August

JACOBS’ MOJO LANYARDS 

The Spring of 2014 was good to me. I brought to hand of 80 smallmouth many of which were 17 inches and larger with my top fish of the year (to date 8/10/14) measuring at 18.25 inches landed on May 5th. With Summer came the rains and high water levels. I only made it out to the river 5 times during the month of June. July wasn’t much better (only getting out 6 times) but the levels did start to recede by months end. Even with the water levels dropping to what I consider to be good the smallmouth bite just didn’t seem to exist, well, I guess it was there but it just wasn’t the way it usually is this time of year. All I could land was dinks. A dink here and a dink there, usually ending an outing with 3 to 5 dinks for my efforts.

Moving into August I just felt lost. Do I even know what the heck I’m doing? 

I’m hitting all my “go to” spots and I’m hitting all the areas a smallmouth fisherman is suppose to hit according to what

you might read in a book or magazine article. Yes, a bad day fishing is better than a good day at work, but come on already!

After exhausting all my skills and knowledge I came to the conclusion that I have lost my MOJO.

What’s a smallmouthman to do when he has lost his MOJO? Like many other ISA members I logged on to the

ISA Forums and kind of did a little pouty post on how I lost my MOJO and asked for help to get it back.

August 1, 2014 - There is a kid sitting at the corner of my street with a table and sign.

August 4, 2014 - The same kid is back, but I wonder what he is doing as I see no lemon aid  pitcher or cups on his table.

August 5, 2014 - He’s back again! Okay, I gotta go see what this kid is doing. 

The kid is making keychains out of colored wire and selling them for $.50 (small) and $1.00 (large).

Business didn’t seem so hot and since I went to the trouble of walking over there to see what he was doing, I went a head and bought a couple of the larger type keychains for a buck each. After returning home a thought crossed my mind that it might be a good idea to ask the kid if he thought he could handle making a lanyard for me. I ripped a pic of a lanyard out of a magazine and returned to the kids keychain stand. He examined the pic and said that he he could give it a try.

Later that night ( while I was at work) he knocked upon my door and presented his creation to my wife. My wife had no idea

what the heck this kid was trying to sell to me, so she told him that he would have to return tomorrow during the morning hours and talk with me as I failed to inform my wife of the business relationship I had set up with the kid.

That next morning I saw the kid setting up shop on the corner, so me and my full coffee mug made our way over to the stand. We said "howdy" to each other, shook hands, and I asked to see what he created. He reached down inside a

box and laid the lanyard out on his little stand. I examined the lanyard (trying to act like a tough hard-nosed customer) and

asked if he would take 10 bucks ($10.00). He agreed to my offer and as I was paying him he asked, "So you use this for fishing?" Without going into detail I said "Yes I do", and then I turned and began to walk away from the stand. As I was walking away the kid screamed out "Good luck!"

Here is his creation....

I STILL HAVEN'T A CLUE

I got the lanyard home and had to add a short piece of some ropey material to it so it would fit around my neck. My wife came out and examined the lanyard and then asked how much I had paid for it? After hearing my reply, she then called me an idiot, and returned to the comfort and coolness of the inside of our home.

I was getting my gear ready to go on a short two hour wade before work that morning and as I was leaving, I glanced down at my patio table (where I had laid the lanyard) and then it hit me.

WAIT A MINUTE!

(I was going to leave without the lanyard, but it still hadn't dawned on me)

"This thing could fix my MOJO problem that I have."

Look at it. It does kind of look like some kind of voodoo spirit chain or something.

Could this kid be a VooDoo Doctor that the River Gods have sent to me?

I'LL BE DAMNED! 

Picked up 3 nice fish and a few smaller ones. Got a 15.5" smallmouth, a 24" pike, and this beautiful 17.25" smallmouth....

I'm not sure how much MOJO the lanyard holds, so I have retired the lanyard for another time when my catch rate is down and I have exhausted all my knowledge and skills.

Thanks kid!

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Saturday, August 9 - Kishwaukee River Wade Outing. (host Terry)
 We will meet at Ojeda's in New Milford, IL. at 8am. for some smancy-fancy, good food breakfast. 
This is normally a very popular outing, so we will break into how ever many groups 
we may need and hit the north, south and main branches of the Kishwaukee River.

Ojeda's Steakhouse & Bar
 (https://www.facebook...493003977481397)

Who's in?

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Brian R., Jim S., Mr. Tim and myself got as far away from Jude as we could. The man just smells, I tell you. My group hit the I-39 area and we were immediately blessed by the overhead soaring of an American Bald Eagle.

