Predator Hunting
Varmit Hunting For The Off Season
A piercing sound breaks the early down silence. It continues until you think it will never end. It is the sound of a rabbit in distress that goes on and on. Actually, the sound emanates […]
Southern Illinos
Fishing News - Fresh
FISHING MISSISSIPPI RIVER POOL 13
The Mississippi River extends the entire length of Illinois varying fishing opportunities in the various pools formed by navigational dams. For bass fishing probably the best pool is Pool 13 which extends from Lock & […]
Archery Hunting
GETTING KIDS STARTED IN ARCHERY
If you can instill in the younger set the good feelings and emotions you feel toward archery it will provide a family-friendly atmosphere where safety, trust and fun come first. The parent can only determine […]
Catfish Fishing
MISSISSIPPI RIVER BLUE CATFISH
The big river is flooded right now. That means changes in the structure. It does not mean the big blue catfish will not be still there when the river goes down. Although catfish are at […]
Bass Fishing
KINKAID LAKE BASS FISHING
Usually thought of as a muskie and largemouth bass lake, Kinkaid does have a growing population of smallmouth bass. Due to the heavy recreational boating traffic in summer, the best opportunity for catching a lunker […]
Deer Hunting
BOWHUNTING LATE SEASON WHITETAILS
A biting wind tears at the face like sandpaper. Cold chills your body to the core. Late season bowhunting is not for those less than fully committed. Weather and a reduced deer herd make for […]
Fishing News - Fresh
TAILWATER ADDICTION
A summer of record rainfall has resulted in high water situations in most of Illinois lakes and rivers. As a result many fish washing over dams creating rejuvenated fisheries n the tailwaters downstream. Tailwaters are […]
Fishing News - Fresh
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BANK FISHING AND STREAM WALKING
There is a natural evolution from bank fishing to stream walking. It is probably due in part to someone getting bored bank fishing when the fish are not biting. Early angling literature almost always focuses […]
Fishing News - Fresh
THEY CALL THEM ROCKFISH
The screech of the reel is a dead giveaway for some rockfish action on the Ohio River. Even if they are not on the agenda today, rockfish, or as they are often known, striper can […]
Fishing Tips
CRAYFISH – THE ANGLERS FRIEND
From Lake Michigan salmon to the popular catfish, the aquatic version of sirloin steak is the crayfish. Virtually all fish species like to eat them but bass and perch are particularly fond of this crustacean.
Catfish Fishing
CRANKBAITS FOR CATFISH
Growing up in a Tom Sawyer-like existence, it was only natural that Larry Woodward would become a catfishermen. Woodward, a veteran angler, guide and television host, has lived on the Mississippi River all his life.
Fishing News - Fresh
HAPPY HOURS – FAMILY FISHING
Economic conditions in recent years have forced people to make hard decisions on the use of their discretionary income for recreational fishing trips. Family responsibilities demand we do better and more efficiently add to the […]
Fishing News - Fresh
WHITE BASS OF CARLYLE LAKE ILLINOIS
Carlyle Lake offers some of the best white bass fishing in terms of quantity and quality. The fish average about one half pound. The total population runs 10 to 15-inches in length with 62 percent […]
Boat News
Reduction of Sounds in Boats
An often over looked part of fishing is the noise factor. Whether on shore, in a boat or wading, sound plays an important part of fishing success. Most of us have no realization of the […]
Panfish Fishing
Finding Big Crappies
Biologists have studied crappie for years, including where they grow the largest. A study done in South Dakota of both white and black crappie found that they grow the slowest in small impoundments and the […]
Panfish Fishing
FISHING ILLINOIS STRIP PITS
Time was when strip mined land was a story of environmental devastation. Now they have become successful habitat restoration. The woodlands, healthy grasslands and abundant water provide outdoor recreation for the public. Most of the […]
Trout/Salmon Fishing
TACKLE FOR ILLINOIS TROUT FISHING
