Smallmouth Bass Outing - Illinois River - Lots of litter

You probably can't see the litter very well. I took other pics but they all suck. I would've had some great shots of the litter in the parking lot but someone picked it all up. Beer cans, alcohol bottles, 2 litre jugs, flip flops, crocs, etc.

I went back to the truck once, and I think a gentleman in a white Dodge Dakota picked all of it up out of the parking lot and at this spot where I took the photo. This is on the Arkansas portion of the Illinois River. Today, a lot of folks where starting to show up as I left.

There was an obscene amount of trash but someone was very nice about it and is looking after Mother Earth - and probably cashing in on aluminum and glass. Some folks ask why I don't take pictures of my fish - it's because I always step in big holes to get across somewhere or to get a fly unstuck. It happened today again. I walked across the river to get my fly - on the way back I deviated about a foot and took a plunge. My waders filled up.

I started out with a chartreuse and white Clouser tied to my sinking tip line. I worked the bank drifting it as I moved west along with the river. I found a dead pool onthe other side of some extremely swift water. there gar were pretty active at the edge. I cast several times and caught a largemouth on about the 10th cast. Great fight - good size - at least 13 inches or so. The raging water helped the fish seem larger and a better fighter than we may have been.

The next cast, I got hung up and lost my fly, braided leader and all - the fly line broke. AHHH!!!! I walked back to the truck and almost went home. I decided to use my 4 wgt. I dislike using streamers with floating line.

Made my way back to the fishing hole and tried several patterns and lots some more flies. I tied on a yellow and chartruese Clouser and hit a few spots but could not present the fly in a manner that I prefer with sinking tip line. Plus, it sucked because the weighted fly was harder to turn over - due to rod size and lack of braided leader - which I feel helps turn over heavy flies.

I walked down the river to portion where it spilled into a large pool. Off the the rear was some "backwater or a little "slew". I tried several patterns but did land two smallmouths on a yellow Crappie Killer.

I stripped it in bit by bit and let it sink back down or went so slow the fly had little chance to rise - due to the floating line. My second bass of the day was a good fighter - probably 13 to 14 inches. I caught my third bass off the same rock - that thing was a few inched short or measuring from my finger tip to elbow - hard to land - I kept pulling him out of fallen trees and branches.

3 great fighting large bass - not huge but large - I dedicate this fishing day to my father who knows why!

I found a canoe paddle. Also, wading back up the river due to dense woods and lack or shore, my hip muscles hurt. This is the best day out for my this year because I caught 3 awesome bass. Forget all the crappie and stuff - I have been trying to land some great smallies this year.

Instead of tying my own flies, I bought a selection from the local fly shop - and it's paying off. I broaded my fly selection - different clousers mostly.