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Member
Posts: 164
| Went out today.
Dave Landahl
Fishing Fanatics Radio
[email protected] |
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Member
Posts: 701
Location: upper michigan | You must have had the same fate i had today a big fat skunk. The Menominee river is open up here and i gave it a try for shore tonight but no luck.
Edited by butch 3/29/2005 7:58 PM
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| Dave,
Where did you launch from? All of the ice gone? |
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Member
Posts: 164
| The water has been lowered. We launched from the State Park. Some serious shallow water issues, especially down from the Highway 12 Bridge. A fair amount of shore anglers pounding the Highway 12 Bridge area.
Marie was still iced so we didn't get to fish it, Catherine or Channel.
Our mission today was to check out the conditions.
A word of caution for the PWT pros. The water is quite low. If we do not see some rain make sure to make friends with the guys in the tech trailers.
Dave Landahl
Fishing Fanatics Radio
[email protected] |
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Member
Posts: 43
Location: DeKalb, Illinois | Fellow PWT contestants
Dave is not kidding, there are some seriously shallow areas. Take your time and carefully scout out the area before attempting to go through unknown areas. The system is on draw down and will continue to lower if rain is not seen in the near future. Things could be very interesting for the tournament if the water continues to drop. To be honest I buried my old boat today below the highway 12 bridge. A word of advice keep to the right hanging on the western seawall as you enter Pistakee. there is a mud hump smack dab in what appears to be the middle of the channel. Thank god I didn't bury my new ranger!!! Good luck, be careful, and I will see you soon on the chain.
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Member
Posts: 86
Location: Byron, IL | Supposedly, we are in a severe weather risk into tomorrow...That could mean a lot of rain... |
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| Us locals are having a great time watching the"PROs" pushing there rigs off our numerous shallow rock piles and muck flats.Keep in eye on the water intakes! There will be lots of overheating! Do Verados go boom or bang when they let loose? The USACE will keep the pool in draw down for another week or longer due to seawall construction so don't look for the water to come up soon.Holeshot is more important then topend on the Chain so prop accordingly.Don't blow though no-wake areas.My paintgun is always loaded. Enjoy the Chain! |
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| Not to worry you will have water. It will not go down any further it is controlled at the Dam. Rain or no rain the river flow will fill the system.
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| PWT guys, don't be bothered by chainiacs post. It's nice to have you here. You will have plenty of water. Expect about 10-12 ponds a day for the winner. |
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| Good Host,what's bothersome about my post? Tell me no boats have overheated at a CWS tourney.I've had to clean the debris out of my motor and I know here to go and where not to.The slots has been lifted 18-20lbs or more to win.10-12lbs is with the slot in affect. I thought the paintballs where a good idea! Like a boat race or the changing of state regulations,it will make the tournament more exciting! Traditionally the water is up by now.The seawall thing is a fact as is my prop. recommendation.Anyone wanting any more Chain info,just say so. |
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| Also,I might add,a Good Host should be truthful regarding conditions.There may be ample water by the 21st,but there isn't today and there won't be for a while.I'm sure many will start prefishing this weekend.There are numerous boat dock piles,duck blind piles and even sewer pipes that are in harms way when the water is up and pose areal danger now.Believe me,I'm not posting this to discourage or plant a negative seed.The maps of the Chain are hardly accurate.Pistakee,Fox,Nipersink,Grass and maybe even Marie have rock or gravel bars out in the middle of nowhere that are three feet deep in the summer and can probably take off a lower unit now.As of today,no hazard bouys have been placed.Even the Fox Water Way Agency boats have been stuck in the muck.Be careful out there and good luck.I am pleased that a big tournament has come to a small body of water where a true finnasse presentation will be the winning ticket( I think)! |
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Member
Posts: 43
| Is the Chain drawn down?Yep always is this time of the year It's main purpose is to hold back water to help control flooding down river.Will it be back to normal pool by the time you get here?Maybe When it's time to close the locks word comes from Springfield and only Springfield.Pete Petros if you are having a rough time with the Nippersink to Pistakee passage,try the"beer can bridge" it's a couple of hundred yards east of the "RT 12" bridge.And to our new buddy the Chainiac a copy of your posting was given to both the Lake and McHenry county marine units,They also liked your idea about the Paint Ball gun.PWT pros if you have a problem with this clown the police will monitor channel 16 and the PWT channel.Illinois has a sportsman harassment law.Have fun on the Chain guys and Good Luck.Paul |
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| We got good rain yesterday and the water is rising. It was rising B4 the rain like it always does the 1st week of April. Check this link. www.americanwhitewater.org/gauges/id/2482/
Oh, by the way I think I know who Chainiac is and I know he is kidding about the paintball gun. Dry sense of humor and a guy that needs trolling lessons. He is right get on & off plane fast and always trim your motor up when idling through channels, you would follow those rules at normal water levels. Major under water rocks on the south end of halfmoon island on Pistakee lake (near the mouth of the river) has taken many pleasure boaters lower units out.
