river/creeks in illinois multiple trips

[Norm M]

river is dropping but still up, limited entry for casting angles in slower/slack water . These last few trips all I have used is a jig/pig expect that the trailers have been Erie darters or twister tails probably 80% of the time . The other 20% had been real pork rind . 

The channel cats have been all over the jigs with soft plastics , anywhere from 5 to 15 per trip . most of them in the 2 to 5 lb range, a few larger . I sometimes wonder If I would do better floating cut bait or punch bait , wouldn't be surprised . The cats are very aggressive in taking the jig, couple of the bigger ones put some ache in my shoulder. 

The smallmouth bass have been taking the jig/plastics but kind of tentative on the take . Mostly small to medium sized fish . However , I have been getting quite a few large smallmouth on the jig/pork . These fish are running from 16 to 19 inches and have the feedbag on . I have caught several with live craws still hanging out the gullet or in their mouth .

I have been fish three different creeks , one is small, up where I'm fishing it . It seems that creek chubs are the primary species there with a few rock bass and smallmouth mixed in although on the small size . No matter, I fish this one with a 5 ft ultralite, 1/16 oz short shank jigs and 1 to 2 inch twister tails . Not unusual to catch 20-25 creekchubs if I put in the time . 

One of the others everyone and their around here knows . I tend to fish upper stretches to avoid the yahoos . Crankbaits have been the ticket for smallmouth out in the faster water and good sized rockbass in slower flows or hanging tight to rock . I have found some very nice ones buried under wood piles , I dabble in the openings with a small jig/pig . 7 ft medium lite spin with 8 lb test matched with a series 300 reel .

The third creek , I am not giving any hints about it . The last three trips have been very good . A lot of smallmouth up to 17 inches and rock bass up to 11 inches on crankbaits with the mediumlite set up . When I switch to jigs/plastics around different kinds of cover I get a lot of sunfish in varying sizes . 

All in all I am having a blast multiple species on multiple bodies of water .

[Johnsfolly]

Norm

Great report! Glad to see that you getting out on the water. Sounds like you have got those creeks figured out pretty well. Any photos?