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Jackson: Personal-favorite spots anyone can fish

I was shopping for a specific style of hooks for my fly-tying ventures when this guy sauntered over and began asking a series of questions.

He also prequalified himself by stating he was a regular Daily Herald reader, and especially my column.

Here's the gist of Jack's end of the conversation.

"I already know you like to fish for smallmouth bass on rivers and lakes in northern Wisconsin as well as Lake Michigan," he noted. "I also know from your columns how much you treasure your fly fishing trips for big pike in Canada's far northern regions as well."

I had no idea where he was going with his enthusiastic gab, but I didn't interrupt.

"Now, my main question focuses on local and area lakes you favor that give you a decent angling time for any number of species."

That was fairly easy because I was literally waiting for the other shoe to drop regarding politics and the role it has played in the decline of Illinois' promotion in touting our fishing and hunting.

So I chose to give up a few spots hoping to make Jack and other readers happy enough to take a shot at them.

My first choice for this year is Shabonna Lake, where one can find everything from muskies to big bluegill and crappie. This is an under-fished lake that has outboard motor restrictions.

Next is the upper-Fox River (once it settles down from recent extreme high-water flushes.) It can usually be counted on for decent smallmouth fishing as well as very good flathead catfish. And at the right time (spring), it has a good spot near the McHenry Dam for walleye.

The Kankakee River is an excellent smallmouth fishery once you find the schools hanging around sunken logs and dead trees.

Because I stir the pot every year, I am promoting Bangs Lake in Wauconda for largemouth bass. It used to be the No. 1 spot on the list of bass spots, but because too many pigs decided to keep lots of decent fish, some local residents who live on the lake prefer to keep the lake a "secret."

The Fox Chain has been called mud hole, junk spot and booze highway. But realistically the Chain has become a super muskie spot. It's also getting better each year for large walleyes and smallmouth bass. And once again the white bass story is like a never-ending fable. It's good this year, but when the crappie start eating everything in sight the white bass go into hiding.

I treasure Lake Geneva and Lake Delavan because of the excellent largemouth and smallie angling.

There are countless ponds, both big and small, in Cook and DuPage counties that show promise on a daily basis.

Jack already knew all that, so he finally asked me to pinpoint my best and favorite ponds.

I held back because I try to encourage fishermen to scout their own locations and subsequently treat those locations with respect. All it takes is some time and to keep a journal of places devoid of "no fishing" signs.

I encouraged Jack to look for ponds with cattails and medium-heavy weedlines. These could be the places with clear water and bigger fish.

I never did buy those hooks.

• Contact Mike Jackson at angler88@comcast.net, catch his radio show 7-9 a.m. Sundays on WGCO 1590-AM (live-streamed at www.1590WCGO.com) and get more content at www.mikejacksonoutdoors.com.

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