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| Uncle Paul,you and I now if the powers that be wanted to make busts on the Chain they wouldn't have to look far or for me.Regarding the paintgun,my purpose was just to alert people to the Chain that we have numerous no-wake and they are not posted yet.That doesn't mean they are not still no-wakes.ALL CHANNELS.If you've ever been at the beercan or rt#12 when someone blows throughWOT,you will understand the anger. I wish I could say fishermen,including myself,at times,showed a great deal more consideration toward boating rules.Things happen on tournament day when adrenalen levels and emotions run high.With the abundance of inconsiderate boaters in 1000hp-40fters and PWCers who think fishermen are for sloloming(sp?) the thought has crossed my mind.So has the thought of using a wrist rocket. I own neither so I have to just wiping empty beer bottles at folks who get to close(that includes riggers).I use beer CANS when Lunds intrude. I suppose I'll have to start using those little icons to indicate when I'm kidding or not.To those whom I've offended,too bad! CWS,your sense of the obvious is as keen as ever.I'm ready for those trolling lessons whenever you're ready.A new addition to my boat will show you I'm serious.Remind me to buy you a cocktail as I'm sure I owe you a few(maybe tonight).Uncle Paul,I'll buy you one,too,if I haven't already. |
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Member
Posts: 43
Location: DeKalb, Illinois | Uncle Paul
Thanks for the advice on Beer Can Bridge. I appreciate it. As for the rocks near the Fox Exit on Pistakee near the Half Moon Islands are the rocks in the middle of nowhere or right up on the island? See you on the water! |
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| The rocks extend off the south tip of half moon approx 30 Yds. I haven't been out yet but the rocks may be exposed with the water down, but the water is on the rise and will hide the rocks. You need to use caution around the whole island but the south tip is the motor eater. They will mark the tip of the rock point with a bouy, the bouy may be out by tourney time. Half moon is near the river mouth on pistakee.
Also 9 boats launched out of Halings yesterday so I don't anticipate any problems come practice time. Best spot to take off at Halings is right at the mouth of the channel, there should be blow holes there from other boats. If you have trouble taking off leaving Halings just Idle out till you see 2 - 3 ft of water and get on it, it doesn't hurt to put a guy up at the bow.
Keep your lower units out of the mud, you MUST trim up at all times and don't panic its just silt. Not all lakes are silt so make sure you are a little deeper on the other lakes B4 taking off. If you take off at the no wake bouys you shoukld be safe to go.
The bite is tough right now but it's better than Bull Shoals from what I hear. |
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| One more thing, when leaving Halings from the ramp side it is best to stick closer to the pier side (south) of the channel. Dont venture to far to the other side (north) without a push pole. |
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Member
Posts: 43
| Pete:
Half Moon Island or Islands depends on how high the water is, They are at the mouth of the river on the East side.If you are leaving the river heading North just don't make your turn to the East (To the RT 12 or Beer Can bridge) to early.People who get into trouble are cutting it to close to the islands,just treat them and most points of land on the chain with caution.Paul |
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Member
Posts: 56
| Thanks for all the navigation tips guys, they are really appreciated! Jim Carroll NPAA #333 |
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| CWS, got half a dozen the other day. Biggest one was just about 25" pushing 6 lbs or so. Also caught a 20" male that thought it was on steroids. I think the old Chain is gonna do us proud when the PWT gets here. The WWA on the 1st should be a heck of a bite. |
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| Nice...I think the bite will be just fine. Hopefully the weather cooporates as well, you know how tough it gets in a cold front. I know guy's at Bull Shoals that havn't caught a walleye yet. Pro's don't even want to get out of bed down there. They'll think the chain is lake Erie after thats over:) |
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| They were rolling on the surface last night BIG TIME. I stopped at a new spot and watched them for a while. The spawn should be over pretty quck here. The DNR nets went out yesterday. I think they are only taking 25 females & 30 males this year. |
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Member
Posts: 43
Location: DeKalb, Illinois | Guys,
Thanks for the detailed info. With the slot lifted, what do you predict for winning weights? My guess is around 15+ a day. |
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| I'm not sure if your weighing 5 or 6 fish but I would say if the weather cooporates a guy could average 2.5 lbs per fish. A 24" fish this time of year would be lucky to weigh 4.5 lbs (have seen em less than 4) and nobody is going to have more than 4 for the whole tourney. If a guy could bring limits of 18 - 22 inch fish He would be very happy, my guess 2.5 average would win.
Just when you think you got it figured out...their gone. |
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| 5 fish per day, 14" limit for the PWT. After looking at all the data from the local tourneys I'm pretty sure the winner will just cross the 30lb. mark. If there are 175-200 fish caught day 1 i would think the number will drop by 15-20% a day. And as CWS says, the weather reaks havic on those fish. |
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Member
Posts: 43
| Hi Guys,
Looks like the water at least in McHenry is only a foot to eighteen inches below normal and is on the rise.We got very little rain from the storms last night (.14 of an inch)looking at the weather it looks nice at least past the weekend.Also the agency put in the no wake buoys at least in downtown McHenry don't know about the rest of the chain.Paul |
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| If it went up 18" we would be at no-wake. The guage on Fox lake is at 3.6ft, when that guage hits 5ft its no wake, when its at 5.5ft it's closed to boat traffic. I believe just over 4 ft is normal level. |
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| Does anybody know if that log that was lying across the channel near the go-zone below the rt#12 bridge got removed?It was highly visable but may be covered by water now. |
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| The word is its to shallow for the FWA boats. It's a huge log they have tried to remove. Waiting for the water to come up some more. |
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| I hope they at least mark it.Imagine what could happen if a couple of newbies were having a chuckle over the"hooter-meter!" |
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