The water clarity was a bit stained, which I found very confusing. Even upset me at one point to where I broke my spin rod in half and smacked a tuber upside the head as she passed by. Okay, that was a lie. I guess I'm known for that. Brian, Jim and I waded our way down stream while Tim did his disappearing act that he seems to usually do at our outings. Brian started us off with the first fish of the day. 

The fishing was a bit slow (due to the stain I believe) but all in attendance (in the liars group) ended the day either near or over the double digets. Jim S. logged the big fish of the day at 16 inches.

Breakfast was very good with fancy and unusual menu items. I went fishing in Jude's group and had a great day on the river. I got 16 smb, one largest at approx. 14 1/2 -15. Found fish in current,  or near rocky banks,  or against wood.   Hula and Senko fished on the bottom.   Also had one big splash of a bite on a topwater which nearly gave me a heart attack,  my over-reacted missed hookset sending the lure way behind me with the line wrapped around me several times.  LOTS of tubers, kayaks and canoes on the river. ~ ericg

Had a very nice day, gentlemen. Thanks for putting it together, Terry. I highly recommend Ojeda's for breakfast. Fishing was pretty slow, but we all caught fish. Most of the day was spent on the main branch downstream of Blackhawk Road. As the day wore on, the tubers and yakkers came out in force. I've never seen so much activity. One group of tubers had a tube for their grill. The next group had a 3'x3' wooden boom box speaker thingy on its own tube. We could hear it from a mile away. I forgot to thank them for providing the entertainment. I get so tired of hearing birds and frogs and gurgling water, it was refreshing to hear some Rhianna while fishing. ~ Jude

 Thanks Terry for setting this up, breakfast was fantastic and even took my wife back today. To my surprise (not on the menu) they had B&G and was way better than any I can remember, just saying.

  Fishing was fun, dead drifting my articulated hellgrammite, my big fish came on my kish bitch fly and grabbed another 5 with a topwater fly, ended with a baker's dozen. Jude, I talked to the guy with the home made boom box, I got to hear Adele, and had one girl in a canoe ask if I was smoking a joint  Can't beat this kind of action. ~ Jim S.

Nice to finally get back on the Kish after a 2-month absence.  Thanks to Terry for organizing this on a day I when I could make an ISA outing.  I was with Jude and Eric and managed to bring to hand 7 SMB ranging from 9-13".  Was out-dueled by several more.  Terry, I also notice the stain and was a bit surprised, given the lack of rain.  

I suspect the boat and tube traffic may be partly responsible. ~ Bill K.

I fished with Jim, Terry, and Tim. Tim and I "speed waded" back since we both had to head back home due to plans that evening. Sorry I had to leave so abruptly.  I caught six fish, and all my fish came on the new Yamamoto Tate Pencil "walk the dog" topwater bait. I didn't get any action on a popper, but soon as I tied that bait on plenty of action ensued. I got at least twice as many strikes as fish. Seems that the smallies in the Kish had bad aim that day.  My best was probably around 14", but I didn't measure it.

I had a great time and it was nice to meet all of you. Looking forward to doing it again. I'm always up for a paddle as well. I have to say I was a bit disappointed. Jude had me thinking that I'd hear some great lies, however I left a bit disappointed.  ~ Brian R.

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Hit Kilbuck before work.

Nice outing. Picked up a 13", 15", 16" and this nice 17".

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8/23

PRY12- 5.90

Personal Best Day (PBD)

I started planing this outing on Thursday, 8/21.

My original plan was to load up the kayak and put in at Kishwaukee River Forest Preserve,

float down to the I-39 area, fish, and then paddle back up-stream to my car.

Well, my back seemed to be a bit sore from work so I decided to pass on lifting the 

kayak to the top of my car and just stick to wading, but where?

About this same time last year (that's August 2013 for you slower people) my good fishing buddy Jim and I hit a little creek that dumps into the Kish and we ended up have a pretty good day. So the decision was made. I'm going to rise early in the morn' and hit this creek for the first time in 2014. I have to wade the Kishwaukee River for a short distance to access this creek. As I was making my way, my glasses kept steaming up. There humidity on this day was terrible. 

I was tossing a topwater bait on the Kish as I made my way to the creek. Nothing. No

swirls, half-assed splashes, or anything on the topwater.

Enter The Creek

The mouth of the creek is blocked by a log jam. This was no surprise to me, as this

mouth to the creek has been blocked for many years. I stepped foot back on land and worked my way around the log jam. Once on the other side, the bank was steep and I had to sit on my buttocks and slide myself down into the creek. Let me say that again....

* "the bank was steep and I had to sit on my buttocks and slide myself down into the creek."

(I will refer back to the above statement later in my story)

Once in the creek, I was still tossing the topwater bait and still not seeing any interest in it at all, so

I tied on a tube bait in a green pumpkin seed type. I started getting hits on the tube right away, and then in an instance.... a hook up.

