Do you love big bluegill?

smallies by bridges

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by jim cosgrove on March 7, 2015 at 3:06pm

something like this John?

Permalink Reply by John Sheehan on March 7, 2015 at 3:34pm

wow yeah , like that Jim! That water looks shallow for such a large smallmouth!

Permalink Reply by jim cosgrove on March 7, 2015 at 3:23pm

Permalink Reply by jim cosgrove on March 7, 2015 at 4:01pm

there are some holes and just up stream this creek runs thru a concrete aquaduct for a few miles thru joliet il and then returns to a natural creek further up.kind of a semi urban fishery that runs thru woods and old industrial areas.20 years ago this water was toxic.downstream a bit this spills into the des plaines river which was mentioned in the classic 1800s book the black bass as the best smallmouth stream in the united states,people are getting lots of 5lb class smallies every year in this system.this is just the easiest access point for me.they are my favorite fish.

Permalink Reply by Slip Sinker on March 7, 2015 at 4:57pm

nice healthy fish Jim...and looks like a great place to fish.

Does the area get alot of fishing pressure?

whats your favorite setup for a swim like this?

Permalink Reply by jim cosgrove on March 7, 2015 at 6:22pm

it all gets pounded slip but every one seems to understand that they gotta go back in the water.nice spot once you get down into this little canyon but an old industrial area.but this creek has some wooded sections.

Permalink Reply by jim cosgrove on March 7, 2015 at 6:28pm

slip you guys got smallies in roadside ditches over there.i think the first fish my son caught was a michigan smallmouth.he reeled it up to the first guide dropped the pole in the water and ran.

Permalink Reply by Slip Sinker on March 7, 2015 at 7:12pm

yep i agree Jim... all these deep river systems where i live that end up in Saginaw bay just ooze smallmouth bass. the reservoirs just are huge shiner and shad breeding grounds the game fish in general are larger than avg especially wixom lake. the little creek on my property has smallmouth and browns but they are usually very small for the system. however my son did find a brown trout over 23". the smallmouth are usually topped at 12" that ive seen and caught . however the main lake avg size smallmouth i would say is about 16 to 17"

Permalink Reply by jim cosgrove on March 7, 2015 at 7:25pm

since the goby invasion lake michigan is growing some big ones,i expect a state record or two to fall in the next few years.

Permalink Reply by Slip Sinker on March 7, 2015 at 8:03pm

and because of that it is nothing to catch a 6lber out of lake eerie or lake st clair ... just awesome smallmouth bass factories

Permalink Reply by jim cosgrove on March 7, 2015 at 6:32pm

i like my fenwick 6' light action 10 lb braid,think the reel is a decent spool drag diawa.if i'm in the river i beef it up to my berkley bionix medium with a heavier reel cause there are pike and stripers and other beasts out there.

Permalink Reply by Jim Gronaw on March 7, 2015 at 5:34pm