[ganz1960]

At the end of June, I flew to Tennessee to celebrate my mother's 87th birthday. While I was in the air, she fell in her apartment. That was the third fall in several weeks. My brother and I decided it was time to move her to assisted living. So instead of staying in TN for 4 days, I stayed for 4 weeks.

I got back a couple days ago and was able to hit the Fox in the Aurora area for the first time this morning in over a month. Bass were very active. Started with a buzzbait. First cast and I had what would be my biggest of the day. Probably close to 2 lbs. Good fish but not a great photo (still dark at 4:45 AM when I caught this guy).

A little later, I lost the buzzbait. The line wrapped around it and it was difficult to reel in. It sank and snagged on something and I lost it. I have others, but decided to try a Whopper Plopper 60 perch pattern instead. Bass really like that lure! No giants, but still a lot of fun. I think I caught 8 total and missed 3 others, all about this size:

I also had an unusual catch. It's what I think is a yellow bass. Can't recall ever catching this species (whatever it is) in all the years I've been fishing the Fox. Fun times! Hope to try again tomorrow (Thursday)!

 

[cletedius]

Looks like a white bass to me.

 

[Luckydawg13]

I hope your mom is ok
And looks like you had a great time

 

[SmalliesNEyes]

Yeah, looks more like a white. Lots of yellows and whites on the Fox system. We get them on the ice a lot up on Nielsen's in early winter.

 

[mike son]

I hope your mom is ok
And looks like you had a great time

Ditto.

I'm curious where you'd park that early in the morning? On the street? I ask because when I was just down on the Kank I was surprised to see the park closes at 8pm. Thought that was early and I'd think most of the forest preserves over there by the Fox open at sunrise.

 

[ganz1960]

I'm curious where you'd park that early in the morning?

I don't own a car so parking isn't an issue for me. That said, the 2 parks I often go to in the Aurora area have gates, but they're never closed. The gates are always open no matter how early I get there. May be just a quirk of the parks around Aurora. I also fish the downtown Aurora area so that would require street parking or public lot parking I imagine. There seems to be plenty of parking available in that area.

 

[minstrel]

Hey man, I wanted to say I feel for you with your mom's situation. My mom is 82 and she's still chugging along but someday... that 4 days to 4 months transition must have been rough!

And also nice fish... I seem to remember the difference between white and yellow was that one's lines run straight through while the others are broken up near the fins. (Or I could be completely wrong heh)

 

[ganz1960]

Hey man, I wanted to say I feel for you with your mom's situation. My mom is 82 and she's still chugging along but someday...

My mother is doing OK at the new place. She has lots of help there if needed. Thanks all for the concern.

And also nice fish... I seem to remember the difference between white and yellow was that one's lines run straight through while the others are broken up near the fins. (Or I could be completely wrong heh)

I assumed it was a yellow bass because of the coloring. It was much more yellow than the photo shows. Either way, white bass or yellow bass, it was an interesting catch!

 

[ganz1960]

I got out this morning (Sunday morning) to a different spot than in the post above in the Aurora area. I was totally skunked a day or two later in the spot above so I decided on a different spot today.

Good decision! The bass were very active. I caught several (see below) plus had 3 other blowups that didn't hook up, all on the buzzbait shown.

Witnessed a massive bass caught!
A guy near me this morning was throwing a Zara Spook. He hooked into the largest smallmouth I've ever seen at the Fox. It was massive! (Or should I say "bass-ive".)

I'd guess at least 3 lbs, maybe more. Hard to say. Much bigger than any in the photos I'm showing here. I'd say it was approaching FishinMatt size! He said it was his personal best. Great to know there are fish that size in an urban setting in the Fox.

 

[minstrel]

Sometimes you just gotta switch things up. Cool that your locale change worked for you. It is pretty cool that you suck good shore access where you can even hook into them bigguns.

I don't think I've had a fish on a a buzz bait, but seems that was the ticket today. It's prolly been 5-6 years since I've thrown one though so that factors in as well. Heh.

Nice results, rock on.