IL River Bass Fishing

[scottemory72]

I was wondering what some of my fellow IL River Rats were catching their bass on?  I know some guys don't want to reveal their "secret" lures, but hell with it, I don't mind sharing some secrets with my fellow fisherman!  I've done very well with War Eagle Screamin' Eagle Spinnerbaits; I like them because they weigh 1/2 oz but they have the 1/4 oz profile.  I've also done well with Bandit Crankbaits too.  But, my best lure has been a Gitem Baits Gitem Bug!  I bought some of these little craws when I was down in Florida this spring and they are dynamite!  I don't know what it is but it seems our fish love small compact lures; all of the baits I've used are all smaller profile lures.  What have you guys used to catch some of your fish on?

[Lipripper]

Thanks for being willing to share your information with us. I havn't fished the Illinois for Bass just Katfish 

[basscubs1]

scott- if I told you I would have to kill ya! lol! You said everything that works on the river, there is not any real secret bait out there, maybe some colors are better than others! I dont even scale my lure size down, I use the same thing I would use on the lakes!

Have you been told by people that you cant fish in areas? I have had a couple people tell me that they were told that they were trespassing and they had to leave, it happend in ur town! My bud had a the tazwell sheriff called on him and he just sat there and watched him fish! I think these people along the river dont understand the laws of the waterways?

[scottemory72]

Actually that has happened a lot up and down the river and I think I know exactly where you are talking about.  I don't know the laws pertaining to the situation where a fisherman can or can't fish.  I know in some states (hopefully ours) you can fish anywhere the water reaches.  To me, you can own the actual land but you don't own the river and if someone doesn't get out of their boat then they aren't trespassing.  If a person is just fishing and releasing their fish and they aren't ripping all the fish out of a spot I don't see the big deal in letting someone fish an area, but too many people who live on the river think it's their water.  I will try to do some investigating on this subject and I will post what I find out.  If the law states the land owner only owns the actually land and not the actual water then great, but if not that really sucks, which is the norm for IL.  Our politicians don't do anything for the sportsman; they would rather build bike paths and picnic areas then put money into public hunting and fishing areas, plus they would love to take away the DNR jobs and stick that money back up in Chicago, thanks to our fromer governor.  They don't give a crap about us rednecks and hillbillies down state (but yet they love to come down here and hunt our deer and shoot a blind full of ducks and geese).  Sorry for the political rant, just doing some venting!

[basscubs1]

 let it out scott, you need to vent! lol!

what you said is what dnr told me, if you stay in your boat you are not trespassing!

[scottemory72]

That's good news!  I've asked around and I have heard the same things.  So the next time someone comes out and yells at me for fishing "their" water, I'll tell them to kiss my ass it's "our" water!  LOL

[Lipripper]

Scott I fish all over in diffrent states and as long as your in a boat and not on their land or dock the water don't belong to them. Not sure about a swimming area with them rope things floating in the water like in a resort. I know in the lakes I fish at in Michigan that the floating docks that arn't attached to land is free a dock .

[ranger188pro]

There are private duck clubs that you cannot fish even though it is acessable from the river and you tell them to off then they just might take matters in there own hands like down south of Bath and Beardstown area. Places around Chili also you cannot fish.

[Team KaRu]

they just might take matters in there own hands

Oh so true.... Fisherman with shotguns, not fair.

[Drakebuster]

Last time I fished the IL river, we launched at Seneca. Had good luck on white spinnerbaits, and Berkley Gulp "arkanasas shiner" fished the gulp weightless along any rock pile I could find and some submerged weeds. Worked around boat slips and in harbors that weren't off limits.

[ranger188pro]

WEEEEEEEEEEEEDS on the river where!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Drakebuster]

Like I said, we launched in Seneca. You won't find a ton of them, but they are there you just have to locate them lol

[scottemory72]

That is true about the duck clubs and I don't want to get shot at!  Luckily, my brother in law, my dad, and I know a lot of people around Chilli and Spring Bay on up to Lacon, plus we're all duck hunters, so I don't think we would have to worry too much.  But, people do get touchy up and down the river!

[Lipripper]

They sure do scott 

[EricBev]

Yeah weeds are hard to come by in that part of the Illinois.  I typically catch fish around Clarks and Bells islands but slackwater is usually the key as the current is typically stable on this river and the fish dont move out much.  Too bad there are not very many of these areas on the river.  Tributary entry points are also always worth fishing but once again are at a premium.

Ive caught numerous 3-4lbers on this section of the river.....they are there...