Fishing for Midwestern trout is usually a little different than in western or eastern waters. This is due to the fact that most Midwestern trout are hatchery raised and often found in ponds as opposed […]
Panfish Fishing
SPRING RUN WHITE BASS
Lake Shelbyville is a natural for white bass. White bass thrive in large, open-water impoundments containing an abundance of shad, their favorite forage fish. This 11,000-plus acre impoundment is located in Shelby and Moultrie counties […]
Fishing News - Fresh
THE OVERLOOKED OPPORTUNITY OF WATERSHED LAKES
Are you looking for a fishing location with little fishing pressure and yet presenting the challenge of any other more well-known body of water? In addition to being somewhat remote, most watershed lakes also present […]
Deer Hunting
REAL EARLY SCOUTING
If it is your goal to finds that records class buck then look to the record books for just what areas produce them. Records of big deer and press stories about hunter success are available […]
Trout/Salmon Fishing
HOW FEE FISHING FITS IN THE OUTDOOR SCENE
To many the idea of fishing a fee pond is like fishing a swimming pool. To them it is not even fishing. To others fee fishing is a necessary addition to their fishing scene. Who […]
Fishing Tips
MULTI-SPECIES FISHING ON REND LAKE
The vast expanse that is Rend Lake (19,000-acres) can be a challenge for anglers. Twenty five years of fishing the lake teaches one that the largemouth bass, yellow bass, crappie and catfish (channel and flathead) […]
Bass Fishing
BASS IN MISSISSIPPI RIVER POOL 13
The Mississippi River extends the entire length of Illinois varying fishing opportunities in the various pools formed by navigational dams. For bass fishing probably the best pool is Pool 13 which extends from Lock & […]
Panfish Fishing
CRAPPIE FISHING AND THE DOGWOODS
The blooming of the Dogwood trees signals the crappie spawning period. The rest of the forest is full of dark shafts of wood rising toward the sun. On them are small buds and the beginnings […]
Bass Fishing
How Bass Bite A Lure
Although they are still popular the jig is not as dominant on the professional bass fishing circuit, as was once the case. With the advent of pitching and flipping, the jig was a natural lure. […]
Panfish Fishing
Spot and Stalk Crappie Hunting
One of the late winter rites of passage is ice out crappie fishing. Locating the ice out crappie is a matter of going where they should be and going where they are. The latter probably […]
Fishing Tips
Striper Wolf Packs
Our best fighting fish is a pretty apt description to anyone who has ever hooked one. These shad eating machines prowl a number of Illinois waters providing excitement for any angler who is lucky enough […]
Deer Hunting
Post Season Deer Hunting
Every year in February and March as the gloom of winter subsides and deer hunters begin to get cabin fever, it is time to go deer hunting again. One can hunt deer in the spring. […]
Ice Fishing
TIPS FOR ICE FISHING PONDS
Finding fish through the ice can be difficult but possible. The most obvious way is to know the water and at what level the fish are holding. Bluegills and perch are typically near the bottom. […]
Fishing Tips
Finding Fish In The Winter Zone
While anglers in northern Illinois are fishing through holes in the ice, anglers in southern Illinois are still fishing open water lakes and ponds. Mild winters allow southern Illinois anglers to fish all year around. […]
Fishing Tips
Ice Out Patterns For Cold Fish
Some fishermen mistakenly seem to think fish are like bears and go into hibernation. Large game fish often turn up at this time of the year. The fish are not as aggressive when water temperatures […]
Deer Hunting
Treestand Safety For Dummies
Every year numerous hunters take to the woods in pursuit of the White-tailed deer. As the season progresses conditions in those stands deteriorate as the snow and ice cover the equipment and cold weather numbs […]
Ice Fishing
Where Are Those Fishing Activities For Seniors
Recently the co-founder and CEO of Powderhook.com found himself on the spot when asked at a social occasion, “do you ever do anything to get the elderly out fishing?” Powderhook.com is a Nebraska company with […]
Fishing Tips
Winter Fishing In Southern Illinois
