Drift Fishing Small-mouth and Catfish using Raven Tackle with DuPage Angler

I got a chance to go fishing with Marty Rogers founder of DupageAngler.com. I was excited because he is always crazy busy and fishing with him is always full of laughter.

We met way before sunlight and headed out west to a small creek that was finally not running high from all the spring rain. Our plan was to wade and drift fish for catfish and smallmouth using Raven floats, live bait and long rods. For more information on how we drift fish click HERE. The one thing I can say about Raven Tackle as it has dialed in our technique and our catch numbers has sky-rocketed.

We had the holy trinity of live bait crawlers, leeches, and minnows. For some reason the minnows just were not getting hit but the leeches were. Usually it is the other way around and in a hurry we will pass on the leeches.

This creek is very dynamic and spring rains design a new creek each year. Most years holes that are filled in by flooding are replaced by some new ones. This year there was only one new hole but many old holes were gone for good. We got on fish but had to fish twice as far as we usually do. This broke my heart a bit as three of my favorite holes were either half the size or non existent.

Marty and I fished and laughed and caught a ton of fish most small and not picture worthy, but great just the same. It definitely was a fun angling adventure.

DuPage Fishing Guide Service: Drift Fishing and Having Fun.

Keith met me in my drive way at o’dark thirty and I was immediately impressed when he pulled out a light weight custom steelhead rod from Xcalibur Rods. It was a little heavy for smallies but it was a beautiful rod.

The plan was to hit the DuPage River. We were at the most beautiful fishing spot I have on the river. The forest was a little spooky in the dark walking down to the river especially since we had just finished throwing wildlife stories around before we got there.

Quite a few of my clients want not only want to wade or smallie fish but they want to learn my bait drifting techniques for multiple species in rivers and streams. In a nutshell I use steelhead fishing concepts and tech to present live baits in at the most natural depth and speed. I mostly use Raven products for this. See this post for more detailed information. http://pondboyfishing.blogspot.com/2012/04/driftin-live-bait-for-dupage-river.html

I thought the trip was going to be easy peasy after Keith scored a couple quick fish. One was a gorgeous 17 inches, DuPage River Gold!! The spot got very slow after that. As the sun came up I just was not seeing the amounts of fish I usually do. Most trips I usually don’t have to change spots. One good stretch usually does it. Four spots total and five fish. Each spot produced fish however 20 fish in one stretch in a couple hours is not unheard of.

Keith’s day was open and so was mine so we decided on a round two and to not only switch rivers, but species as well. We headed to the Fox for carp. I love any opportunity to get a bass fisherman to try carp, the looks on their faces as they are hooked is awesome. I had him grab his steel-head rod which is perfect for fish of this size. We used the same drift rigs just bigger Raven floats. When drifting for carp you are not working seams in current like smallies but the slow, static, murky stuff. The drift needs to be much slower. We used size 4 hooks and good ol'corn. We hooked up right away and landed two awesome carp and some cats as well! We also had a couple fish show us the door.

I met another great fisherman and had a blast. If you would like a Angling Adventure of your own please contact me Daniel Pondboy Byrne at DupageFishingGuide.com

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.

High Water Spring Smallies

Just after our onslaught of spring rain hit I managed to get in the Dupage River near Naperville before the water got to high. The water was up 2 feet and dirty. When the water is up please practice safe wading. A Couple fish is not worth your life.

The fish as the water goes up spread out as there is more place to swim and feed. I fished for 2 hours I was using Raven products in my standard drift rig. I managed to catch two small mouth. I aligned myself with a stone wall there was a 1-2 foot ribbon of slower current right along the wall and this is were I caught my smallies and several panfish.

The key to high water smallies whether you can wade or not, is slack water and slow sections. You may not have a banner day, but you might catch a few fish in these slack areas. Just keep a look out for calmer sections that you allow to control and maintain a proper presentation.

A fellow DuPageAngler.com member Woz and a life long friend hit the fox in high conditions and manage to do very well. Here is his story.

With a little free time late this afternoon, I decided to take a quick trip to the Fox. Not wanting to waste the little time I had, decided on North Aurora. I figured with water levels up, I could hit the small dam by the police station, and if that doesn't pay out, pick apart the rocks by the main dam. After arriving, I realized the river was higher, and flowing faster than I had anticipated. The eddy's usually created along the rocks on the east side were non existent. Just a fast, steady flow. I didn't bother with the main river.

