Illinois fishing report 7-30-09

HOTSPOTS

Give us our choice of anywhere to fish in Illinois right now and we’d pick…

• Channel catfish on the Kishwaukee and mid- to lower Illinois rivers and at Rend Lake.
• White bass fishing at Lake Shelbyville, where anglers are filling 5-gallon buckets.
• Largemouth bass fishing on the Emiquon Preserve.
• Night fishing for largemouth bass at Lake of Egypt.
• Walleye fishing on the Rock River, but only if you can find the deep holes.
• Bluegill in strip-mine lakes.
• Crappie at Evergreen Lake.

WALL HANGERS

• Mike Baskovich caught this 23-inch bass on July 26 while fishing a retention pond in Lockport Township. The fish hit on a small rooster tail.

NORTHERN ILLINOIS North of Interstate 80

Apple Canyon Lake
SOURCE: Tom Calam, Tom’s Bait & Tackle, Freeport (815-232-3337)
Fishing is mostly slow, although some bigger bluegill and crappie are coming out in late evening. Leeches, waxworms and night crawlers are top sellers. Minnow sales are down by 50 percent.

Lake Carroll
SOURCE: Tom Calam, Tom’s Bait & Tackle, Freeport (815-232-3337).
Fishing is slow, with some night-time success. Leeches andwax ies working best. No big catches as of late.

Forest Preserve Lakes
SOURCE: Lee’s Bait and Tackle of Elk Grove Village (847-593-6424); Henry’s (312-225-8538)
Mike Jackson reports that “the north end-Skokie Lagoon is offering up big bluegills and decent largemouth. Busse Lake is coming alive at the main dam with walleye and crappie action. In DuPage County, Herrick Lake panfish activity is very good with a few bass tossed in.”
• Click here for a Cook County Forest Preserves lake fishing forum.
• Here are links to information on various forest preserve lakes. Cook County, DeKalb County, DuPage County, Kane County, Kendall County, Lake County, McHenry County and Will County

Fox Chain O’ Lakes
SOURCE: Greg Dickson, Triangle Sports & Marine, Antioch (1-847-395-0813).
White bass are the best bet right now says Triangle, particularly in the main-lake basins. Catfish are also very good on dipbaits or nightcrawlers. Bass are best on top-waters and soft plastics in Lake Catherine and elsewhere along weedlines. Walleye are good in current says Mike Jackson while Triangle advises fishing leeches off main-lake points. Jackson said he also has reports of a mussel die-off on the north end. Muskie are active and have been hitting jerkbaits in Channel and Marie. Crappie and perch are fair. And don’t forget the northern pike. Matthew Vanlandeghem of Batavia caught the pike pictured below while bass fishing on July 4 with a black frog.
• Click here to check updates on no-wake status and water levels or call 847-587-8540 .

Lake Michigan
SOURCES: Henry’s (312-225-8538), Vet’s (773-734-6720) and Dale Bowman of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• On the Chicago lakefront crankbaits are best for smallmouth bass reports Dale Bowman. Big news is that perch season reopens Saturday in all Illinois waters with a daily bag of 15. Some perch reported at Montrose and at Northerly Island according to Bowman. Mike Jackson says “hefty schools” have been spotted right at Diversey Harbor as well as Wilmette and Waukegan. Rock bass are good off Northerly Island, where a tournament last weekend produced plenty of fish including Tony Petoske’s winning five-fish sack of 1.5 pounds and a half-pounder caught by Aberto Romano. Bowman reports salmon fishing has been providing a mixed bag, with good reports in 50-70 feet east of Burnham, at the Wreck and southeast of the R4.
SOURCE: The Salmon Stop (847-244-2525 or fishing hotline 847-244-9876)
• Near Waukegan salmon are best in 40-60 feet of water southeast of the harbor.
SOURCE: Capt. Nick Ganzer (847-234-7208).
• Near North Point Ganzer reports that king salmon are now being caught. “With Summer weather finally here, our Lake Michigan fishing conditions are ideal for salmon and trout. Best fishing continues to be early/late with slower fishing in between. Catches are from 5-15 fish per trip. Dodger/fly and spoons are best from downriggers, dipsies, leadcore/copper from boards.” Below John and Kaden Larchenko hoist a 20-pound king salmon they reeled in and landed.
SOURCE: Mik-Lurch (219-989-0575)
• Near Indiana perch are good in Cal harbor. Mik-Lurch says chinooks are biting in 70-90 feet of water and steelhead are running in the creeks.

