Do you love big bluegill?

Lower Illinois River (OK), 3-16-2015

Took off before the sun came up. It's an hour and a half drive to get there (counting stops for gas and breakfast). When I got there, they were generating, which raises the river level about 3 - 4' and really gets the current ripping. Luckily, minutes after I got there, they blew the horn, and 15 minutes later, turned it all off.

I donned my waders (which are now leaking, danggit) and fly vest, and grabbed my 5wt.

I tried all sorts of stuff. Many different nymphs and soft hackles. Olive Wooly Buggers. A white Bead-head WB that Tooty sent me. One of those black Boa Yarn Leaches that I've tied. Various Zebra Midges.

I never got a bite! I did see a few Trout caught on a fly of some sort (assumed micro-jig), and well as micro-jigs on a UL rig.

I had intended on getting my UL rig out, with some of the jigs I've been tying lately. However, when I decided to go up to HER vehicle to eat lunch, I watched an older gent catch a nice White Bass on a pink Rooster Tail. When I went back down to the water, I had one of my medium spinning rigs, and one of my custom in-line spinners, with a chartreuse willowleaf blade and green marabou dressed hook. I caught four NICE White Bass in about 30 minutes, the first two came on the first two casts, with two smaller ones as well.

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Slip Sinker on March 16, 2015 at 4:49pm

Nice recovery Allen!... gotta love those white bass!!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Allen Morgan on March 16, 2015 at 5:56pm

Thanks Slip Sinker. With all the rain in that part of the state several days ago, some of my local buddies were contemplating whether or not the CoE would open floodgates or not. I'm glad they didn't. But, I went prepared (as always), with several different setups, and enough tackle for 4 men, so that stood a good chance to catch "whatever bent my pole".

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by carl hendrix on March 16, 2015 at 7:10pm

you did good Allan!! i caught just a few small gills today;; tried half dozen or more - jigs and flies! water was real muddy still! water temp. was 57 degrees when i started-- got up to 60 by 2 pm!!