Walked over to the smaller dam, a saw some promise. Started out throwing a small x-rap in the seams, but nothing. Switched over to the trusty craw papi, and started flipping into any current break I could find. Behind boulders  stumps, and along cement walls. Almost right away, I felt a tug. Set the hook, and landed a nice 15" smallie. I repeated the presentation on any structure I could find. In a little less than an hour, landed six smallies. All were in the 14"-17" range.

Last 2012 Weekend was not a Weak End

Last 2012 Weekend was not a Weak End written by Redhook(Tom W)DupageAngler.com Member 

 This weekend went from weak to great for me. On Saturday, I got an early start at the Fox. Not as early as Pondboy and Darkstar who arrived at the spot just minutes ahead of me. They were wading, I was shore fishing. I struggled and shivered for about 2 hours, catching 2 walleye on Berkley gulp minnows. The wading guys did better on live minnows. Made note to self, buy minnows! 

 I spend the afternoon out shopping with the missus. Happily this included a stop at Bass Pro for some additional walleye worthy baits. On Sunday, I thought it was going to be too cold to fish. But when I learned that my wife had shopping plans with my girls, and the temperatures rallied to the twenties, I decided to head back to the fox for more walleye. I managed only one in just over an hour, but it was a beautiful day. (Used a BPS Squirming grub)Sunny skies and low winds helped me stay toasty warm in my many layers of clothing. I’ll take that all winter, thank you. Just give me more fish. On the way home, I stopped for a dozen minnows. They don’t count the minnows that they net and dump into the bucket, but I did. I ended up with over 2 dozen! 

On Monday, I started my fishing day pre-dawn at the Salt Creek in Hinsdale. The DuPage County FP Outdoor Report suggested trying minnows below the dam for walleye, northerns, etc. I struck out and headed back to the Fox after about an hour and a half. The Fox treated me much better. I hit a small walleye on the first cast. I had 8 within a half hour. All on minnows. I tried a Berkley Powerbait minnow for the next ½ hour and only managed 1 walleye. I moved spots and went back to minnows, finishing my morning with 13 walleye. Nice! 

 Unexpectedly, my phone rang with Pondboy on the other end. He was weighing his options for shore fishing and wondered how well I did on Saturday. When I told him how I was doing at present, I could practically here is car tires screeching down his driveway. He showed up about 45 minutes later. Before he arrived I took the opportunity to warm up in my car, find some food and to pee. After that, all was right with the world. PB and I managed to squeeze into a shoreline spot. A couple more groups had arrived while I was away, but I ended up in the same spot where I’d had my great run earlier. In about 2 hours, I added another 6 to my total, for 19 on the day. 

 Pondboy thanked me for staying to fish with him, but in truth, I’d planned to continue anyway and it was nice to have some company. He’s quick with the camera and a good talker. He started a conversation with a nearby angler and proceeded to tease me about how quiet I was. That’s okay, I’m used to it. I’m more of a written word kind of guy.

 Pondboy had a few catches and we both had several misses. Most notably, near the end, we had a double between us. He handed me his fish for a quick picture. 

 I’m not a fish kisser, but I think fish on fish kissing is fine. I’m a Cupid for fish. What a great year ender to a great year! My total fish caught for 2012 was1556.

Cold Wet Christmas Walleyes

Cold Wet Christmas Walleyes

It was 19 degrees as I pulled into the dark parking lot. Chunsum (aka JcCrappies) and I geared up in the dark anxious to start fishing below a dam to fight some small winter walleyes. I said it was cold very cold right? I brought minnows but I decided not to go into the freezing bucket after them. We used crawlers and drift rigs.

With our body temps slowly dropping, we shot the shit the way most anglers do. You know what I'm saying? Here is an example. I come home from fishing father’s day all day long with Darkstar (another DA member) and my beautiful wife asks me what we talked about all day. I said nuthin really. She said “all day long and you cannot remember what you talked about?” This is because Fisherman usually don’t talk about anything serious. Most guys go out fishing to shut off everything and relax. So the conversions are about cartoons, sex, sports, women, fishing, women, cartoons, fishing, food, fishing, music, and fishing.

In about an hour and a half I managed to score 3 walleyes. That was not as many as I wanted and they were not giants, but in the middle of December I take what the fish gods give me.

