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Posts: 512
Location: Appleton | I'm planning on coming from WI to fish the Fox Chain next week and other than a license what else will I need to be legal in IL. If you could include costs for some of these things so I know what to expect. Thanks for the help. |
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| Not Sure on the cost, But you will need a Fox Chain Sticker. You can purchase at one of the local marina's. Sorry I cant be more help I haven't fished the chain in 8 or 10 years. |
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| Here's a link that might help you http://foxwaterway.org/ |
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Posts: 317
| Chain sticker is $10 per day, $60 per season. Don't even think of not getting one, you WILL get pinched. The state park off of Wilmot Rd is a large, well maintained free launch. It's out of the way, and you will navigate through a canal and across a 2 foot deep huge swamp (Grass Lake) and from there either hit the northern lakes or the southern lakes. If you launch any where else it will cost you $10-$15
Edited by MuskyStalker 3/24/2007 10:37 PM
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| The entire chain is currently in No-Wake status. Check the waterway site on this thread for updates. |
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Posts: 188
Location: Chicago | Got out on the Chain on Saturday Morning with Husky Jerk, it was quite Foggy and the wind was still. Boat would not start, Slamr, thanks for the offer to give us a jump, it was corrosion on the battery cables, we filed it away and the boat started right up.
Husky Jerk caught a 46 within his first 30 casts, nice way to start the season. We raised 4 others within the next hour. By then the sun was coming out and burning off the fog, the action went away and didn't see much after that, I did catch a 24 incer later that morning.
Water Temp started at 40 in the morning and at 2pm when we go off, they went were between 43 and 44 degrees. Water levels are high, hence the no wake.
It was great to get on the water after watching fishing on the tube all winter.
Good luck out there!
Rob |
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Posts: 512
Location: Appleton | Got out on the Chain on Monday. Took a little time to find a launch since a few were closed due to the high water. Water temps on the clear water lakes were still around 44 but Grass lake was about 56 and very muddy. Spent time fishing the North lakes but found no takers. Nice day to be out anyway. Just an FYI for those of you from out of state a license is $24.50 for an annual and then $12 for a fox water way pass. Good luck. |
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| I am looking to launch my boat in either Marie, Catherine, Bluff, or any of the other clear northern lakes on the chain. I realize I will have to pay at least $10 to do this but what launches would you all recommend as far as most parking, nicest facilities, and the most reasonable price? Also, do any of these private launches offer a 2-5 day or so pass? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Steve |
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Posts: 317
| Barnacle Bob's has a nice deep launch and plenty of parking. It's $10, and old Bob makes a good sammich at his snack shop. |
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Posts: 158
Location: Burlington, WI | Got out today on Channel and Katherine. Water temps were 49 to 50 degrees with visibility around 4-5 ft. Raised one fish about 40" and got her to turn on the figure eight, but she wouldn't commit. Went back a little later to see if I could get her back up, but nothing doing. Beautiful day to be on the water.
Good Luck
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Posts: 305
Location: Illinois | Here is the fish from last Saturday. Met Robby D at 7 only to encounter motor woes. There was one other boat in the lot and it was Slammer. Although it's his first time out, and I'm sure he is pumped to get out, he stays to make sure we are good to go,. Thats a good guy right there. Thanks Slammer. Robby D. scrapes the corrosion of the terminals and we are off after about an hour. We let the motor run for a few for the fog to burn off and start fishing. As a boat owner, I am ready to fish, but still kind of reeling from the battery issue. I say to myself, "hey, your fishing, your outside, snap out of it". That whole mental process took about 10 casts. On about my 15th cast of the year I turn to talk to Rob while fishing a glide bait, turn back to look at my lure and see a white mouth come straight up and engulf the lure. There is a 5 second standoff with the fish thrashing back and forth in place on the surface and finally I get her head in the water and after a short battle and a good net job she was mine. We saw a total of 6 fish with Rob catching a short. All of the fish but one came in an hour window. The ice went out 1.5 days before and the water temps were in the low 40's. The fish isn't a world beater or a personal best but she was beautiful and without a mark on her. She was 46 inches and plenty thick. She swam off like a champ and capped a memorable opener.
HJ
p.s. sorry about the fuzzy picture, it is clear on my computer? Probably not even worth posting a picture like that, but I'll leave it up.
Edited by husky_jerk 3/30/2007 8:47 AM
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 Fish.jpg (21KB - 79 downloads)
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Posts: 305
Location: Illinois | Anyone else be out there tomorrow (Saturday)?
