The Illinois River

The Illinois River:: April 3

Water temperatures were hovering around 50. The best action for sauger was around Spring Valley on the drop off on the south side of the river by the boat club. There were several saugers caught in this location with my personal largest today being  19.5 inches long. Most fish were caught using jig and minnow combinations.

Some saugers were caught upriver by Mertel's barge terminal. Plum Island and the Starved Rock dam area were slow.

White bass fishing is improving with fish being caught in the Vermilion River. Most fish were at leat a mile upstream of the mouth by the 30 foot hole area. They were caught using a jig and Berkley Gulp alive minnow combinations. White bass were running small, like they usually are in the Vermilion. They averaged aruond 10 inches long.

Lots of gar were also caught.

Look for sauger fishing to slow down and white bass fishing to improve as the water continues to warm.