tkishkape
06-26-2007, 08:52 PM
The Lower Illinois River which runs from the Lake Tenkiller Dam to the confluence with the Arkansas River near Gore, Oklahoma is Oklahoma's oldest designated trout stream. A special Trout license is required to fish it from th dam downstream to the US 64 bridge.
This cold river is also host to seasonal Striped Bass fishing from Early April to September. It is in this setting that I have been humbled by the diminutive rainbow trout.
Since the Arkansas River has been in flood stage now for over 8 weeks making the blue catfish hard to locate while dodging driftwood logs, I have been relieving my catfishing withdrawal pains by chasing trout and striped bass in the Illinois.
The trout are not known to be smart... they cannot read the sign that "restricts fishing past this point", but it sure seems that they can tell the difference between a hooked bait and a bait that has been cast off and is simply floating.
Trout can differentiate between my spinner and one tied to my stepson's line, choosing his to strike rather than mine. I watched a group of trout in a pool of water at my feet as they watched me... the smallest one seemed to be teaching the class that "the creature standing in the air above us is trying to feed you a line of bull... don't eat what he throws to you"!
I very carefully cast my 1/32oz white Rooster Tail spinner with black spots and a silver blade over their heads tied to nearly invisible 2 pound test line with a 4 foot noodle-like rod. The lure splashes down with hardly a ripple, and begins to spin in front of the group of 200 trout just lounging in the shadows. The spinner quietly works it's way through the pack and emerges totally ignored.
I'm ready for a CATFISH!:crazy:
This cold river is also host to seasonal Striped Bass fishing from Early April to September. It is in this setting that I have been humbled by the diminutive rainbow trout.
Since the Arkansas River has been in flood stage now for over 8 weeks making the blue catfish hard to locate while dodging driftwood logs, I have been relieving my catfishing withdrawal pains by chasing trout and striped bass in the Illinois.
The trout are not known to be smart... they cannot read the sign that "restricts fishing past this point", but it sure seems that they can tell the difference between a hooked bait and a bait that has been cast off and is simply floating.
Trout can differentiate between my spinner and one tied to my stepson's line, choosing his to strike rather than mine. I watched a group of trout in a pool of water at my feet as they watched me... the smallest one seemed to be teaching the class that "the creature standing in the air above us is trying to feed you a line of bull... don't eat what he throws to you"!
I very carefully cast my 1/32oz white Rooster Tail spinner with black spots and a silver blade over their heads tied to nearly invisible 2 pound test line with a 4 foot noodle-like rod. The lure splashes down with hardly a ripple, and begins to spin in front of the group of 200 trout just lounging in the shadows. The spinner quietly works it's way through the pack and emerges totally ignored.
I'm ready for a CATFISH!:crazy: