multiple ponds in illinois

[Norm M]

I fish the ponds early and the creeks or river late to avoid holiday and derby crows and the heat . 

Basic set up for panfish is a slipfloat with an ice fishing jig , enough split shot to stand the float up and bee moths on the jig . I have been getting a bunch of hand sized sunnies but more dinks as is usual in these ponds .

I have been fishing for largemouth with shadow raps, rattlebaits , crankbaits and spinnerbaits . The two biggest largemouth both over 20 inches came on the shadow rap . The rest of the bass have been in the 10 to 16 inch range on the other lures .

Just about all the bass have been from 2/3 down in the water column to the upper 1/3 of the water column , along weed edges, wood or open water .