all the way to the opening of the channel and then proceeded to move out into the mouth of the channel towards the bay. I never found water over 5-6 feet deep, which makes it hard to use the Vex as the jig shows up around 4-5 feet. I caught probably 25 or so fish in a couple hours, but only a few that were true keepers. Alot of dink gills, LM bass, and crappie, and by dink I mean 3 inch fish. I did get a couple nice crappie, a nice yellow perch, a decent white bass, and a nice big gill. I am not sure if I was just to late to try this spot, as it may be a first ice hotspot.

It was nice to get out finally, but that little bit didn't cure the bug, I am ready for more.

The 24 mile drive from home in the morning wasn't to bad, took maybe 30 minutes. The drive home was a whole different story, it took 1 hr 15 min to get home, as the Deer Park area was so congested due to last minute shoppers, it is kind of depressing you can't ever get away from all this traffic, not even on the weekends when all you want to do is go fishing.

I found a chart online with all of the Cook Country Forest Preserve lakes and lists all of the fish in them. Has anybody had any luck fishing any of these bodies of water?

jimmygunns · « **Reply #53 on:** Dec 25, 2007, 10:22 PM »

I have never fished Busse Woods, but I hear it is an ok place to go. It's on my gps chip, but it isn't too deep. It's close to us. Maybe an after work place to hit some day?

Fish81156 · « **Reply #54 on:** Dec 25, 2007, 11:06 PM »

If you go to Busse if you want go in the Main dam entrance off of Arlington Heights Rd. stay to your right and go back to the parking lot you'll see a fishing wall at the water. If you go out on the ice there you'll see some holes cut already there in the area of some fish cribs that are there. I was out 2 weeks ago fishing the discharge (open water) and saw a few guys on the ice. I haven't gone out on the ice yet this year but I'm planning on hitting it a few times this week. I'm starting a new project at work and I cant get into the building I'm working in till 3:00pm so that gives me the morning to do some fishing. If you need bait theres a bait shop in the back corner of the shopping mall on Higgins and Arlington Heights Rd. by the bowling alley. LEES John the owner is a great guy if you ask for a dozen minnows you'll end up with at least 2 dozen he's that kind of shop. He carries waxies spikes mousies worms etc. and a pretty good selection of gear. Good Luck and Maybe I'll see you on the Ice. Pat

Fish81156 · « **Reply #55 on:** Dec 25, 2007, 11:21 PM »

If your going to fish the Chain this may help a little bit lakeonline.com/chainolakes you can get map downloads of the lakes and channels. You can also call Greg at Triangle for conditions 1-847-395-0813 their address 23480 w. Grass lake rd. Antioch IL. 60002 Rt 83 and Grass Lake Rd. Hope this helps a little Good Luck

John_BZ · « **Reply #56 on:** Dec 26, 2007, 10:52 PM »

i've caught crappies in the winter out of busse right at the dam. it was last january, open water. we hammered em when it was snowing.

crappie 66 i can let you in on an easy way around all the traffic in deer park. deer park is always bad.

jimmygunns · « **Reply #57 on:** Dec 28, 2007, 03:35 PM »

Pistakee in the am. Maybe Bangs as well depending on what's moving. Sunday too, if I can. Anyone else going out, & where?

crappie66 · « **Reply #58 on:** Dec 28, 2007, 05:42 PM »

Quote from: jimmygunns on Dec 28, 2007, 03:35 PM

Pistakee in the am. Maybe Bangs as well depending on what's moving. Sunday too, if I can. Anyone else going out, & where?

I am game.

I just called, left a message.

valleye · « **Reply #59 on:** Dec 28, 2007, 09:20 PM »

Bangs sounds cool. Haven't been there in awhile heard mixed reports along the fishing internet sites. I am thinking of hitting Crystal lake, Marie, or cross the border and head to Delavan. The hard part is find the right time to go, er when she says its okay to go?

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Author Topic: Weekend (Read 14587 times)