[fishinnut28]

Went to the Hoffman Dam today in Lyons// Riverside. The water was pretty high. So didn't catch anything my buddy did get a strike. Met this nice guy there who gave me some helpful pointers. Thanks to whoever that was. Bad part of the day my baitcaster spool knob fell of :evil: .

So i have had many questions i have asked and the most common response ive had is get pics of where u want to fish and here they are I fish Stony Ford the most and the Hoffman Dam. The bottom is mostly sticks and rocks.

OH YA I AMLOST FORGOT I GOT A BIG OL SKUNK

HERE IS THE HOFFMAN DAM AREA

And here is Stony Ford Canoe Lauch

 

[Dan Sims]

Nice pic man

 

[JB]

The pic looking thru the opening in the fence is a good place to start. Alot of people work the area just to the left of that pic. It's affectionately labeled the "toilet bowl". The slack water in that area that is parallel with the current running under the bridge is popular for predators waiting for an easy meal. :wink:

When the water is high, as it is now, the fish use that are as a rest point and wait for smaller baitfish to do the same. My suggestion is to work a slip bobber in that area with a roach(large minnow) worked just off the bottom. The depth there is around 3 or 4 ft for the most part so ya gotta watch for snags. Bring backup bobbers, split shot and size 6 octupus hooks. Drift it right at the corner of the bridge, anywhere in the slack area and just along the current break. No guarantees but in the next few weeks it should be a producer.

Good luck.

JB

 

[Boarder Collie]

I fished that area a lot one spring when I was commuting to UIC.

I caught some pike and sauger on spoons.

My favorite memory was at the toilet bowl when a pike beached itself at my feet after chasing a five-of-diamonds.

I caught sauger below the little dam downstream on smaller spoons and lighter tackle. I remember reading that the sauger population below the Hoffman Dam is thriving, but I don't know if this is still true.

I never had much luck further downstream at the bend, but I've seen some pictures of impressive fish.

It was also entertaining to watch the carp guys trying to bring fish up and over the wall.

 

[Pat Harrison]

If you walk through the woods away from the dam down to the swinging bridge about 1/3 of a mile there used to be a whole just before the bridge that was pretty deep that held alot of fish. I dont know if its still there but it could be worth a scouting trip.I had a body shop in Lyons about 25 years ago on ogden ave. we could go out the back door and fish the river did Ok but I've been told the river has only gotten better there now.

 

[twoglasseyes]

that looks like some good fishing!

 

[fishinnut28]

If you walk through the woods away from the dam down to the swinging bridge about 1/3 of a mile there used to be a whole just before the bridge that was pretty deep that held alot of fish. I dont know if its still there but it could be worth a scouting trip.I had a body shop in Lyons about 25 years ago on ogden ave. we could go out the back door and fish the river did Ok but I've been told the river has only gotten better there now.

acutually i did go down to that bridge and fished a little creek that was half frozen over and that whole u where tallkin about thats where i got one of the pike strikes.

 

[twoglasseyes]

pike strikes

Sounds like you found a real good spot. Something like that gets me going back everyday.