Arden Katz heard Joe Szkorla say, “I’m stuck, back up,” whilst they had been fishing for crappie at the Chain O’Lakes.
“I stated, `You’re now not caught, you were given a large fish on, a walleye or a large catfish,’ “ Katz stated.
It was once large, however neither of the ones. Try muskie.
Muskie have transform each a vacation spot goal and unintentional catches at the Chain.
This yr the Illinois Department of Natural Resources didn’t have muskies to inventory the Chain. But the Fox River Valley bankruptcy of Muskies, Inc. did.
On Oct. 5, FRV stocked 535 9- to 12-inch muskie, from Gollon Bait and Fish Farm in Dodgeville, Wis., into Long and Channel lakes. The muskies had been purchased with $6,150, raised by way of things like the once a year FRV dinner party and the Challunge at the Chain event. This is the second one yr for the stocking assist from FRV, spearheaded by way of Mike Pierce.
Fisheries biologist Frank Jakubicek stated it was once one in all a couple of stockings of Long over time.
“[The Chain] gets a ton of pressure, but there are big fish out there,” he stated. “Biggest I ever saw was 51 3/4 [surveyed]. Some of the muskie guys say they have seen 53s and 54s.”
Over the years, Jakubicek watched the enchantment of Chain muskie construct.
“People definitely come here to fish, it is a destination,” he stated. “The factor concerning the Chain is you don’t have motor restrictions. There are person charges, however you don’t seem to be fishing one open space. The strong point of the Chain is quite a lot of other lakes and other puts.
“I’m kinda shocked we haven’t had a state file. When gizzard shad confirmed up in 2007, this is once I idea the scale of the fish would soar. The fish are fats.
“Maybe it has to do with the amount of cold water. You have to have that cold water to get them through the summer time.”
Szkorla can vouch. He effectively battled his muskie on 4-pound line with a No. 8 Aberdeen hook. He was once in a position to boat the muskie for the reason that Aberdeen hook snagged between two tooth, so the sunshine line wasn’t lower.
“It was like winning the Lotto,” Katz stated.
So was once the online process.
“He swam right into the net,” Katz stated. “I was swiping at it with a walleye or bass net and grabbed it by the tail, too.”
Their bump board most effective went to 40 inches. The muskie spilled over. Katz guessed to 44 inches. The free up was once just right.
WILD THINGS
Leslie Borns forwarded a be aware from Louise Clemency of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Jeff Skrentny, who’s on a quest to see determine 2,500 dwelling issues in Cook County this yr. He added western banded killifish from a Montrose swale. Click right here to examine Skrentny’s year-long quest.
STRAY CAST
Watching the Bears Monday delivered to thoughts the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District’s “Skim Pickens.”