Des Plaines River Night Fishing 6/17/2012 (Fathers Day)

[dinidj69]

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10"-12" Rock Bass and 18"-28" Northern Pike. What's working is White Spinners, Rattlers, Texas Rigs, Artificial Cray-Fish....The Northern Pike have slowed down, they are either spawning or due to the lack of rain and water levels.

[catchafew]

Welcome to the site dinidj69 and thanks for sharing.

[dinidj69]

No Problem! I still haven't caught a Northern there, But I caught Dozen's of Rock Bass. 18" Northern Pike was caught right by me on 6/16, a week before a friend caught a 28" Pike. He said that has been the largest he has seen in 3 years!

[Kenny So Good]

Yeah the pike have slowed down I went fathers day also and didn't get one Northern Pike but got one Rock Bass around 11" on white spinner bait

[Kenny So Good]

Yeah the pike have slowed down I went fathers day also and didn't get one Northern Pike but got one Rock Bass around 11" on white spinner bait

[Aux Pleins]

Its safe to say pike are not on fire. Its like this every year, best time is spring and fall not middle of the summer. But they are still being caught. My thinking is the pike are in a food coma. They've been filling up on the freshly born bait fish like crazy. I've even noticed the small pike even seem way fatter on the belly than just a couple months ago. With all that forage, fishermen just have to step up there game. They are not spawning, that should have been early spring when water temps were in the 40s-low50s. But this spring we went from 38degrees to 60 degree water temps in like a week with those 85degree weeks we had in march, some believe there was no successful spawn this season.

[Bass514]

I saw dozens of pike spawning in creek mouths everywhere this passed weekend

[dinidj69]

I don't want to question AuxPleins-aka-DPR, since I am a newbie, but I agree with Bass514, I have seen Tons of Spawning Pike. I see them early morning and late evening by the Dempster St Bridge. I see them wag their tails, roll, and jump! There are Dozens of Fish in the inlets having fish orgies..lol! I think I can tell spawning fish after 35 years of fishing! They are hitting, but far and few between. The Rock Bass I am catching 2-3 a day......Average Size 10"-12".

[dinidj69]

Yeah the pike have slowed down I went fathers day also and didn't get one Northern Pike but got one Rock Bass around 11" on white spinner bait

......Nice Size! Everyone is using the Spinners, I always change it up with spoons, crankbaits, even the fake frogs!

[Kenny So Good]

Yeah the pike have slowed down I went fathers day also and didn't get one Northern Pike but got one Rock Bass around 11" on white spinner bait

......Nice Size! Everyone is using the Spinners, I always change it up with spoons, crankbaits, even the fake frogs!

Thanks !! I still can't believe the size of the Rock Bass I've been pulling outta the river there big lol

[Thenightfisher93]

Not tryin to question anyone or call anyone out but i think those may be another type of fish or pike that arent spawning, northern pike in illinois normally start spawning whn the water temps reach 44 degrees F. Either way its nice that they have been really hearty this year! Nice rockbass!

[dinidj69]

Thanks Thenightfisher 93....The water is very clear, and shallow, I have seen spawning Pike. I have been Pike fishing since 1977 and have caught several dozen large ones thru the years. Nothing in nature is an exact science, crazy things do happen. Several Experienced Fisherman besides myself and Bass 514 have seen and witnessed this strange phenomenon, but it has been going on all of last week. It didn't do it 2 weeks ago or a month ago or even 3 months ago, it's right now in hot water. It was just the start of Summer a few days ago, so the whole middle of the summer thing is irrelevant! 44* in a perfect world, sure, but we all know crazy things are happening all over the world. Have a little faith in your fellow fisherman! That's why I thought we were on here, to help each other...... Good Fishing......Hope you catch the River Monster of your Dreams!

[dinidj69]

Yeah the pike have slowed down I went fathers day also and didn't get one Northern Pike but got one Rock Bass around 11" on white spinner bait

......Nice Size! Everyone is using the Spinners, I always change it up with spoons, crankbaits, even the fake frogs!

Thanks !! I still can't believe the size of the Rock Bass I've been pulling outta the river there big lol

HUGE ROCK BASS! Bill, one of the regulars caught a 12" Beast yesterday 6/22. I caught a nice 10" and 5" Baby! The Pike were crazy in the bay(Midnight) but wouldn't hit the Daredevil Spoons, Spinners, or anything else tossed right too them.

[Bass514]

dinidj69 thank you some of us know what we saw and they were pike not anything else. i dont know what else has a long snake like body with dots def not carp or anything

[dinidj69]

dinidj69 thank you some of us know what we saw and they were pike not anything else. i dont know what else has a long snake like body with dots def not carp or anything

You can see there markings when their tail pops out and you seen the side fin, it is actually a beautiful little twirly dance. Last night I YouTube'd spawning pike, and they are doing the same dance in the water that I have seen! Just got done Bouncin.....I'm going fishing right now!