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 Small rivers offer some of the greatest untapped fishing that can be
found in the Northern IL area. I often fish the Kishwaukee River in
DeKalb. It is a rather small river that is quite muddy and looks like
all that it would produce would be carp and bullheads, but oddly enough,
the river is filled with Smallmouth Bass that are very willing to bite.
Not to mention the Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, Walleyes, Crappie,
Rock Bass, and a plethora of other Panfish that can be found here. In
this article I will talk a little about my particular favorite
techniques and places to look for in rivers to implement these. Fishing
in rivers can be quite difficult if you try to use the same
presentations as you would in a lake. I like to fish with substantially
smaller lures in small rivers. In the Kishwaukee I often throw small
spinnerbaits, Rattletraps, Rapalas, inline spinners, grubs, Bitsy Bugs,
and of course, four inch plastic worms. The lures you are fishing with
must look natural. In other words, if you are throwing a worm, think
about how that would look going upstream. It just would not happen. Due
to this, I generally concentrate on casting upstream and then retrieving
with the current. I may occasionally throw spinners or other minnow-like
baits downstream and retrieve upstream, but it is a rarity. Also another
reason for this type of presentation is due to the way fish sit in the
current. Fish often face the current and wait for meals to come to them.
Now that we have thought about what lures we want to throw, now for
where to fish them. Fishing in rivers can be quite challenging due to
fluctuation in water height and current. If the water is high and moving
rapidly fishing can be much different than low water conditions. For low
water conditions, fishing can be quite simple; basically cast anywhere
and just reel in. In most instances I will cast upstream parallel to the
shore and reel in with my lure running as close to the shore as
possible. Often fish will sit next to the bank waiting for pray to be
pushed by. If the water is high fish will still be around banks, but you
may have to find areas of slack water such as below log jams, rocks, and
large pools to effectively fish. Fish will often lie in these pockets to
get out of the current and in a great position to pounce on bait as it
is washed downstream by the current. River fishing can be a great
experience that you should not miss out on. Give any river a shot that
looks like it might have bass in it. You might be surprised with what
you find. Bass fishing on the small rivers in Northern IL can be
fantastic, so do not miss out on it.
Good Luck,
Casey |
