[Spoon Man]

A guy on another sight said big smallies are only in certian stretches of the river.
He actaully owns the other sight and has fished the fox since he was a kid so i guess he would know but since this board seems to have more nowlegable fishermen i figured i'd ask you guys. and if it is true why would this be?

 

[fred krause]

Yes. Just like only certain stretches contain walleye's, etc. The fish will be where they feed easily and where they are safe. With age comes wisdom- in the fish word that means that the older fish (bigger) have learned where they can accomplish what they need to (eat and be safe from predators, bad water, etc.) in certain areas. Now, the key is that on the river, those conditions vary based on the season, weather, human activity. That is what makes fishing on the Fox fun. Enjoy!

 

[BassMasterErik]

Its the same on all large bodies of water, theres often fish everywhere, but wheres the honey hole? thats the question. Gotta solve that puzzle on any territory you fish.

 

[WaterGuy]

I've caught big smallies in all kinds of different stretches on the Fox. The key is having an idea of where they are at any given time. Honey holes change based on conditions on the river and conditions change alot. There are seasonal patterns, high water patterns, low water patterns, as well as patterns that develop for seemingly no reason. The key is knowing where and when, and that comes with time on the river. So I'd say it's not necessarily untrue, but it is an incomplete and somewhat misleading statement.

 

[Afalconsvick]

Does anyone know any spots easily accessible in St. charles to fish for cats?

 

[Ken G]

A guy on another sight said big smallies are only in certian stretches of the river.

I've waded over 40 miles of the river and it's tributaries. I've canoed and fished even more of it. From Geneva all the way down to the Dayton Dam. I've even done a very little fishing in Algonquin, Elgin, South Elgin and St. Charles.

I can tell you from experience, that's crap.

Big smallies are all over the river. You just have to be there at the right time to catch them.

In all the stretches I've fished, it would be hard to even say if one stretch is better than any other.

 

[Darth Wader]

I have to agree with WaterGuy and Ken.

I can personally vouch for the stretch of river from Algonquin...

...down through St. Charles.

:wink:

Sounds like you've been the victim of another anglers deception...he's most likely just trying to steer the competition away from his preferred fishing areas.

Don't get hung up on a "stretch".... just fish in the place where you are=)

 

[Ken G]

I was going to dig through my pictures to do what Darth did. I've got pictures from South Elgin all the way down to somewhere around Ayers Landing.

But, I'd rather go out fishing.

I will clarify one thing.

An IDNR fisheries biologist once told me a long time ago that the biggest smallies in the Fox are in the area between the Dayton Dam and the mouth where it feeds into the Illinois. A stretch of about 5 miles. I'm assuming they are coming up from the Illinois.

So you can imagine what is in the Illinois.

At the Dayton Dam is where I've also heard about the largest concentration of muskie. And yet, I've never heard of anyone catching them out of the Illinois. But then, I just might not be paying attention.

...down through St. Charles.

That's funny, you're standing in front of Little Canada. So nicknamed by Mike Norris years ago. Can't believe I still recognize it. I haven't fished there in at least 7 years.

 

[Darth Wader]

That's funny, you're standing in front of Little Canada. So nicknamed by Mike Norris years ago. Can't believe I still recognize it. I haven't fished there in at least 7 years.

Link to the story on that reference? :wink:

When you have the time I wish you'd dig out those pics=)

 

[red_mucilin]

Smallies is everywhere. First ones I ever caught were in a farm ditch about2 feet wide at most. Every ditch around me has them in it. Now carp are different...

 

[Ken G]

Link to the story on that reference? :wink:
When you have the time I wish you'd dig out those pics=)

He used that reference when he would speak at clubs showing his slide show. He had before and after pictures of the area. Flooded and non-flooded. I've fished it. I like it when it's flooded.

Quite a few of the pics are on my site, not the forum, but the site. Look for the galleries.

This might give you a taste of what I'm talking about.

Some big fish from the Fox

Here's a few from this year.

18 inch, Little Rock Creek

17 inch Oswego.

18 inch, Oswego again.

18 inch Mill Creek

 

[Spoon Man]

well oviously you guys are catching big smallies all over so i guess he just didnt know what hes talking about!
I was reading over there that jigs are the way to go with case helgys and it seemed like he was saying guys that use crankbaits dont really know whats up.
oh and that powerpro sucks cuase you cant pop it out of snags that pretty much kills it for me cuase i snag up all the time.
Anybody catching anything this month?
Looks like legend found a cool bait called a pins? isnt that a crankbait though?

 

[Spoon Man]

Wow he also said he taught a out door writer how to catch fish Ken is he talking about you?

 

[Ken G]

Wow he also said he taught a out door writer how to catch fish Ken is he talking about you?

I can't find the thread you're referring to, but I did learn a few things from Ed.
Once upon a long time ago, we hung out. I believe I was leaving posts on his site soon after he started it. I thought that was '96 or '97, but he says '98. Long enough.

Basically pin point fishing. Very specific spots, we're talking square inches. Ed's an expert at that.

That really is why location doesn't matter. The fish will be in those specific square inches at times no matter where you are.

