From ponds to the big lake, Illinois angling has it all
You name a species of fish, and chances are someone in this area will find it and catch it, save for the saltwater variety.
Even though I always seem to run into fishermen who make a career out of complaining about area angling, I encounter bigger numbers of other rod and reelers who believe we have it pretty good.
Now if only the state bureaucrats who run tourism could understand what we already know, then and only then we could chop down some of the state's financial deficit by bringing in some hefty tourista dollars, which will also trickle down in to the local economy.
You see, unlike Wisconsin and Michigan, states that have great fishing and hunting and promote those activities to the hilt, we here in Illinois have a a bad case of tourismitis. This is rampant because the tourist agency puts shopping on the “Mag Mile” on the top of the priority list of things to do and see when visiting this area.
Marc Hurwitz runs an excellent web page entitled ChiTown-Anglers.com.
It's loaded with enough information and goodies to keep most anyone busy for days on end.
But hang on, I'll get to Marc in a few lines.
Seth Gordon e-mailed me last month, thanking me for pointing out some of the above-average angling spots in the area where a person can catch big fish without having a boat. And of course that issue centered around my affinity for fishing area ponds sprinkled amongst the industrial parks and housing complexes.
Every time I write a column about this style of bank fishing, I receive numerous e-mails which contain personal accounts of success.
It was about 20 years ago when I made my first foray into the industrial pond scene. And it's been a love affair ever since.
Marc Hurwitz shares my feelings about these mini honey-holes. In fact, Hurwitz is so sold on Illinois fishing that his web page is an always-changing tribute to the anglers who step out into the local world of fishing and then usually come home happy campers after satiating their appetites for action.
During a recent telephone conversation we talked about the fantastic spring salmon fishing going on now on Lake Michigan. We both agreed that despite the dire predictions of state biologists, it appears the salmon have once again proved the scientists wrong. And then we got to the yellow perch issue, once a tail of woe, but now another short story with a happy ending, at least for time being.
Marc likes to fish for salmon on the big lake, and like many others he's been pretty successful.
Not too long ago we were told there wasn't enough forage to sustain a salmon fishery like it was 15 years back. And yet those who plumb the depths out there every year managed to bring home enough coho salmon for the table to make the family jump for joy.
Like me, Hurwitz can't understand why the state's tourism agency fails to promote the world-class salmon fishery to tourists. I told him it's my belief the bureaucrats are more enamored with the glitz of Michigan Avenue than anything else.
I have tried telling state officials all they had to do was look at Ohio's economy when it was given a healthy shot in the arm with the resurgence of trophy walleye fishing on Lake Erie. There was never any response, and to be frank with you, I probably will never get one, unless someone in tourism wants to read me the riot act.
Just in case you're interested, I have an excellent recipe for salmon on the grill or under the broiler, and I call my concoction “The Chicago Way.”
Ÿ Contact Mike Jackson at angler88@comcast.net, and catch his radio show 6-7 a.m. Sundays on WSBC 1240-AM.