Clinton lake meet and greet

[Rat]

Anyone intersted in meeting at Clinton lake on Saturday April 22nd, or Saturday April 29th and doing a little fishing at the DeWitt bridge? I was thinking whichever date the most people could make, that'd be the one we went with. Say about 9:00 a.m.? But I'm open to suggestions.
Rat

[Graywolf]

Rat, sounds like a good trip. I would like to go. What ever date is good with me.

Gary

[joesf]

I was thinking about heading down there next friday with my fishing buddy and maybe nephew. I will have to see how things turn out for next month I have a vacation day in for the 27th but dont know if it will be approved or not.

[SilverCross]

Sounds like a good time to me, Rat, let me know which one.

[Rat]

Anyone have a date or time preference? Either day is fine with me. I get off work at 7:00 a.m. on Saturdays and can be there by 9:00 or anytime thereafter. I'll bring some liver, worms, shrimp, punchbait and my castnet, see if we can find some shad.
Rat

[SubnetZero]

Man, Sure would like to hook up with you guys for this. My wife is due April 14th with our second Son, so I will most likley be tied up then ....

Maybe next time...

[Graywolf]

Rat, my son and I went to Danville today and went by Clinton Lake. First time I was ever there. It looks like a great place. You say you want to fish at DeWitt bridge. Is that the one on 54? I sure am going to try to make it.

[Veets]

I gotta check my calendar. I've been itching to get out but too busy to do so. Have to see how far that is for me and check with mother.

[Rat]

Gary, you turn off of 54 onto Hwy 14. Where you turn,(south) there's a baitshop on the north side of the road and a bar on the south, and a brown sign that say's "Mascoutin State Recreation Area." You go through the small town of DeWitt, following the curves. About a half mile or so after DeWitt you'll see the entrance to the Mascoutin campground on your right. Keep going on 14 and the DeWitt bridge will be directly ahead.
Jim, it's about 172 miles for you to DeWitt. Hope you can make it. If not, I'd like to have another one of these at LaSalle lake maybe in May. That should be quite a bit closer for you.
Tim, maybe next time. We'll accept the birth of a child as an excused absence. Lol Hope everything goes smooth for you and the missus.
Rat

[Graywolf]

Rat we drove around the park, went to the boat ramp and looked around. It is a nice place. When we came out of the park I noticed a bridge not far from us.

Hey, Lasalle lake sounds good also. I heard the other day they are catching 20 lb. + blues out of there.

[bearcat]

Hey Rat I would like to attend but I hope to be planting corn and beans by then. If the weather stays ugly or it turns around and we get done before then. I will try and make it. Dont count on me though.

[coalminer78]

I should be able to make either date. Sounds like fun.

[Rainman4u2]

Saturday would work great for me, but it depends on the Girlfriend.....:crying:

Ray

[Doyle]

I'll try to make ether of the Saturday's, be good to meet the local gang.

[Rat]

Glad to see some more members can make it. Should be a good time. Anyone have a date preference yet?
Rat

[dgde4x4man]

Wish I could make it but I have to take a second job being a DJ for weddings and such to pay for the babysitter bill and gas..LOL. Make sure ya'll ask Rat to tell you the story about the shampoo bottle...LMAO.

[Graywolf]

Rat, as things work out. My sister called from Kansas and wants us to come down. We will be leaving the 20 th. and be gone for a while. Hope you guys catch a bunch. I finaly saw that lake a week ago and sure wanted to go. Next time.

[Veets]

That's a pretty long haul for one day for me. I did it last weekend driving into Chicago to visit sick relatives and I was really worn out. Nearly fell asleep a couple of times on the way home and I had the wife and mother-in-law with me to keep me awake. Maybe I'll wait until we put something together a little closer or we get a weekend camp out going.

[LarryS]

If work don't get in the way i will be there also

[joesf]

Veets its not that far. Chicago is like 2 hours north of me and the lake is 20 mins south. Maybe you are confused in your old age. lol

[Rat]

Let's shoot for Saturday April 29th at 9:00 a.m. That'll give folks 18 days to get their plans straight. I hope a bunch of you guys can make it.
Rat

[Doyle]

If I don't get hit by lighting, I'll be there. Looking forward to it.

[joesf]

I'm hoping to be there. I will try and bring the toon.

[coalminer78]

I'll try to get there.

[SilverCross]

I'm deffinetly going to try to be there.

[bluecatnut]

i'll try to be their also

[Rat]

7 days til Clinton. Firm up your plans now, folks. Cat_Hunter and myself will be there come heck or high water.
Saturday the 29th of April, 9:00 a.m. at the DeWitt bridge.
Rat

[Doyle]

I am certainly planing on being there. Looking forward to seeing you all.

[Rat]

Glad to hear it Doyle. I'm looking forward to meeting you.
Rat

[Doyle]

Now to confuse the issue, are we meeting under the bridge, or at which ramp.

[Rat]

Doyle, I'm gonna be on the north side of the bridge. If by chance that place should be full of other non-BOC fishermen, I'll be on the south end of the bridge. I drive a silver Plymouth mini-van and it'll be parked on the shoulder.
Rat

[Rat]

Anyone that lives close to Clinton have a forecast for Saturday? Supposed to be high of 58 here, windy and rain. Hopefully it'll have a sunnier outlook there.

[coalminer78]

80% chance of rain in Lincoln about 22 miles west of Clinton. Is this a rain or shine meet and greet. I don't mind the rain. Let me know, I don't want to go and be the only one there.

