open water fishing Illinois

[Guest]

I just wanted to start on a new subject since everyone is so bumbed about the leaving of the ice. You now what, let's just talk about the fish you can catch now in the open water.The ice will come back soon. If I were you guys, I would be slow rolling some crank baits right about now. I guaratee you if you put on a # 7,9,or 11 rapala your going to catch a good fish. You could also try smithwick's lure the rouge suspending or floating. Either one works well for walleye and northern. The key is to keep it slow...

[Guest]

I live along the Mississippi river and fish open water almost all year. The only time we can't is when the boat ramps get ice in. Its been a slow bite as of late, lots of wind and had alot of rain this week. The bigger walleye should be moving up to the dams real soon.

[Guest]

I agree backlash, The walleye love the oxygen.The walleye bite in less than two foot of water at the dam near my house.

[This message has been edited by grinched (edited 12-21-2002).]

[Guest]

Walleye do love oxygen. The only time I use any type of a crank bait is when I fine them on wing dams, this time of year its hard to beat a jig tipped with a minnow. I just wish the wind would quit blowing so I can get back out.

[Guest]

Hello backlash.I fished on a windy day not to long ago on the river, caught fish but had to keep the line real tight. The wind blew me to death that day. I was slowly dragging crawlers at a dam in north eastern Illinois A jig and a little piece of crawler works well also. the orange fuzzy with a crawler works great as well as a grub and a crawler. I'm going to try that minnow and a jig later today. It looks like another day of windy conditions.

[This message has been edited by grinched (edited 12-22-2002).]

[Guest]

Well it was in the mid 40s today and you could tell by all the boats, only got two keeper walleye but caugt lots. should be warmer tomorrow, so we'll try it again.

[Guest]

It's getting colder backlash with lots of snow. I'm going to try open water tommorrow.

[Guest]

They are catching walleye on the Rock River south of the dam in Rockford. I also spoke to a fellow angler that caught a 38" musky on his walleye rig 1/1/03. The river water is still black and cold but running open.

[Guest]

some guy caught a 26 pound buffalo in the Kankakee. he was walleye fishing and had on 8# test..