up i illinois 3-28

[Norm M]

river slightly rising from recent rain, still around normal flow about 6300 cfs for this time of year. visibility poor, green stain to water. water temps 51 degrees only time I bothered . overcast, windy, maybe 45 degrees at best .

fished a variety of current situations and techniques .

at one creekmouth struck out with rattlebait and crankbait but got 3 smallmouth on a 1/0 weighted keeper/power pulse worm on the mudline . at the other creekmouth got 2 smallmouth on a crankbait retrieved against the current at the seam twixt river and creek . no fish on rattlebait or jig/plastic.

fish a couple bridge abutments with 2/0 and 3/0 weighted keepers/power pulse worms , got a nice smallmouth from each in the downstream seam from the abutments .

fished three slackwater spots that are back to back to back . 3/8 oz singlespin w/size 3 Colorado blade and no tip w/plastics . I got a nice smallmouth at the head of each spot and 5 decent smallmouth hugging the banks. I fished the flats out to the faster water with the spinnerbait , no fish . I switched to a rattlebait as I made my way back to the path up . I picked 15 smallmouth out on the flats with a steady retrieve as close to the bottom as I could get without constantly snagging .

I hit a couple riffles, cranks and ratlebaits up and downstream sides, no fish . I went with a football head jig/plastic craw got 5 channel cat and three smallmouth on the upstream end, nothing on the downstream end .