Northern Illinois – Area bass fishing seems restricted to the times of day featuring the lowest light conditions. Early mornings and late evenings are best, but don’t miss out on those rare, hazy, cloud-filled days. Topwater baits, IMHO, as they say, work better with a little chop than they do on still water. Walleyes are extremely spotty, but can be found on the rivers after a little, not a lot, of rain and on the Fox Chain under windy conditions. Panfish have been spotty, but good for anglers using red worms on most bodies of water. Catfish are playing in deeper holes and channels and really love the stinkbait in this high heat and humidity. I am not kidding, but in this kind of weather, your hottest fishing action may be for carp. What else can you catch that can run up to twenty-pounds and is available on virtually every body of water that you can legally fish? Use stout rods and reels with heavy line and strong hooks. Globs of crawlers work well or go to the tackle shop and ask what the hot mixed bait is for the conditions we are seeing.

For up-to-the-minute water conditions on the Fox Chain and Fox River, go to the Fox Waterway web site or call 847-587-8540.