[Rat]

Jeff, I'm heading to Clinton in the morning come rain, sleet, hail or snow. I guarantee you won't be the only one there.
Rat

[Doyle]

Andy, Jeff, I'll be there... now getting out of the car and walking down a slick bank in a lighting storm may pose a different picture, but we can wave at each other.:lol:

[Rat]

Doyle, if worse comes to worst, you can crack a window and we'll visit for awhile. Lol
Rat

[LarryS]

For Saturday, High of 62, Rain starts in the morning becomes steady as the day moves on. Winds ESE at 20 to 30 MPH. I have to work tomorrow but may be there later on.

[SilverCross]

I'm planning on showing up also, if nothing else just to meet everybody, hope to get to fish but guess we'll have to wait and see.

[Doyle]

Andy, thanks for the invite, I enjoyed the company. Sorry I didn't stay longer but I was ready for a heater. My two sunfish size perch didn't take the winnings, did it?:big_smile: Heres the three that were there. ..... and me too.

[SilverCross]

Hey Doyle, you caught the most, and Andy got the biggest, a striper. I had a great time today. Standing in the rain, catfishing, and BS, it was great. Maybe next time we can have nice warm dry weather to do it and more brothers and sisters to do it with.

[coalminer78]

Sorry I didn't make it I have the flu. Was just think it would be nice to have a month meet and greet there. Maybe the last Saturday of the month like this one was today.

[joesf]

We talked about having another meet and greet the weekend of Memorial. I just got to thinking about that and unless we do it at night you will probably be able to walk across the lake on boats.

Maybe we should shoot for the beginning of June instead.

I would like to make this a boating outing maybe placing boaters with non boaters and then we can go out and have meeting times and places to swap non boaters around and partake of a meal together or something.

[bearcat]

Hey Joesf. I wanted to attend, but have just finished up sith corn and found out one of our tractors dusted out the enigine. I was at the mechanics all day trying to figure out just how bad it is. Then make the decision to get rid of it or fix it.
I like the idea of an early june fish and boat day. If it works out I will bring my toon. I agree. Memorial day would be a mad house at clinton or any other lake as far as that goes.
I will stay in touch.

[Doyle]

Hey guys, I'm always ready to go fishing but it would be rrrrrought getting a boat into the water on Memorial Day.

[SilverCross]

Hey Andy, had a great time down at Clinton Sat. It won't let me give you any points, says I have to pass them around some more, I'm open for the next one too, let's figure out when.

[SilverCross]

OK bro's, when is the next trip down to Clinton lake going to take place???

[Doyle]

Dick, I'm ready, someone give the word.

[Clintonlakeguy]

Hey guys, new guy here, I actually live in Clinton and know the lake very well.
Perhaps if you guys decide to do this again, I can help a little with directions, weather, what their hitting on, etc.
I caugh 3 nice 4-5 lbers last night on hotdogs.(my fav bait at clinton lake)

[LarryS]

Welcome, and where are you at in Clinton? I live in Clinton also, where are you fishing at the lake?

[Doyle]

Welcome to the BOC, Clintonlakeguy, I fish clinton lake a lot. I haven't done too well this year. It seems all the fish have gotten smaller. I'm beginning to wonder if it is being fished out, althou it is pretty big for that to happen. Maybe I been looking the wrong place.:smile2:

[Clintonlakeguy]

Welcome, and where are you at in Clinton? I live in Clinton also, where are you fishing at the lake?


not much for putting too much personal info on the net Larry, but I live over by Caseys.
I have been fishing on the 48 bridge lately. Bugs are a problem, but have been doing ok there.
I like the dewitt bridge also, but its usually too crowded for my taste.
I think the whole city of Champaign fills it and the spillway.lol

[SilverCross]

Welcome to the BOC, Clintonlakeguy.

[LarryS]

I understand CLG, i know where Casey's is. I just moved here from Orlando back in March so i am still getting to know the area. And you are right about the Spillway, i have been wanting to fish there for sometime now but every time i go the place is elbow to elbow. Fished the 48 yesterday for the first time and all i got was a Striper on cut Shad. I always fish DeWitt and the area around the Boat Ramp in the Park by DeWitt. I have caught some nice fish in either place. You ever need a fishing partner let me know, i try to fish when i can but i am still looking for a job and with my wife's family up here not seeing us for about 9 years i don't have as much time as i would like to fish.

[Clintonlakeguy]

I understand CLG, i know where Casey's is. I just moved here from Orlando back in March so i am still getting to know the area. And you are right about the Spillway, i have been wanting to fish there for sometime now but every time i go the place is elbow to elbow. Fished the 48 yesterday for the first time and all i got was a Striper on cut Shad. I always fish DeWitt and the area around the Boat Ramp in the Park by DeWitt. I have caught some nice fish in either place. You ever need a fishing partner let me know, i try to fish when i can but i am still looking for a job and with my wife's family up here not seeing us for about 9 years i don't have as much time as i would like to fish.

strangely enough Larry, I moved to Clinton from......orlando in 1975.
actually a little town just south of Orlando(I think,as I was 10) called Taft.
At the 48 bridge, I usually go on north side of bridge, and throw off that point towards the "no wake" buoy.

[LarryS]

Taft Florida, my Bro-in-laws mom lives there, Did a job out there a few months ago for a new Business Park near Orange Ave. Never seen so many RattleSnakes in such a small area in all my life. Thanks for the tip about the 48 Bridge.

[Clintonlakeguy]

I had a big one last night Larry. Using hotdogs of course at the 48 bridge.
I fought it for about 5 minutes or so, and he got off(I guess I didn't set the hook good enough).
never had another bite after that.

[Clintonlakeguy]

Larry, are you netting your own shad, or are you buying it locally? if so..where?

[LarryS]

I net them with a small castnet.