Shabbona Lake
SOURCES: Guide Jay Angel (815-739-7030) and Denny Sands, Shabbona Lakeside Bait & Tackle, Shabbona (815-824-2581).
Jay Angel reports that water temperatures are hovering around in the high 70’s and most species are rated as fair right now.
Bass fishing is fair with many bass being picked up along the dam face, deeper weedlines and the campground shoreline. Use soft plastic lures or leeches. Walleye fishing has been fair with numbers of fish in the 14- to 17-inch range being caught using leeches on the weedlines, the deeper flats and over the rockpiles. Crappie fishing is good with the fish being caught over the deeper cribs and brush piles or in the deep trees. use minnows for best results.
• Park hours November to January 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; February to March 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; April 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; May to October 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
•Click here for a Shabbona Lake fishing forum

Wolf Lake
SOURCE: Mik-Lurch (219-989-0575)
Walleye are fair as are bass and walleye. Muskie are active.

NORTH-CENTRAL ILLINOIS South of Interstate 80 and North of Interstate 72/U.S. Route 36

Anderson Lake
SOURCE: Site manager Ed Oest (309-759-4484)
Fishing has been slow for catfish for trot-liners and rod-and-reelers says Oest.

Argyle Lake
SOURCE:Site manager Robin Hinchee (309-776-3422); The Deck II Bait and Boat Rental shop (309-776-4275)
Larry Dozard reports that “Crappie were fair to slow, small and scattered with a few on minnows around shaded dead falls and trolled crankbaits not as productive this week.”

Banner Marsh
SOURCE: Adam Jaegle, Presley’s Outdoors, Bartonville (309-697-1193); Merle Keefer, Pekin Bass & Bow (309-347-3334); Tom Grider, Riverside Bait, Pekin (309-347-3793)
Tournament anglers are catching some nice bass on top-waters and jigs and pork trailers says Grider. Jaegle agrees jigs are working and noted that top-water frogs and Senkos are also producing plenty of fish. Few reports on channel catfish or crappie.

Lake Bloomington
SOURCE: Larry Dozard
Dozard says crappie are fair but smaller this week and have been taking jigs and minnows or waxworms in 10-14 feet of water during the day. Some crappie are moving shallow early or late around wood and docks. Bass are fair on plastics, jigs and crankbaits fished around the weeds or ends of laydowns. Bluegill are fair to good on small jigs and waxies or crawler bits.

Braidwood Lake
SOURCE: Del Colvin, Bert’s Bait, Essex (815-365-2103); Jon Meder, Jon’s Bait & Tackle, South Wilmington (815-237-2822)
Bluegill are biting and catfish have been biting well on shrimp and dipbaits says Bert’s Bait. Some blue cats, including a 30-pounder recently according to Dale Bowman.

Clinton Lake
SOURCE: Joanne Lowe, Mike’s Tackle World, Decatur (217-423-0730); Clinton Bait and Tackle, (217-935-3851)
Spillway fishing has been best of late, with anglers catching a little bit of everything on blade baits and minnows says Lowe. On the main lake channel catfish are fair, particularly around dams and deeper holes. White bass are also active and crappie remain fair but scattered.

Dawson Lake
SOURCE: Leon and Judy Gibson, Moraine View Concession (309-724-8295)
Channel catfish are the best bet here says Gibson. He advises shrimp or chicken liver as the top baits, with fish scattered. Walleye and bass are spotty, with a few walleye coming from the deeper water near the dam on crawlers. Bluegill are good but plenty of smaller fish are being caught.

Emiquon Preserve
SOURCE: Paul Dinkheller, Dink’s, Lewistown (309-547-1094); The Nature Conservancy (309-547-2730)
Bass fishing is very good with some anglers reporting bigger fish of 15-18 inches. Edges of deeper ditches have been good for bigger fish. The site did produce an unofficial state record pumpkinseed sunfish last week, an 0.41-pounder caught by Todd Kent of Peoria (pictured below). Anglers must obtain a free permit at Dickson Mounds Museum (open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) before fishing here.