Edited by husky_jerk 3/30/2007 8:30 AM
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Posts: 3240
Location: Racine, Wi | I think The Dude will be out there tomorrow. (the guy that was with me last week)
He'll be in a white Alumacraft. Good luck Mike. Great job on that fish!! |
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Posts: 23
Location: Mt. Prospect, il | I got my sunk out of the way today. Temps were 48 up to 50 around 1 pm. |
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Location: Windy City | Nice fish man! Congrats |
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Posts: 688
Location: Northern IL | Bought a chain sticker last season for the 1st time in 5 years but only used it to do some trailer work, so before it expired I was out there Friday & hit one 40"er. I guess I'll get another sticker,,, dose this place still suck as bad as it was 5 years ago with the traffic and rude pleasure boaters/fishermen,, dumb question.
Jerry Borst
Spoonplugger/Instructor |
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Posts: 305
Location: Illinois | Went out yesterday and fished the northern lakes. Had a nice fish eat a glider, had her hooked for about 3 seconds and she was gone. Sound out if you were on the chain and heard me yell. I was pretty......dissapointed. Spent the afternoon in and out of the bar trying to avoid lightning. Raised 3 fish total but 2 of them were low and slow. Caught one 28 inch pike and that was it. The fish were not very active for me. Water temps in the upper 40's. Water clarity good on the northern lakes.
Yes, Jerry, the chain is as bad as it ever was with boat traffic in the summer. Nice job on that 40 incher though.
Edited by husky_jerk 4/1/2007 8:13 AM
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Posts: 64
| Husky Jerk,
Nice to meet you, and your buddy yesterday, I was the one in the Crestliner. Fishing was WAY slow for us too, we had one rip trolling and that was it. Spent the majority of our time gliding, and twitching small cranks, ect..
Honestly I think we tried everything, and not even a follow! I gotta hand it to you guy's though, that last downpour around 5.00 p.m. was enough for me to call it quits. Well, congrats on that beatiful 46" and hope to see you out there soon.
Oh, yeah my buddy got out this morning (4/1/07) and the sun is shining. It brought the fish up in to the sand bars, and he sight fished a nice 40" in the first 15 min. there. #*^@, I should of waited till Sun. to fish. Haha!
Bug. |
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Posts: 305
Location: Illinois | Nice meeting you MuskyBug. That figures, we get the driving rain and go fishless in 11 hours and your buddy pops one in 15 minutes. Makes me want to get out. I'll see you out there soon. Good luck
hj |
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Posts: 158
Location: Burlington, WI | Congratulations to those who caught the latest fish. I think I got out to the chain too late yesterday. Myself and two buddies fished from 11 to 4 when the winds were blowing up to 40 mph. Pretty tough to control the boat to cast. We fished the northern lakes not very effeciently with that wind. Ended up trolling, but didn't see a fish all day. |
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Posts: 12
| Went out on Saturday 31st--no luck. Fished the northern lakes with gliders/small cranks. I suspect the fish are on the spawn with water temps in the low 50's in most areas. This week's weather will be colder but at least constant. Has anyone fished the southern part of the chain and had any luck? Also, weeds seem lower than in previous years--maybe it just me. Best of luck to those who can play hooky from work this week and look forward to seeing everyone on the water this weekend! Hopefully they don't put the lakes under no wake again with the rain. |
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Posts: 12
| Will anyone be braving the cold this weekend? I hope I won't be the only fool freezing my tail off! |
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Posts: 106
Location: Des Plaines, IL | I thought I was going to go out Saturday but I just checked the weather, Holy S###, it's going going to be cold. I'm out. Good weekend to paint a cieling. |
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Posts: 158
Location: Burlington, WI | I'll be out tommorow. Gotta check it out, and Saturday depending on how Friday goes. Can't catch'em if your not out there. Hopefully, it doesn't snow too much.
Good Luck |
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Posts: 80
Location: Waukesha, WI | I will be heading down Tuesday and Wednesday in the rain and wind. Keep the reports coming, they are great. Is there any baitshops in the area? I might pick up some suckers. |
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Posts: 305
Location: Illinois | I'll be out Saturday with Robby D. Hope the wind lays down a little at least. Muskies vs. Mike, good call on suckers. I thought the same thing and called Greg at Triangle. He is not sure if he will have them in stock this weekend but he is trying. Triangle is on 83 and Grass Lake Rd. in Antioch so give that a try. Going to be cold out there and nasty but when the warden gives you a pardon you take it. |
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Posts: 3240
Location: Racine, Wi | I'll be out there as well Saturday. Freezing what's left of my keester off. Hopefully they can score some meat at Triangle. Jigs on the menu for sure.
