[BravesFan]

Fished the NSC near Foster again today from 3:30-5:30pm. Temps in the high 70s with light winds out of the southwest. Mostly sunny.

Caught a 14" LM bass that weighed 1 lb 5 oz, two other dink bass, and several gills, all on a roostertail. I landed a few LM bass around 12" that weighed about a pound on Monday afternoon using 4" watermelon colored curly tails, but didn't have any luck with soft plastics today.

I keep on taking my camera with me to the NSC when I fish, but I haven't been snapping pics lately b/c I'm still holding out for the 3 pounder :wink:

P.S. I drove by the Howard area today, but after catching a whiff of the place, I didn't even get out of the car and headed straight for Foster

 

[JasonN]

If you can get past the smell, rooster tails can be deadly on bass at Howard on the west side of the river just north of the plant discharge.

That smell, by the way, is not the river or the water going into it. The water reclamation plant is to blame for the smell as it processes waste water. Millions of gallons of waste water are processed at the plant, which is one of the largest in the whole area.

But yes, some days the plant is "working" harder than others to filter our potty water. And considering all the barbecued food and beer consumed yesterday, that plant must have really been "cooking" today! :shock:

 

[Topwater]

I've got a questions guys...how do your reels handle the Chi River water? I've wanted to get out to the river but am concerned that I'll walk away with a sloppy mess on my rod and reel. I mean, the water is pretty nasty, especially, well, anywhere! Should I rig up a cheap set-up or can I take the $50 rod/reel and not worry? (BTW, the $50 rod/reel is my prize set-up )

 

[JasonN]

Unless, there is a foot of rain, there is no fecal matter or any other potty mess floating around the Chicago River. Your gear will be just fine. I've even waded in that water.

 

[BravesFan]

The only problem I've had from fishing in the river is that my line gets a little dirty after a while, but other than that, no big deal. It's just a slight discoloration (grey-green-ish) and seems to go away immediately the next time you fish in cleaner waters.

 

[jnapodano]

Jason N wrote:

Unless, there is a foot of rain, there is no fecal matter or any other potty mess floating around the Chicago River. Your gear will be just fine. I've even waded in that water.

Lmao, Now we know what's wrong with you. That's some nasty stuff man but I guess I can't say a whole lot cuz I grew up swimming in the fox which isn't much better. Bravesfan provided a more accurate description of the water color than I ever could've come up with, it's right on grey-green, kinda chalky lookin. I actually hose my stuff of in the front yard after fishing there. I didn't the first time I fished it and the laundry room(same place I keep my gear) smelled a lil funny the next day, not awful but not right either. I got out two nights ago in a canoe with a buddy at foster and went hour and a half with no fish before calling it a night.