this weekend took the boy out to the mighty Desplaines river looking for Northerns. I had one grab my lure right at the shore but he let go. Little one, maybe 16 inch? later realized the hook still had the little plastic protector tube on it. Ugh. Son had a big largemouth go for his lure but missed or took a hard left before impact. All in all a fun time. But actually catching something would be nice.

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

Cool. I did not know they had Pike there.

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If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.

I read about it on a local fishing forum. So I geared up and went for it. I wouldn't have believed it but I saw it with my own eyes. Other than the Columbus Park lagoon, the DesPlaines is the only body of water within half hour or so from my house.

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

I caught about a 4lb Northern in the DesPlaines, in Libertyville a few years ago. They're in there.

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Isn't the Des Plaines River kind of, you know, fetid & fecal?

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Maybe fecal, but not fetid. I'm not eating the fish, just catching them.

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

i've never fished the des plaines but we fish heidecke every once in a while for stripers and walleye.

outside of fishing for perch off of navy pier, the only other fishing i've really done in chicago is we went up into lake calumet with my buddy and his dad. his dad is buddies with Don Dziedzina and he told us it was a hot spot. We caught a bunch of perch and crappies off the dock pilings all over it. I probably wouldn't keep fish in there but his dad certainly did.

I fish the mississippi, illinois river and rock river over here on the west side of IL exclusively.

I'm looking at canoes. Maybe fly fishing lessons too.

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

i know a ton of guys who kayak fish. i don't like sitting down and fishing. i kayak a borrow pit with a guy here and there and it works, just kind of annoying.

kayaks are apparently all the current rage. I want a canoe for two people, beer cooler, camping gear, etc etc.

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

Fly fishing is a lot of fun. Done it from a boat which is ok. Walking the river is more fun. Obviously river size can be a factor to consider...

Wasn’t there a fly fishing movie where Brad Pitt had gay sex with his brother? Broke back fly creek?

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If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.

Alas I don’t have a brother. Maybe Seacrest will go with me.

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

Your viewing habits, and possibly scanning the interwebs for videos to sneak peek, have left you stunted sir.

Oh right a river runs through it. Seriously I always associated fly fishing with more of a shallow creek than a river.

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If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.

One man's crick is another man's river.

Read that somewhere.

Fishing kayaks have become very elaborate. High-end fishing kayaks have pedal-drive propulsion system and some even come with a battery so you don't have to pedal. The seats in these kayaks are very comfortable and they are wide enough to stand in. There are HUGE benefits to kayak fishing. It is a much cheaper alternative to buying a boat and you can put one on top of any vehicle. I have a nice, stable fishing kayak but I have only used it 6 times in a couple years. I ALWAYS prefer to fish out of my boat. Give me my front deck, a half dozen rods, and a trolling motor.

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Lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be.

The northern Lake County and Wisconsin parts of the DesPlaines are a little cleaner, but I wouldn't eat the fish.

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@audioidkid

basically. but yeah for guys without a boat who want to do more than shore fishing, it makes perfect sense. which i had thought of it when i was a kid.

I completely agree. Kayak fishing is great for young adults who don't have the space or those who can't afford a traditional fishing boat. I break it down as: boat fishing > kayak fishing > wading > shore fishing

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Lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be.

guys now is the time to hit the rivers. fish are putting on the feedbags. We've caught probably 50 bass in the past 2 days. largemouth, wipers, smallies. we are walleye fishing and catching plenty of those too but the bass won't leave us alone. they are all chasing bait that are running in the rivers. we pulled a 8 inch shad out of a walleye mouth yesterday.

What's biggest Smallie ya caught.

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OK, what's your technique?

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

3.5lb
multiple 10+ wipers
biggest walleye 29 1/2".

jig and plastics. BIG plastics. i'm using 5" shad bodies. but i'm seeing them caught on your normal 3" twister tails too. find any current seam. something that breaks up current.

so what's the jig technique if you're standing on the riverbank? Cast out 10 yards or so and slowly drag the bottom? I've never used jigs.

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

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DB was incorrect.

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yeah it can be whatever you want it to be. Me i cast it out and let it hit bottom and then i give 2 twitches and real up slack a little bit. 2 twitches and reel. i fish with my rod tip at like 10 oclock. I just go real slow though. sometimes all i do is just real slow no twitches.

easiest place to learn to jig fish are the lowhead dams. they usually in the fall collect fish. I believe DNR is removing tons of them in chicago and on the des plaines but I believe the touhy ave one still exists. its been years since i've fished the des plaines though

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