After that, I taught myself quite a few other things as well as about 40 miles of the river and it's creeks. All wading.

If someone has explored that or more, on foot, I've never heard of or met them.

As for power pro no good cause you can't pop it off snags, more crap. Been using it exclusively for years and I pop jigs off snags all the time.

Don't mean to say Ed's full of crap with the fish comment and the power pro. Like I said, I've taught myself a few things.

Let's just say I beg to differ.

Oh, and one thing he is correct at, he and I can outfish anyone with simple jigs and plastics. We both got very good at that.

 

[Ken G]

I found the thread.
I remember the invite, but I want to make clear it was a joke and a challenge among friends at the time. I knew he could catch fish, duh. I think that was around 10 years ago. TIme flies.

He is correct also in the Think Like a Fish.

One of the things I started doing was observing, like he says . . . I learned many things by observing fish, listening to the sounds on the river and noticing what just happened when I caught one.

I also go walk in the water where the fish hit. I want to know why they were sitting there.

I also take pictures, lots of them. Not of the fish, but the surroundings. Including the type of water where fish were caught. Some day when senility hits I'll need those pictures.

I think that the best river fishermen are the ones that sit a bit before fishing. The ones that are looking and teaching themselves something before they even make a cast. I've seen Ed do that and I know I do it. As for his scent, we were talking about that on the river once, on how scent didn't matter. So he pulled up his jig and twister, blew cigarette smoke on it, tossed it in and caught a smallie. Smallies with a nicotine habit I guess.

And no, I don't get published anywhere anymore and I quit guiding and giving fishing classes and speaking. But I still tend to write a good story. They're out there.

 

[WaterGuy]

well oviously you guys are catching big smallies all over so i guess he just didnt know what hes talking about!
I was reading over there that jigs are the way to go with case helgys and it seemed like he was saying guys that use crankbaits dont really know whats up.
oh and that powerpro sucks cuase you cant pop it out of snags that pretty much kills it for me cuase i snag up all the time.
Anybody catching anything this month?
Looks like legend found a cool bait called a pins? isnt that a crankbait though?

I think you must of misunderstood what he was saying. Reading a little too much into what is said. Everyones got their own way, and if it works it works. Ya know?

 

[Spoon Man]

I read that link eye i wonder why legend acts like he discovered it. i lost respect for him for sure now.
Water guy i just got the feeling that ed looks down on people who dont use jigs he said to many crankbaiters just cast all around the river hoping to find a fish and seems like he just thinks jigs are for real fishermen. but maybe your right.
He does say its a waist of time looking for a magic lure.
So i guess the key to finding big smallies is to use jigs and figure out where they live like in slack shallow water like in his post.
Thanx for the help guys going fishing tomorrow in algonqin by the creek maybe ill see you out there.Ill post up how i do!

 

[JB]

Ken G wrote:

I think that the best river fishermen are the ones that sit a bit before fishing. The ones that are looking and teaching themselves something before they even make a cast.

Amen to that....

As far as the other comments are concerned that it really is left up to the quality of the fisherman. Some do it better with jigs some do it better with cranks. To say the quality of fishing lies on the bait of choice is really limiting to the definition of a fisherman. One can throw a certain bait all day and if they aren't reading the river right, can walk away defeated. The successful fisherman can take ALL aspects into play and still come out ahead...or whatever their definition of success and how they measure it.

Lastly, I feel that alot of the skirmishes that take place between fisherman can not be leveled by the interest the fish put on the selected bait.

As noted, the contrast in what is offered, in itself, does not define that it is guaranteed.

JB

 

[Ken G]

Some do it better with jigs some do it better with cranks.

As you know, I'm a numbers guy and don't care what species hits as long as it's a smallie. :lol: :lol:

You simply can't beat a jig and plastic for catching numbers. 2 of the missed fish I had on Saturday came when I dropped a jig behind a log jam into a hole about the size of a kitchen sink. With about 6 feet of line out, setting a hook can be difficult if the fish doesn't do it for you.

Now Darth goes for quality fish and does a damn good job at it with cranks.

All depends what you want.

Saw your comment on that stretch that Waterguy fished out of his kayak.
Some of my consistently biggest fish and numbers of fish have come from that area. But then I was out Thursday night near there and couldn't buy a hit.

Go figure. Timing is everything and I don't seem to get that right lately.

 

[pmjasper]

Very interesting concepts discussed here.

My wife and I moved to Illinois last year and have struggled to find consistent fishing areas. Fished the Fox a few times without success and have probably done more fishing in Wisconsin since the relocation. Back in New Jersey, the wife and I fished many trout streams, reservoirs and the famed Delaware River with good success but have not carried over those succeses to IL. Yesterday, we traveled along the Fox just observing a few locations and finally folund a spot that looked similar to the Delaware. Although we didn't wade the river, we did some scouting and now plan to go back fully prepared to wade that section.

All that being said, I think you must be comfortable with the style of fishing you are employing and sometimes your greatest learning sessions are when you are not even casting a line. Not sure if this area I found will hold fish or not, but i'm excited to get out next weekend and give it a shot.