Evergreen Lake
SOURCE: Brad Wood, operations supervisor, (309-726-2022) or Larry Dozard
Crappie, saugeye and bass are all biting well according to Wood. Crappie are hanging deeper in 10-20 feet of water during the day but are moving shallower in the evenings. Jigs tipped with minnows are best. Saugeye are similar to crappie. Most are in deeper water during the day and shallow at night. Bass have been good, with a youngster catching a 5-pounder on a nightcrawler in the Main Recreation Area. Top-waters have produced other nice bass and Dozard says dark wacky worms were good while top-water was producing early. Catfish are fair, with a 7-pounder caught on chicken liver last week. water is at capacity, running in the 70s and has clarity of 6 inches. A kid’s tournament is set for Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. Register at the Beach House.
• Click here for up-to-date lake reports.

Heidecke Lake
SOURCE: Don Stephens, Greybeards (815-941-1504); Guide Mike Lynch (708-655-7667); Guide Greg Heath (815-258-9136)
Greybeards says fishing has been “a little slow” with a few hybrid stripers, catfish and walleye. Fish are scattered and water is running 73-74 degrees. Catfish are the best bet.

Hennepin Canal
SOURCE: Ann Downey, Northside Bait & Archery, Kewanee (309-852-4760)
Channel catfish have come on strong in the canal and at Johnson-Sauk Trail State Park on various dipbaits.

LaSalle Lake
SOURCE:Dale Bowman of the Chicago Sun-Times; Guide Mike Lynch (708-655-7667)
Smallmouth bass are good on crawlers, jigs and twister tails and fly-rod streamers says Ed Mullady. Anglers are also catching decent numbers of largemouth bass on crawlers, plastic worms and scum frogs.
• Click here for a LaSalle Lake fishing forum.

Powerton Lake
SOURCE: Merle Keefer, Pekin Bass & Bow (309-347-3334); Tom Grider, Riverside Bait, Pekin (309-347-3793)
Powerton is still producing catfish, not as good as last week but fair. Some blues being caught, with a 20-pounder caught off the bank on Wednesday. Best spot for blues is in the ditch just before the intake canal. Channel catfish are small but hitting stinkbait.

Snakeden Hollow SFWA
SOURCE: Victoria Tackle Shop (309-879-2664)
Channel catfish are good in the walk-in lakes says Terry Whiteside at Victoria Tackle Shop. Bass are also biting well on Texas rigged plastics and scum frogs or other topwaters. Muskie are active in McMaster Lake and there have been a few reports of walleye caught in the evenings by trollers. Few reports on bluegill, which are biting but have been running smaller. Bigger fish seem to be coming out of 8-10 feet of water.

Spring Lake
SOURCES: Troy Galvin, Galvin’s Spring Lake Market (309-267-6538) and Larry Karnes, Larry’s Restaurant and Family Bar, Manito (309-968-9500)
Fishing has slowed for all species says Karnes. Bass have dropped off, with mostly smaller fish reported. Plastics and top-waters are best. Catfish seem to have slowed some with these cooler nights, though they are still biting on shrimp, cut bait and dipbait, particularly on the south end. Bluegill are not as active as normal and those that have been caught are running small.

Lake Storey
SOURCE: Al Hayden, Al’s Sporting Goods, Galesburg (309-342-7776)
Few anglers have been out but those who are fishing have been catching decent numbers of crappie 2-3 feet deep just outside the weedlines. Jigs with waxies or minnows fished under a bobber are working well. Bluegill are also fair in the same areas. Anglers report some walleye have been biting. They are fishing nightcrawlers Texas-rigged and retrieving them off the bottom to catch those walleye.

Strip Mines
(Fulton, Knox, Peoria and Stark counties)
SOURCE: Presley’s Outdoors, Bartonville (309-697-1193); Dink’s, Lewistown (309-547-1094); and Larry Dozard; Tom Grider, Riverside Bait, Pekin (309-347-3793)
The Senko bite is still on for bass says Jaegle, with many nice fish also being caught on crankbaits and green-and-white scum frogs. Big news is that bluegill have come on better says Grider, with much better reports of the tasty panfish at Fulton County Recreation Area and Lakeland Park. Most bluegill are 8 feet or deeper during the day, but some are reporting shallow catches. Channel catfish are also good.

SOUTH-CENTRAL ILLINOIS South of Interstate 72/U.S. Route 36 and North of Interstate 70

Beaver Dam Lake
SOURCE: Gwen Gilmore, Gilmore Bait & Marine, Carlinville (217-854-8136); Kim Eggers, Beaver Dam Bait Shop, (217-854-6688)
Catfish and bluegill have been strong. Crappie have slowed down. Live bait, worms and lures all producing about the same.

