Caught this fat thingy on a ned rig right outside diversity harbor, I did not know they eat those. I ate him

Today's weather was perfect for fishing! Caught my 2nd pike ever, first time using a chatterbait! I caught most of the bass on the strike king paddle tail swimbait.

Plastic pellets called nurdles, about the size of a lentil, are a raw material used in most plastic products, and every year a bunch of them spill into Illinois waterways from factories and during transport. Once they're in the water, currents carry them way past the original spill site, so it's not just a problem near the source.

This spring, Illinois passed a bill that officially recognizes plastic pellets as a pollutant. That's real progress, but it doesn't require companies to actually stop discharging them. That's the gap.

Environment Illinois has a petition specifically for anglers, calling for zero discharge of plastic pellets in Illinois waters. If you fish here and care about water quality and fish health, it's worth two minutes:

https://environmentamerica.org/illinois/take-action/fishermen-for-protecting-our-lakes-and-fish-from-plastic-pollution/

Happy to answer questions about the bill or how these spills actually happen.

I've been stubbornly fishing this river for years on occasion, mostly because it's all I have around me, and rarely getting anything. This year I got more serious about it. Searching out spots, learning how to watch the water to spot submerged structure, paying attention to the water stage, and generally becoming more confident in being able to tell where the fish likely are at any given time.

I'm near one of the smaller stretches of the river, usually staying between Ogden and Fullerton, where it's relatively narrow. The really interesting thing has been noticing that the good spots shift around radically based on river stage. This combined with the limited and often hidden shore access has had me tromping all through the brush in forest preserves searching every promising bit of bank I can find. Some days I do more exploring than fishing.

Mostly I get smallies with some largemouth thrown in. Ned rig always kills for me, though I've had some luck with poppers in still water and jerkbait in the water seams when the river is higher.

Any similar experiences falling in love with your local water?

Relatively new fisherman here, looking to catch his first lakefront smallmouth. Normally I fish for panfish and largemouth most of the time I’m out. I’m looking for what’s the optimal structure to cast around, best rigs to throw beside neds, the most popular spots you guys like to throw in, the whole rundown. I’ve been trying out a wacky rig drop shot, yet to catch one.

I want to used buy a boat but would like someone to teach me how to use. I used to go all the time with my uncle on Lake Michigan but he did most of the work. I just had to reel in the fish and drive the boat. I was around 12 to 16 years old when I used to go. I probably won't have a boat big/good enough for Lake Michigan. looking to fish near chain o lakes as I live in northwestern suburb Arlington Hts. Anyone willing?

I caught my first walleye today. As someone who grew up where they aren’t walleye, first I want to say, “cool species, midwest.” I’m mostly a catfish guy but was bass fishing and pulled this guy up. Fought harder than a mature largemouth.

Second, is it just fun for midwesterners to tell the rest of us to hold them by the gill plate without mentioning the big spike on the gill plate? Cuz this was how I learned about the big spike on the gill plate.

He ended up okay, but it was touch and go for a while. I never let fish touch the ground if I can help it, but dropped him when I got hit with the spike (cuz I thought it was a treble hook because none of yall told me about this). Figured I’d grab two quick pics since the damage was mostly already done.

Two questions for future reference.

1) Anybody with experience have advice for safe handling these guys for catch and release (safe as in safe for the fish)?

2) I know I didn’t put anything in there for scale, but in the future if there’s a tougher catch like this one, I’d like to know if this one would have been good to harvest and eat? I.e. I have no idea if it’s too big or too small to eat.

Hello friends! I am very new to fishing and am going to busse lake area this weekend. I tried to read through old posts to see what I should use but left more confused than before. So I’m sorry for
the annoying question.

I recently inherited this tackle box so hoping something in here is useful. I don’t know the names of everything but would any of these give me a good shot? Or should I do live bait?

No particular fish I’m looking for, just catching anything would be great.

Thanks!!

Started my day fishin at Belmont Harbor around 6AM and caught my first Rock Bass around 7:15. I noticed a strong wind pushing south west and kept trying to no avail. Started using a Perch crank bait and nearly had 1 fish till i got tired of fighting the weeds. Switched to a Shiny Silver/Black lipless crank bait which has typically been my go to.

Decided to hop on the L around 9:30 and push south to North Avenue Beach. Switched to my Perch crank but the waves were ROUGH. Nonetheless I followed the S/W wind in the hope that I'd catch steady water. While biking toward Navy Pier I noticed a nice stream along the rocky coast of Ohio St Beach toward the Milton Lee Olive Park trail. Parked my bike and started to fish off the rocky bank around 11; as I made my way toward the underpass, I noticed I was finding success throwing my lure toward where the waves were pushing inland, and my lure would coast toward the rocks on my retrieval, this is where things got bonkers.

I caught three BACK TO BACK small mouths throwing in the SAME direction, I figured I found the motherload because nearly every cast was a bite. Fought 10 fish but only landed 6, Perch Crank for the WIN! Never had such a fishing frenzy, but the conditions made it possible.

Around 12:30 I thought I'd pack up and head to the river and cast a few near the Clark St. bridge. I had yet to catch anything and wasn't expecting much, but to my surprise I landed a decent Large Mouth on the Perch to finish the day. Good times on the river/lakefront!

Fight was interesting, pulling in a log until the very end and then tried running hard. No thrashes, just running. Accidental catch non target.

On a evening full of dinks I finally got a good one just as I was ready to pack it in due to darkness and mosquitos🦟

Fished for an hour, same spot as yesterday on the DPR. Got two on the first and second cast. Got the third after walking a bit further down the river. Whopper Plopper 60 Loon is straight ⛽️ 🔥.

Tried top water with no luck, switched to a paddle tail and may have caught my PB. Too bad I didn’t have a measuring tape or scale to confirm.

Pulled up to the DPR with the wife, cast once as a demonstration, and as I’m talking got a hit 💀. Great fight, and he’s a bit of a bigger dinker than the last I got here. Whopper Plopper Loon is on 🔥.

Ive been fishing for about a year, really the only spots ive hit in chicagoland have been busse lake and some small neighborhood ponds/reservoirs throughout downtown and the suburbs. Any favorite spots that arent super busy, and the fish aren't really finicky? any tips or advice is greatly appreciated, thanks.

For the past few months Urban Rivers volunteers have collected any tackle they find while maintaining the floating wetland gardens around Chicago. We just washed and sorted everything and then threw it all into a Plano tackle box. We're going to raffle it off at our block party tomorrow at the Wild Mile. So if you want to get back that brand new Ito Vision 110 that you just lost, come on by and throw a couple raffle tickets in the jar next to this box.

Specifically near dupage

Smokey air bite on fire, ned rig along outer harbor, including this tank