|
...Continued
from top
It used to be 5:00 was early. Now it is late.''
In the next 10 minutes, we bagged three more kings. Then one hit and missed. I got sloppy with one and lost it at the back of the boat.
All our early fish came on purple Stinger or Blue Dolphin spoons down 90 feet. That purple Stinger has been the hot one this summer for kings.
Miltimore uses 6-foot Ugly Sticks (It makes it a little more fun,'' he said) loaded with 30-pound-test Big Game line.
As the sun comes up, they slide deeper,'' Miltimore said. First thing, 100-120 feet is really good; 125-150 for afternoons.''
We started sliding deeper. I picked up a double on the same rod of small kings.
It makes you wonder if you came out at 3 [.], if you would be going in [with a limit] when everybody else is coming out,'' Miltimore wondered.
We picked off two more chinook in the next hour.
But we wanted to play small ball, too. We could've played around to finish out both our limits of chinook, but we wanted to try for perch, too.
Just a word of caution: Miltimore and I were fun fishing. Illinois charters are barred from fishing for perch.
It has been a strange summer. Water temperatures were down in the 60s last week, then came relentless northeast winds piling up warm surface water on our side of the lake.
We found water 70 degrees or warmer all the way out to over 100 feet.
Fish don't read that book,'' Miltimore said. They don't know they're [supposed] to be in 52 degree water. They're where the bait is.''
At least the kings didn't read. Perch must be more literate.
That's a fish I love,'' Miltimore said.
We started looking for perch on a hump in 55 feet south of the harbor. I used a Castmaster spoon, and Miltimore went with a plain hook and fathead. Nothing.
Next Miltimore tried the green can outside the harbor mouth. Shallower, I switched to a Buckshot spoon. Nothing.
Then the old standby, the intake pipe from the former wire mill south of the harbor. Again, nothing.
A small shoreline storm darkened the morning.
It was time.
Back safely in Waukegan harbor, rain splattered as Miltimore filleted kings.
We'll find perch another day.
Miltimore may be reached at (847) 975-5548.
To charter for Illinois kings, contact Waukegan Charter Boat Association at (847) 244-3474 (BIG-FISH), Chicago Sportfishing Association at (312) 922-1100 or the North Point Charter Boat Association at (800) 247-6727.
To reach Waukegan harbor ($10 fee), take Interstate 94 north and exit Route 120 or 132 east to Waukegan's lakefront. Supplies are available at the Salmon Stop--(847) 244-2525--on Route 120.
Dale Bowman may be reached at . Bow-man's Outdoor Line'' is heard on Outdoors With Mike Norris'' (3-4 . Thursdays, 1280-AM).
FIRST cast
"Those early reports were [probably] teenagers bringing up roadkills from Arkansas or Mississippi."
Terry Esker, biologist in southern Illinois, on early reports of armadillos in Illinois around 1980. He considers reports since the late '90s legitimate.
FIELD NOTES
WATERFOWL VOODOO: Perhaps signaling in a new era, the Natural Resources Advisory Board on Thursday approved major changes to the proposed waterfowl seasons. The final decision rests with Joel Brunsvold, the director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Whispers are that he will back the board's recommendations. The seasons for duck (Oct. 16-Dec. 14) and goose (Oct. 16-Jan. 13) were left as recommended in the north zone, but they were moved up two days for duck (Oct. 23-Dec. 21) and goose (Oct. 23-26, Nov. 7-Jan. 31) in the central zone. The real surprise came in the south zone, where the board recommended a week later for duck (Nov. 20-Jan. 18) and goose (Nov. 20-23, Dec. 6-Jan. 31). The board also recommended moving the youth waterfowl hunt in the south to Nov. 8-9. The youth hunts in the north (Oct. 11-12) and central (Oct. 18-19) were untouched.
TOURNAMENTS: Co-anglers Derek Jones of Chicago and Jeff Baffa of Tinley Park will be making their second appearance in the Wal-Mart FLW Tour World Championship on Sept. 10-13 on the James River in Richmond, Va.
WILD THINGS: The Lawrence (Kan.) Journal-World reported a mountain lion had been hit by a motorist for the second time in 10 months. This one was hit Monday in Missouri.
WEEKLY PHOTO: From Lakeside Bait, Tackle & Boat Rental: Russ Hoernecke (right) of Byron, Ill., holds the 49-inch, muskie he caught Tuesday afternoon at Shabbona Lake on a chartreuse Mepps Magnum Musky Killer. He released the fish.
Out and about
SAFETY CLASSES
Wednesday: Boating, Fox Lake. Call (847) 587-0962.
Saturday & next Sunday: Hunting, Godley, (815) 458-6133; Hunting, Fox Lake, (847) 587-0962; Hunting, Essex, (815) 458-3568.
SHOWTIME
Today: Final day of the Racine (Wis.) Boat & RV Show. For information, go to .com.
Thursday-next Sunday: Michigan City (Ind.) In-Water Boat Show, Washington Park Marina. For information, go to .com.
SOMETHING DIFFERENT
Tuesday: Sunset beach hike, 6:30 ., West Beach, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, $6 vehicle charge. Call (219) 926-7561, Ext. 225.
BIKING
Next Sunday: Bike Psycho Century (a top club 100-miler), Coal City. For information, call (708) 802-1804 or go to .org.
Wednesday: Bike Right invites folks to test-ride and learn about bikes, 10 .-1 ., North Avenue Beach. Go to .org/ .
PERMITS
Through Aug. 25: Applications from non-residents and any Illinois residents who have not already received a permit can apply for a wild- turkey fall shotgun permit.
STATE FAIR
Today: Final day of Conservation World, Illinois State Fair, Springfield.
DOING GOOD
Next Sunday: Sixth annual 3-D Archery Fun Shoot benefitting Illinois Sportsmen Against Hunger, Buck Stop Archery, Brownstown. Call (217) 782-4963.
Dale's mailbag
Q: I want to add to the mystery of the white-winged parakeets. I have three of them flying around the block--blue on top around the neck, white on the wings. I think that someone is letting these birds go for religious reasons or just plain ignorance. These birds will not make it through the winter. E-mail from Mark Nichols, Oak Lawn
A: Experienced birders such as Alan Anderson think it is a fairly normal summer for sightings of such escapees, but I'm with Nichols. There seems to be an abnormal number of sightings of what sound like the same species, identified by Joe Lill of the Northwest Side as a canary-winged or white-winged parakeet.
Numbers game
202,042/202,088
Hunting trips on public lands managed by the IDNR/units of wildlife harvested during the 2002-03 season. That's a 5 percent decrease in effort and a 12 percent decrease in harvest from 2001- 02.
|