jcub280's Blog

Re: Salem Reservoir

Well, the trip went as expected.  I caught several fish but the most best part of if was catching a couple fresh water drum.  I didn't know that there were any in that body of water.  The only down side is that is was too windy to do any kayaking.  I plan go back real soon to tangle with some more bass and catfish.

Poll: What is your favorite fish to catch?

Being that we are in Illinois and most of us only have LM bass as a sport fish and I am sure it will get the most votes.  Come on, prove me wrong.

Salem Reservoir

I am spending the night in Salem fishing the reservoir this Saturday night.  I have aleady started to catch a lot of bass there this year in places I have marked on my website http://www.illinoisfisher.com/salemresevoir.html

Me and a buddy will be kayaking around 4pm looking for bass - then at about 6 we plan to catch a few little bluegill for supper - after supper we will be fishing for for a few more bass then it will be cats all night long.  They are really biting up at the shallow north end using night crawlers.  I might try to catch a few smaller bluegill and use them for bait as well (cannot use castnet here, must catch bluegill on hook/line to make it legal as bait). 

I will post any and all updates from this mini-trip.

Re: Lake Sara

Well I went to the Lake to find that the bait shop had not opened yet so I was unable to get any minnows.  I was looking to crappie fish so instead, my wife wanted to fish for bluegill.  We caught several.  Nothing of any great size. 

I spoke with several local fishermen catching a lot of bass.  One guyt had a photo of a 6 pouner he had caught earlier in the day.  Most of the guys were throwing plastics or jigs.  I also got some tips on how to catch white bass.  I will have to try all this out before I know anything for sure.

Anyway, I ended my day with a big ole catfish.  Remember, I was pan-fishing so this seemed like a monster.

Lake Sara

I think I am going to Lake Sara Saturday April 11th for some Crappie fishing.  I might have an empty seat on my boat if anyone else wants to go.

Re: Fishing at forbes.....

Steve,
 
I have fished Forbes a lot as well and it took years to find the fish.  I am a strong believer in the lake and I have personally found fish in all the spots indicated on the map on this link.
 
http://illinoisfisher.com/forbes.html
 
Another one for crappie that I have not put up yet is the peninsula just off the dam.  That entire side is full of crappie.  I catch a ton using jog/minnow rig.
 
I got sick of bass fishing here too because of all the tournaments but I found fishing for bass around the dam area (where fish are released) is actually good.  Last year, my first bass was a 6 pounder in a cove near the dam area.  After that I caught several more "keepers" in the area mostly on soft plastics and jigs.  I am not a fan of jig fishing but unfortunately it is one of the best ways to target bass here in IL. 

Shelbyville

I went out to Shelbyville Tuesday, March 17th in search of Muskie.  I didn't get anything to move.  I talked to a couple of other guys that had been fishing the lake hard for 2 days and not seen anything either.  Try try again as the weather keeps getting better.

Little Wabash / Embarras Rivers

I spent about 3 hours exploring the Little Wabash River near Effingham out of my kayak this weekend.  I tried fishing but I was mainly looking for a good place to kayak.  I found a good place for an afternoon trip of about 3-4 miles for when the weather warms up.  Does anyone else ever fish out of a kayak?  I think I like it more than fishing out of my boat.  Later in the spring I plan to take a trip down the Embarras River starting in Charleston, IL and taking out in Greenup, IL.  It is a 26 mile down stream trip that will take 2 days (camping in th middle).  Anyone interested in going?  I am sure it will be a last minute thing because weather plays a big role with this trip.  I can either kayak or canoe, just depends on what others will be doing.

Below are a few pics from my Little Wabash trip , sorry no fish yet.

Hey - jcub280 here

So who started this site?  I am a country boy who is always looking for a good place to fish and some good people to talk about it with. I grew up outside the small village of Kell, IL. I now live in Effingham and I love it here except for the long drive to the lakes. I am a Southern Illinois University Carbondale Graduate (2008) and I am now a graduate student at Eastern Illinois University.
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Fishing Background
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My first memory is of me catching a little large mouth bass on a yellow popper (rigged with a bobber) and releasing it after showing it off to my mom. Although this is my first memory, I started fishing long before that and I now fish as much as possible. When I go on a fishing trip with friends or family I feel more like a guide to them. Simply put, I spend more time baiting hooks, rigging lines, locating fish, and fixing birds nests for other people when I go fishing. I do not have a strong competitive streak so it is very easy for me to help others succeed. 
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I started flyfishing a few years ago and it is currently my favorite way of catching (I usually do not go fishing, I go catching). It doesn't get any better than catching a big fish on a fly you tied the night before. I have caught several fish on my flyrod but my 2 best are a 6 lb bass (sorry, no photo) and a 12 lb common carp (see bottom pic).
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Trips I take
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I go to Minnesota every year mainly to catch monster pike but I must say the bass fishing is almost as much fun up there. Everyone targets walleye leaving huge bass unharmed.
After spending 2 years in college in Florida I came to love inland saltwater fishing.  Now I go back as much as I can to hook into redfish, flounder, and trout mainly.