Illinois Fishing Reports for Rivers – August 24th, 2012

Illinois River

The walleye and sauger bite has slowed down. Pulling three-way rigs allows you to cover a variety of water and will help key in on their locations. Work the flats created on the current bends. Also work the flooded areas that offer reduced current that will hold fish. If you find active fish, you can switch up to vertical jigging with jig and minnows. The white bass are still schooled up and can be found at the channel mouths as well as any current breaks.

Fox River

Catches of largemouths, white bass, and channel cats have been reported at the McHenry dam. There also have been good reports of smallmouths hitting well from the Algonquin dam and south through, Elgin. The walleyes are very sporadic, however they are hitting minnows as well as jerkbaits in the evening hours. Work the areas that have slack current. Float minnows really close to the flooded banks where the current is slower and you will find some good smallmouth action. The channel cats are feeding well, and the best baits right now have been cheese baits or chicken livers.

Ohio River

The river is at normal pool and water is clear. Catfish are the best bet in the river and the creeks. Night crawlers and chicken liver have been the most productive baits. Most other species are slow.

Kankakee River

At the Kankakee Dam, catfish are good on minnows, night crawlers and dipbaits. Near Momence, catfish are good on minnows, cheese baits and chicken livers, and smallmouth bass are fair on Mepps spinners and live minnows. Near Aroma Park, crappies are biting well at the mouth of the Iroquois River on minnows, pinkie jigs and Beetle Spins. Near Kankakee River State Park, catfish are good on minnows, crawlers and crayfish. Near Wilmington, smallmouth bass are good on jig and minnows and Twin Spin spinnerbaits.

Mississippi River

Walleye fishing is good to excellent along the wing dams from Pool 9 through 15. Use a three-way rig tipped with either a leech or night crawler fished along the front edge of the wing dams, or try casting or trolling crankbaits along the wing dams and lower ends of the sloughs. Catfish biting on doughbaits and worms.