Charleston Side Channel Lake
SOURCE: Rick Cuddy, Prairie Outfitters, Charleston (217-348-6770)
Channel catfish are biting very well on dipbaits, shrimp and crawlers. Bass fishing has been slower on the lake and better in the river, where Cuddy advises anglers use jigs and small plastic creature baits.

Coffeen Lake
SOURCE: Scott Withers, Indian Grove Fish Camp, Coffeen Lake (217-537-3001)
Catfish and bass are good. Cats are taking crawlers and stinkbait while spinnerbaits or smaller crankbaits are producing nice catches of bass from 10-15 inches long. Not many larger bass reported of late.

Lake Decatur
SOURCE: Joanne Lowe, Mike’s Tackle World, Decatur (217-423-0730)
Fishing on the main lake remains very slow, which has anglers puzzled. The best reports for white bass above the dam have been way upstream near Monticello. Best action is below the large or small dams says Lowe, though the areas have been very busy with anglers. Blade baits and slab spoons are producing a mixed bag of walleye, white bass, hybrid stripers, flatheads, channel cats and large Asian carp. Some anglers are also fishing crawlers and medium-sized shiners.

Lake Jacksonville
SOURCE: Tom Holmes, Military Surplus Outlet, Jacksonville (217-243-6161) and Lake Jacksonville Campground (217-479-4646)
Bass fishing has tailed off in the past week, with few large fish and few fish in general reported. Catfish are fair, with some caught on chicken liver and shrimp.

Lake Lou Yaeger
SOURCE: Denny’s Bait Shop, Litchfield (217-324-2628)
Channel catfish are the best bet and have been taking dipbait, chicken liver or shrimp. Fish have been running up to 5 pounds. Bluegill are biting but remain very small.

Lake Mattoon
SOURCE: Rick Cuddy, Prairie Outfitters, Charleston (217-348-6770); Joel Pittman, Mattoon Parks Department (217-254-6680)
Channel catfish are good here and crappie have been fair in 6-8 feet of water on minnows. Bass fishing is fair with mos reports coming off soft plastic creature baits.

Mill Creek Lake
SOURCE: Dennis Shiley, Mill Creek Lake Park (217-889-3901)
Fishing for bass and other species has been surprisingly slow this summer, leaving people wondering where all the bass went. Several reports of bigger fish being suspended and only smaller bass being caught.

a href=“http://www.ifishillinois.org/profiles/lakes/sara.htm” title=“Lake Sara “>Lake Sara
SOURCE: Tony Niebrugge, Anthony’s Acres Resort, (217-868-2950)
luegill and white bass are good. Largemouth bass hitting some on plastics. Catfish, being caught with livers, are spotty. Plastics are selling well.

Lake Shelbyville
SOURCE: Guide Ken Wilson (217-774-5756 or 217-454-2672) at Lithia Springs Guide Service; Margie Oliver, Marv and Kathy’s Bait & Tackle, Sullivan (217-728-4044); Guide Steve Welch (217) 762-7257 or (217) 840-1221
White bass fishing is good to excellent, with even bank anglers filling 5-gallon buckets in recent weeks says Joanne Lowe. Bo Woods and Whitley Creek have been good for bank anglers. Boaters are catching fish all over the lake, though it pays to target seagulls and schools of shad busting the surface. Slab spoons, gay blades and rooster tails are all good choices. Water is 9.49 feet above summer pool, clarity is improving and the surface temperature is 80 degrees. Crappie are also fair to good in deeper water over flooded tree tops and even shallow in flooded vegetation. Walleye have slowed, with best results in flooded vegetation. One problem is that the continued high water means only high-water ramps are open, which can cause delays on launching and pulling out.
• For a daily report on Lake Shelbyville call (217-774-2020).

Lake Taylorville
SOURCE: Lindsey’s Bait & Tackle, Taylorville (217-287-7550)
Catfish biting well, especially on shrimp and livers. Everything else has been slow for 2-3 weeks. Nightcrawlers, shrimp and leeches are top sellers.

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS South of Interstate 70

Carlyle Lake
SOURCE: Buddy Langenhorst, Lavish’s Bait Shop , Carlyle (618-594-4413); Henkel’s (618-594-4818)
White bass are fair in the river and on the lake, where slab spoons and curly tails are producing well. Channel catfish are also good below the dam on shrimp and stinkbaits.
• For the latest water level information call (618-594-4637).

