Reader has good luck after heavy rains
Our local waters continue to recover from the recent flood conditions.
I'm sharing part of an e-mail from a local reader. "I had saved your article on high water fishing for a friend who had complained about conditions on the Chain recently. After our torrential rains on Friday and ... Saturday, I figured these may be the kind of conditions you were talking about. Sunday morning I headed to my favorite bank fishing lake. Places I normally walked were at least three feet under water. My first cast was at 5:10 a.m. and it was the beginning of a great day. I fished three different lures: a silver top water popping minnow; a 3/8 oz. white & chartreuse chatter bait; and a small jointed Rapala in a fire tiger pattern. Every bait produced! After three hours of fishing I landed 9 largemouth, three that were 2 to 3 pounds. Not bad for bank fishing on suburban waters. The top water produced at least a dozen more hits that I did not land (because I was probably fishing it to fast). The chatter bait only hooked two fish, but the biggest of the day slammed it just off the edge of a rock pile that I usually stand on to cast when water levels are normal.
I fished the same lake today when the water had dropped back to normal levels. Results: one very small bass on the Rapala; 1 miss on the top water. What a difference conditions can make. Thanks for the words that pushed me to fish in those conditions."
- Steve Calcari
On the local fishing scene: Fox Chain: Guide Darrell Baker did it again with two jumbo walleyes, one at 8-lbs., and the other slightly over 7-lbs. All from the north sections of the Chain. (847-337-5559) Bluegill fishing excellent on Pistakee Lake. Muskies cooperating on Lake Catherine right in the weeds. Crappie fishing good on Petite Lake in 10-feet.
Fox River: Smallie action picking up at Batavia and South Elgin.
Bangs Lake: Greatly improved largemouth fishing in shallow, weedy areas. Deep Lake: My lake of choice (besides the Chain) for this weekend, especially for bass on the west shorelines.
* Mike's radio program is heard Sunday mornings 6-7 a.m., on WSBC, AM-1240. E-mail Mike at: angler88@comcast.net