A Tale of Two Rivers

I needed to get a look at the rivers after the huge flood of 2013 we had in our area. I managed to get out four times. I got out once to the fox with DA member Sooner Bass and three very short trips to the DuPage, two of those with DA member JcCrappies.

The first trip on May 4^th to the DuPage with Chunsum (JcCrappies) was a surprise. The water was still way up and chocolate milk. We fished only the nook and cranny of slack water we could find. We managed to score some smallies. We also got about a dozen crappies behind a bridge. Two nice fish we caught and one beast lost.

The second trip on May 5^th to the fox was an eye opener. On a tip from DA member Flawlessfishing we hit the Fox on a search for White Bass. We managed to get some whites some smallies and even some yellows. The water here was still very high and un-safe to wade. The real excitement came when Sooner Bass hooked and caught a 33.25 Musky!!!!

Number three was back to the Dupage on May 7^th after work, which the stress relief fishing provides after a hard day is priceless, the water was a foot and a half lower then the previous trip. The water was still muddy but the bite was much better. I had 20 smallies myself and a few panfish. Chunsum did very well also. Though the numbers were up the size was not and only one good fish was caught. But it was a blast!!

On my last trip on May 9^th, I went solo to some new water that in normal levels would be too shallow. I try to make myself fish new water a few times a year. To my surprise in an hour I caught 3 cats and one small mouth.

Another week or so with no major rain and the rivers will be hot and ready. I fished all these trips with my standard drift rig. I happily use Raven steelhead products to dial in this technique.

Anyone can successfully wade and catch fish at rivers, including you.