The humidity seemed to be getting worse. I felt as if I was fishing on a little stream that flows on the island of Kong. I was all alone, there were no footprints or any other signs of human life within the banks of this creek. I believe it is safe to say that I am the only one that has fished here this year.

The fishing seemed to get better and better the further I made my way up the creek.

The tube was working and I was having a blast.

The Turning Point

After maneuvering and weaving my way through a few trees that had fallen down and lay across the creek (strainers), the bite still stayed on. I was landing fish, good strong fighting fish. These fish were making my reel sing, and I was loving it. 

Most of the fish (all of which were smallmouth) were in the 13 inch to 15 inch range.

I came to another strainer. This one was fairly big. I stood back and examined the blockage and decided to try and tackle it on the righthand side.

One never really knows how deep the water gets under these strainers. If the strainer has been there for a while, then when the water rushes over it and churns beneath the logs and branches, it can dig quite a nice little hole.

I was in up past my waist and I was standing on a heap of little water logged and rotten branches that were crumbling with any slight movement I made, and then I would sink another inch deeper.

I had my legs all wrapped up in knots around branches and logs within that strainer and came to the decision that I was done. This is where I will turn and head back. While standing there inside that strainer beaten, I decided to drop my tube bait into a little pocket within the strainer.

BAM! BAM, BAM!!

Fish on!

I pulled out three 15 inchers, and these things were tough.

rumble, 

Rumble. Rumble

RUMBLE!

Rumble, Rumble!

Thunder?

CRAP!

This is not good!

Right now I'm pretty freaking far from my car, and this storm sounds as if it's moving in pretty freaking fast. I gotta move.

There is no taking to land to get back to the safety of my car. If I want to get back and get back fast, I have to stay in the water and move. Closer and closer the rumbling thunder becomes and I am now searching for a safe haven along the banks of the creek. If I see lightening, I'll have to get out of the water, seek shelter and ride out the storm. 

The rain is coming down harder and I'm approaching the point of the creek where I entered by sliding

down the embankment on my ass. Remember....

* "the bank was steep and I had to sit on my buttocks and slide myself down into the creek."

Getting in was easy, now I have to get out the same way, but now I have to climb up the embankment, and now it is wet and muddy.

Don't forget I'm kind of in a HURRY UP situation here.

As I was struggling to climb up the muddy embankment, the pool scene from Poltergeist popped into my head.

One last leap and a grasp for the grassy top of the embankment and I'm out and on top.

The rain is stronger and the thunder grows loader but I have still not seen any flashes of lightening.

I am now wading downstream on the Kish.

The car is not far and I would really like to get out of this water. I'm standing on a channelized sandbar running down the middle of the Kish, in about bellybutton high of water.

If I could get to the bank I could move faster and make a dash for the car.

One problem, there's a deep running channel cut between me and the bank, and this storm is just about on top of me.

I turn and start making my way to the bank. The water is at chest level and rising. I push off the bottom of the river with what I felt was my last step before going head under and I make a couple swimming movements with my arms and then started searching for bottom again with my feet.

There it is, bottom. Now move!!!

I got back to the car, stripped of my gear, and got in.

The humidity was still pretty bad. I waited a couple minutes for the car windows to defog and

started my drive home. I drove about a 1/4 mile and the rain and lightening got so bad that I had to pull over.

I made it just in time.

If I hadn't turned around at that strainer when I did, I'd been screwed.

Ended up with 42 smallmouth on the day 27 of which were in the 13" to 15" range.


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8/31

PRY12 - 5.99ft.

Hit the creek of 8/23 report once again, but this time with Jim.
Jim was trying out a new fly rod he built himself specifically for small creeks.
The water was somewhat stained from rains received earlier in the week and I believe this threw the bite off just a tad. The fish was still good, but just not like it was the week before (8/23 PBD).
The fishing started off kind of slow but picked up the further we waded up-stream.
I hooked into a good size smallmouth that taped @ 16.25".

We worked our way up-stream picking up smallies here and there. I didn't bother keeping count

this time around as I just wanted to enjoy the day and what the creek gods would share with us.

Sometimes it's just about enjoyment.

We had waded further up the creek than either of us had ever gone, and the creek took on more of a Driftless Area look (according to Jim) and the smallmouth seemed to disappear but were replaced by creek chubs, which is the first time I have ever seen in the Kishwaukee River area.

It was a fun filled day which took both Jim and myself away for a few hours from the
hustle & bustle of regular life.

The creek has a lot to offer, and about the only way I can really describe it is by using the words
of another fishing buddy of mine when he describes one of his favorite fishing spots....

"It offers so much. It's like an amusement park."