Both of us were now totally freezing. When you are wading in very cold water your toes are always the first to go followed by finger tips. We decide to get out of the water. I proceed first and as soon as I am on the shore ice forms on my legs. Chunsum is taking a little too long. I look back and he is stumbling. He take a step wobbles, another wiggles, another he tips, one more and Ka-Splash-Ka-Spoosh!!!!! WOAH Holy CRAP! Not only does he fall but if this was a judged event he would have gotten a perfect 10!! He fell backwards in slow motion; both arms stretched as if he just accepted his fate and let the river take him. Oh my god I am still chuckling right now. It was like a wading NESTEA PLUNGE! His outside jacket and gloves were soaked but underneath he was quite dry. The stiff winter wind quickly made him a jacket of ice. Of course this ended his day. Even his head got soaked but his Beardheadacted like a force field and kept his hair dry.

I went to one more location solo and managed to scrape up two more eyes, two white bass, and a dink smallie. Not a terrible day. Well not for me! BLahahaha (sorry buddy)

Caught some fish and had a good laugh. Of course I have just jinxed myself for teasing my friend. I am now destined to fall the next time out.

PS. For those of you who stumble on to my blog, we would love to have you visit DupageAngler.com It is for everyone the only requirement is you have to be a good person. See you there.

Beard Headed Walleye

Beard Headed Walleye

Like most angling days it started at O’Dark Thirty. It was cold…very cold. I had dressed for the weather but what I pictured in my head was warmer. I met JC1Crappies and Redhook62 both DuPageAngler.com members. We all sported floats and crawlers for the lion’s share of bites. We caught a mess of small fall walleyes, a couple bass, and red caught one very nice white bass before the sun was even out!

The cool thing about today, it was our first day field testing BeardHead.com products!!!

The hats themselves are very good quality and did the job of keeping our heads and ears warm while fishing. Just look at these things!!!! They rock!!! On their site they have a wicked selection of BeardHeads. When I first got mine, the kids and I ran around the house with them on. These are perfect for fisherman. Why? Well besides the whole fishing in the elements thing, there is the fact that these are a guys guy thing. Besides the Oxy Clean Guy (God rest his soul) and DA Member Wilks what guy does not dream to sport a full blown in your face beard? Also, do you know why there is a “Talk Like A Pirate” day? Because guys like it!! I mean I always wanted to be a Viking! We, as fisherman, are out there many times to hang out with our friends, have some laughs, catch some fish and these BeardHeads help us do that.

My head was the only part of me that was toasty. My fingers and toes were shot. Once they get that cold, even hand warmers don’t help any more. Bad part about a constant bite is all the baiting hooks and getting the ice off your guides.

I want to thank Chunsum (Crappie) and Tom (Red) for going Barbarian and slamming some small cigars today. 

HARD WIND CRAPPIES

 DuPage Angler Sooner Bass calls and tell me he has gotten on some crappie and thinks that Sunday morning they might be even better. We get up at O'dark Thirty and get to the small lake before the sun had risen. The wind was already blowing hard but we would find out that it was just the beginning.

 When I usually fish crappie in high winds I use a McThill Waggler float that is designed to cut through waves and it works great. I cast up wind and let the float drift parallel from me across the water. I am fishing to cover a large area and it is a deadly set-up. Today was different.

 I started with this rig and quickly scored a beautiful white crappie and a of couple bass. The wind picked up, picked up, and picked up some more. Sooner believed the best bite would occur where the wind was the worst. Unfortunately for me he was right. Wagger floats are very light. They cut through waves but do not cut casting through very heavy wind. Sooner, I noticed was catching 2 to every 1 fish I landed. We saw that he was able to out cast me by 20-30 yards. This was do to the  fact that he had these cheap clip on weighted foam bobbers. Once we figured out this was the key to success, we went for a quick trip to the closest store to buy some. 

When we got back the action was amazing. Crappies fell like scaled dominoes. The wind got even worse. 2 - 3 foot white caps on this small body of water were crashing the shoreline. We needed a break from it and decided to try the opposite shore for a while. We were comfortable, but skunked. Sooo back to the wind tunnel and blasting gusts on the windward side we went. Once there we picked right up again! The action was awesome! We ended up with around 70 crappie, 15 gills, and 7 bass.

 Some of these fish were just gorgeous. I used minnows and he used a tandem rig with a mini mite with a tube jig trailer. The weighted floats saved the day. I am not a fan of fishing into hard wind and prefer to use the wind as a drift of sorts. But in this instance head on was the only answer. From now on I will be ready for hard wind crappies.