The ghostly plumes of mist rising from the lake created by cold air above the warmer pond water give birth to an eerie scene. Boats glide slowly across the lake only to disappear into the […]
Ice Fishing
THE SOCIAL ASPECT OF ICE FISHING
To the non-angler, fishing in winter seems like a venture in folly. One person once asked how you get the cubes to stay on the hook. No matter what the angler’s expertise, ice fishing offers […]
Small Game Hunting
CHALLENGE OF BOWHUNTING WOODCOCK
Just what is this animal the woodcock? Why is not a major hunting species? It is the hunter’s ultimate challenge but not really well known out of the eastern states. Hunters seek game animals ranging […]
Deer Hunting
Ambush Deer Setup
All too often we spend more time dressing up our ground blinds and treestands with too little thought about where to place them. That often is a big mistake. Be aware of prevailing winds. Try […]
Deer Hunting
Treestand Placement For Rut and Post Rut Whitetails
As white-tailed deer move into the late rut and post rut period they change her feeding habits and behavior. Successful deer hunters should change their tactics as well. This is especially true of treestand placement. […]
Catfish Fishing
Catfish and Kids
Aggressive feeding habits, fast growth and affinity for shore line structure make the catfish a natural for teaching young and old the secrets of fishing. This feisty battler enjoys a state-wide distribution due to its […]
Duck/Goose Hunting
Old Duck Call Like Fine Wine
Like the man once said about art, “I am no expert but I know what I like.” Duck calling is much like that too. There are a dozen different schools of thought on how hard […]
Rifles and Shotguns
Choosing A Shotgun As A Gift
The season of gifting is fast approaching. For some it might include the gift of that first gun for a child. There are some basic considerations in gifting a firearm. The first consideration is the […]
Fishing News - Salt
Rocket Stripers and Hybrids
There is nothing that will stir the heart like the whine of a reel when a Striper or Hybrid Striper has taken your bait. These striped rockets are the state’s greatest battler according to Steve […]
Catfish Fishing
Catfishing The Ohio and Wabash Rivers
Les Frankland, Region V Fisheries Biologist for IDNR is the expert on the Ohio and the Wabash River. His recommendation is Smithland Pool for catfish. Fishing is available in the other two pools and the […]
Trout/Salmon Fishing
Illinois Catchable Trout Program Starts Friday
Catchable trout fishing takes place in some 50 lakes and ponds across Illinois beginning on October 18th. For a complete listing of the sites check the website for Illinois Department of Natural Resources at http://www.dnr.iillinois.gov. […]
Deer Hunting
Tips For Early Season Whitetail Hunting
Early season bowhunting requires tactics needed are different from those in the late fall and early winter. Daytime temperatures are much higher and the deer move less. Warmer daytime temperatures lead to more sluggish deer […]
Fishing Tips
Fall White Bass Fishing
Fall fishing for white bass is just the opposite of the spring pattern. In spring they move to staging areas and then into the spawning areas of lakes and rivers. As the water temperatures begin […]
Bass Fishing
Patrick Sebile and Crankbaits
Shallow running crankbaits like the Sebile Bull Minnow are effective in fall. One need only follow his exploits on Facebook to realize that this designer of fishing tackle is a dedicated angler of vast world […]
Trout/Salmon Fishing
Dunkin Worm
Illinois spring catchable trout program opens in April. It opens in other areas at different dates but the scene is still the same. During the season Illinois anglers have a chance to catch this great […]
Duck/Goose Hunting
Decoys Ducks and Geese
Huntable water comes in two categories: open water and ponds. This allows us to have a plan for water wherever our hunt is to take place whether or not it is a place you have […]
Small Game Hunting
Tips For Finding the King Of the Tree Tops
Chasing this ghostly king of the treetops is a small game hunting challenge that requires careful planning. All too often the quarry is underestimated. In southern Illinois there is an abundance of squirrels and public […]