Cedar Lake
SOURCE: Ron Reed, Cooksey’s Bait, Marion (618-993-3366); Guide Matt Strobel (618-922-0354); Kyle Garner, Crappie Pro Shop, Carterville (618-985-8277)
Bass are biting but hard for some to catch since they are in 12-30 feet of water and taking deep-diving crankbaits and Carolina rigs with any kind of plastic bait in green pumpkin color, says Garner. Crappie are slow. Best action is in 14-18 feet of water on minnows and tube jigs that are white and chartreuse or blue and white.

Crab Orchard Lake
SOURCE: Ron Reed, Cooksey’s Bait, Marion (618-993-3366); Guide Matt Strobel (618-922-0354); Kyle Garner, Crappie Pro Shop, Carterville (618-985-8277)
Crappie fishing is fair, though anglers have to go through plenty of short fish to find some keepers says Reed. Best action is in 10-12 feet of water, with fish suspended 6-8 feet deep. Bass are best early and late on top-waters mostly. Garner says anglers are also having success flipping into weed beds with black and blue jigs and brush hawgs or other creature baits in junebug of red-shad colors. Flathead catfish are fair, with a 43-pounder caught this past week. Trot-lines and jugs baited with live bluegill or cut baits are working well.

Devil’s Kitchen
SOURCE: Ron Reed, Cooksey’s Bait, Marion (618-993-3366)
Trout are biting says Reed, with best results coming out of 20 feet of water. Bluegill are fair but scattered. Anglers report some nice-sized fish.

East Fork Lake
SOURCE: Sharon Long, Long’s Tackle Box, Robinson (618-544-2709)
Has been slow for a few weeks. Tough to find keepers. Somewhat better success at nearby Borah Lake.

Lake of Egypt
SOURCE: Guide Matt Strobel (618-922-0354)
Bass are good and Strobel (pictured below with a fish caught on Tuesday evening) is averaging 20 or more bites on his half-day guide trips. Most fish are running 12-20 inches. Strobel is fishing Lunker Lure’s Ultimate Jig and Texas Craw with a watermelon trailer or an Omega Shaky head. Fish are best in 7-9 feet around grass, though he has caught them in 17-22 feet off points on shaky heads. Big crankbaits should also work well.

Kinkaid Lake
SOURCE: Janet Graeff, Top of the Hill Bait Shop, Muphysboro (618-684-2923); Guide Al Nutty (618-694-4897)
Bluegill are good says Graeff, though there’s not much size to most of the panfish being caught. Catfish are also fair to good but have moved out of the shallow water they were in last week. Crappie are fair in 12-14 feet of water near brush. Few reports on bass.

Newton Lake
SOURCE: Ruth Rauch, Rauch’s Bait & Tackle, Newton (618-752-2151)
Very slow, possibly due to near 90-degree water temperature. Most bass and catfish being caught are small.

Rend Lake
SOURCE: Jason Johns (618-927-3432); Bill Hudnall, Rend Lake Sporting Goods, Mount Vernon (618-242-2191)
Crappie have slowed down quite a bit says Johns. They can still be caught shallow on minnows or jigs in piles of brush, but they are fairly slow. A better bet is largemouth bass, which are biting well on smaller spinnerbaits fished shallow, top-waters early and late and worms and shaky head rigs. The lake is 3 feet above summer pool and that has helped bass fishing, as it’s taking 15-18 pounds to win most tournaments. Channel catfish are also good on cut shad, though the dipbait bite has slowed some.

RIVERS

• Click here for water level information.

Des Plaines River
• Click here for a Des Plaines River fishing forum.

DuPage River
SOURCE: Click here for a DuPage River fishing forum.

Fox River
According to Mike Jackson, waders working the Geneva spillway have been taking channel and flathead catfish like there’s no tomorrow.
• Click here for a Fox River fishing forum.