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Posts: 12
| FYI--was at Triangle this morning and no large or medium suckers. Would love to have a report but my time on the water was spent cursing my smart gauage on my merc opti 200. Went to the marine and hope to have it back in a week before the tourneys start. Good luck to everyone this weekend. |
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Posts: 108
Location: Crystal Lake,Illinois 60014 | Good Luck this weekend!
At least the Cold snap has been stable.
Im gonna be out there Sunday, with this cold Im not sure casting is the option, good days to troll and scout things out.
I myself will give the musky gear a break for a day and find some walleyes.
Happy Easter Musky Freaks! |
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Posts: 4
| Was planning on hitting the water tomorrow. Any of you guys do anything besides freeze your a$$ off. And is the Chain still no wake? Thanks for any info guys! |
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Posts: 688
Location: Northern IL | I was out a week ago and everyone was flying around so I guess the no wake thing is over for now.
Jerry |
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Posts: 188
Location: Chicago | Went out on Saturday and fished with Husky Jerk, met just before 7am fished until
5pm, HJ raised one later in the day. water temps hovered around 40. Saw 2 other
boats all day. It was cold but tolerable, had to fish where the wind was least.
The cajun Burger at the turtle was really good. Good to be out, fish seemed to have
lockjaw.
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Posts: 305
Location: Illinois | fish seemed to have
lockjaw.
You said that when we were on the water too. What would Sig Hanson say to that ? Did you read the thread about having a positive attitude? Truth is, that "follow" was an eater. Too bad your recent negative comments put the bad mojo on me and my hookset looked like a Dorf video. As for the chain, water temps were back down to 40 as of Saturday.Still no weed growth to speak of. Should be a great bite in the FRV Tourney on the 21st as the water warms a little and the weeds start. Loons are out and about on the Chain which is always nice this time of year. |
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Posts: 80
Location: Waukesha, WI | Fished The chain yesterday. Was surprised by the water clarity(tought the water was going to be clear). Drove into the state park around 7 and counted about 20 deer as i drove in and out. They have a very nice and clean launch, with a lot of parking. Anyway i fished from about 8:30 to about 2:30. found weeds on the North end od Channel (half dead) and a patch on the south end of Channel (green). on Cathrine There are a lot of weeds but most are half dead with some color. Throwing the 7in glider over the weeds turned up nothing for me. Mainly fished in the 6ft depth range but i believe the fish were deep.
Mike Warren |
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Location: Northern Illinois | FRVMUSKIE.COM is the website you should look at. I actually had the same questions and got really good answers from them. Turtle (something) is the HQ off of 173 and for 10 bucks unlimited coffee and donuts before the start. |
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Posts: 12
| Just seeing how everyone did this weekend. Got out Saturday for 10hrs moved two fish on gliders--long day. One on Bluff and the other on Channel. Went out today and the muskie gods were a little kinder. Had four trail to the boat (one over 40) and caught two between 1:00 and 3:00. The first was about 34 inches and the other was under 30. Both fish where on a glide bait. Who is fishing the tourney next weekend--there seemed to be a lot of boats out today? |
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Posts: 3240
Location: Racine, Wi | Got out as well today. Started out tough, but managed to raise 6 fish. Saw fish from the 34" class and one in the 45" range. Glide baits and jigs seemed to pique their interest.
Water was cooooooold compared to what they were before the cold front. Temps ranged from 43-45 on Channel and Catherine. That's all we fished today.
Lots of guys prefishing it looked like for next weeks tourney and the PMTT. Keep this good weather coming!!!! |
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Posts: 12
| Got out today to do a little prefishing for the upcoming tourneys. Wouldn't you know it--my biggest fish of the year, a fat low 40 inch female. A couple quick pics and a clean release. Man I wish I would have caught her tomorrow or next weekend. How has everyone else been doing? |
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Posts: 12
| Guys here's a pic of that fish I caught today!
(Muskie April 4-20 2.JPG)
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Muskie April 4-20 2.JPG (91KB - 81 downloads)
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Posts: 4080
Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion | Nice , Nice fish....... Catching a fish like that in a tourney is 3-4 times the excitement..... Don't burn all the fish before the event... I'll be down there next Wens day for the PMTT, Good Luck this weekend.
Jerome |
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| What did you catch that Muskie on? How deep where you/ Nice fish. Thx. |
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