03-16-2007, 12:33 AM
Went out with crappiehunter today...
Weather Conditions:
air temperature - 35
water temperature - unknown, there was still some ice
wind - 10mph from the North, gusting up to 20mph
barometer - 30.02 and rising
humidity - 27%
water color - gin clear
Mike wanted to try creek chubs for pike, so we went to Salt Creek in search of creek chubs...zip no creek chubs. So crappiehunter had an alternative site he wanted to try, no luck on that location either.
So after about a 2 second conversation we both agree we wanted to see if there was any open water at Horseshoe Bend...there was just a little ice remaining, but plenty of open water to challenge us.
We drove down a precarious muddy road until we reached the mouth of Horseshoe Bend where it's fed by the Kankakee River, there was already a chartreuse Snagless Sally tied on my line, so before trying anything else I thought I'd try a few casts with my Sally. After around 6 casts I had an unexpected strike...managed to land a 12" bass who fought like he was closer to 16" (sorry, no picture, I quickly released the fish). Confident that I was on to something, crappiehunter ties on a Snagless Sally too - but that was not to be the case...that's the only fish we got at Horseshoe Bend.
![[Image: HSbend1.jpg]](http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r282/LURAworks/HSbend1.jpg)
Horseshoe Bend where it joins the Kankakee River
We tried everything but the kitchen sink there, my Sally, a Real Craw(works like a dream...what an action), another one of Nathan's minnow baits, Tiki worms, tube jigs, marabou jigs, surface plugs, you name it...we tried it...all to no avail.
OK, we're not giving up...I suggest we go to one of my favorite ditches - it doesn't take long for Mike to agree. We worked that ditch pretty hard with a small in-line spinner, worms and a tiny tube jig. On the last cast I nail a tiny bass around 6" long...not good enough.
![[Image: ditch2.jpg]](http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r282/LURAworks/ditch2.jpg)
...good looking ditch
So I let crappiehunter know there's another ditch we could try on the way home and he's ready - nothin' shakin' at that ditch either...so after 8 hours of walkin banks we call it a day.
![[Image: ditch1.jpg]](http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r282/LURAworks/ditch1.jpg)
...great location, where another ditch flows into the one we're fishing.
Nature Report: a great day for observing nature we saw turkey vultures, sandhill cranes, canada geese, a red tailed hawk, woodpeckers, a killdeer, carp jumping out of the water, a beaver swimming down a ditch, and two herds of deer - 13 in one and 3 in the other...all in all, it was still a great day down by the Kankakee.
[signature]
Weather Conditions:
air temperature - 35
water temperature - unknown, there was still some ice
wind - 10mph from the North, gusting up to 20mph
barometer - 30.02 and rising
humidity - 27%
water color - gin clear
Mike wanted to try creek chubs for pike, so we went to Salt Creek in search of creek chubs...zip no creek chubs. So crappiehunter had an alternative site he wanted to try, no luck on that location either.
So after about a 2 second conversation we both agree we wanted to see if there was any open water at Horseshoe Bend...there was just a little ice remaining, but plenty of open water to challenge us.
We drove down a precarious muddy road until we reached the mouth of Horseshoe Bend where it's fed by the Kankakee River, there was already a chartreuse Snagless Sally tied on my line, so before trying anything else I thought I'd try a few casts with my Sally. After around 6 casts I had an unexpected strike...managed to land a 12" bass who fought like he was closer to 16" (sorry, no picture, I quickly released the fish). Confident that I was on to something, crappiehunter ties on a Snagless Sally too - but that was not to be the case...that's the only fish we got at Horseshoe Bend.
Horseshoe Bend where it joins the Kankakee River
We tried everything but the kitchen sink there, my Sally, a Real Craw(works like a dream...what an action), another one of Nathan's minnow baits, Tiki worms, tube jigs, marabou jigs, surface plugs, you name it...we tried it...all to no avail.
OK, we're not giving up...I suggest we go to one of my favorite ditches - it doesn't take long for Mike to agree. We worked that ditch pretty hard with a small in-line spinner, worms and a tiny tube jig. On the last cast I nail a tiny bass around 6" long...not good enough.
...good looking ditch
So I let crappiehunter know there's another ditch we could try on the way home and he's ready - nothin' shakin' at that ditch either...so after 8 hours of walkin banks we call it a day.
...great location, where another ditch flows into the one we're fishing.
Nature Report: a great day for observing nature we saw turkey vultures, sandhill cranes, canada geese, a red tailed hawk, woodpeckers, a killdeer, carp jumping out of the water, a beaver swimming down a ditch, and two herds of deer - 13 in one and 3 in the other...all in all, it was still a great day down by the Kankakee.
[signature]