Illinois River
SOURCE: Carol Culjan at Cajun Sporting Goods in Utica (815-667-4222)
• Near Utica catfish are good on dipbait and a few on nightcrawlers in deep holes on the dropoffs says Carol Culjan. White bass are best early on blade baits, some also just before the sun goes down. You’ve got to run to find the whites and the baitfish. The river is in good shape. Sauger have been running small. Carp and drum are active.
SOURCE: Baitshop Bob, Riverview Marine, Spring Valley (815-663-1000)
• Near Spring Valley big catfish are biting well, as it took 43.75 pounds to win last Sunday’s catfish tournament. The FLW tournament anglers are on the river and will be fishing this weekend. So far fishing has been slow with mostly smaller fishing being reported. Best action has come trolling crankbaits or live baits. Occasional large white bass have been caught by the trollers.
SOURCE: Marge Hankins, Hankins Riverview, Henry (309-364-3617)
• Near Henry fishing has been slow, with a few channel catfish reported on crawlers and slower action for white bass.
SOURCE: Merle Keefer, Pekin Bass & Bow (309-347-3334); Tim Presley, Presley’s Outdoors, Bartonville (309-697-1193)
• Near Peoria channel catfish and white bass are good says Adam Jaegle at Presley’s. White bass are biting at Duck Island, at the Peoria Lock and Dam and at the mouth of the Mackinaw River on blade baits and smaller spinners or jigs and minnows. Channel catfish are good on shrimp and dipbait in deeper holes and on the edge of the channel, moving shallower in the evenings. Snagging below Peoria Lock and Dam is still slower than usual for this time of year. But bowfishing for flying Asian carp has been excellent, with huge concentrations of fish downstream of Pekin and around the Chillicothe railroad bridge.
SOURCE: Paul Dinkheller, Dink’s, Lewistown (309-547-1094)
• Near Havana white bass are good anywhere you can find shad boiling. Largemouth bass have been around the edges of the white bass schools, making for a mixed bag. Channel catfish are fair to good along channel edges, wood and deep holes. Night bite has been best.
SOURCE: Tom’s Bait Shop in Beardstown (217-323-BAIT)
• Near Beardstown channel catfish of 2-5 pounds are biting well on cheesebaits and crayfish in nearly all locations. White bass have slowed. Crappie up to 10 inches were fair in backwaters near Sanganois on Wednesday—areas that were also producing decent catches of largemouth bass.

Kankakee River
SOURCE: Ed Mullady, Sportsman’s Letter (815-932-7285)
• In Indiana Mullady reports that catfish are good in Grand Kankakee Marsh park and north of English Lake.
• From Indiana to Momence largemouth bass are good on spinnerbaits, crawlers and plastic worms and some pike and walleye are showing up again. Smallies are best on minnows and Mepps No. 2 or 3 spinners.
• Near Aroma Park catfish are good and rock bass are fair on rubber spiders, poppers and crawlers.
• From Kankakee Dam through Sawmill Creek smallies are fair and best in the late evenings on Rattlin’ Rogues, Mepps No. 3 spinners or jigs and twister tails.
• Near the Kankakee River State Park catfish are good, especially in the late evening on crawlers, minnows and crayfish.
• Near Wilmington smallmouth bass are tops.
• Click here for a Kankakee River fishing forum.

Kishwaukee River
SOURCE:Bob Rhodes, Rockford Bait (815-226-3515)
Channel catfish are hitting strong on night crawlers and stinkbait. Smallmouth bass are up. Crappies, flatheads have been weak. A 22-inch smallmouth bass was hauled in on Thursday.

Mackinaw River
SOURCE: Guide Jonn Graham (309-399-7055)
The river had been working into fishable shape prior to recent rains that slowed the bite again.

Mississippi River
SOURCE: Iowa DNR

Rock River
SOURCE: Jan Prose at TJ’s Bait/Tackle & Canoe Rental in Oregon (815-732-4516)
• Near Oregon the river is at summer level and fishing is kind of slow with mostly catfish being caught, including a 12-pound channel catfish caught at the dam on a chub. Some big carp have also been reported. Boaters are doing well on walleyes with Rapalas working best. Fish up 23 inches reported out of deep holes. Flatheads have been slower, with some up to 20 pounds reported on suckers and bluegills.
SOURCE: Ray and Irene Hays, Bunny’s Bait Shop, Dixon (815-288-3812)
• Near Dixon the catfish have slowed with the best action on shrimp. A few reports on chicken liver and cheesebait. Flatheads are better, with a 40-pounder reported at the dam and one 40-pounder near Rock Falls. Both fish were caught on goldfish. Some decent walleye reports on minnows at the dam. First good report in several weeks on walleye. White bass and crappie are very slow, better toward the Mississippi River but still not strong.

Spoon River
SOURCE: Al Hayden, Al’s Sporting Goods, Galesburg and Paul Dinkheller at Dink’s in Lewistown (309-547-1094)
Anglers can still boat up and down the river, which is unusual for this late in the summer, but fishing has been spotty for catfish which are hit and miss says Dinkheller.