Moving to Rock Falls - Best catfishing locations?

[Butchy]

Hey guys,
I just accepted a lineman apprenticeship for the city of Rock Falls and I'll be moving there at the end of the month. I can't wait to fish the Rock River and hopefully meet some of you guys that fish up there. Any information on where to fish, when to fish, and all that would be appreciated.

[bearcat]

Hey Butchy congrats on the new job. Rock river. Wow great flaties and channels. Good luck and take care.

[Butchy]

Thanks Bearcat. I don't know if I'm more excited about the job or the river. Probably the job but the river is going to be alot of fun.

[dgde4x4man]

I fish the river all the time. We will have to hook up hoss.

[Rainman4u2]

Not that far from the Quad Cities either....

Ray

[Butchy]

Are there any blues caught out of the Rock? I've read that there are alot of flatheads and somewhere I read that you could even get into a sturgeon, is that true?

[Shawn]

I don't think they catch any Blues in the Rock to speak of.

As far as fishing around Rock Falls, some big cats get taken on the Rock between Rock Falls and Prophetstown. The Rock has a lot of shallow areas, and a LOT of hardbottom. Best to know where the safer areas are to run your boat in, unless you're using a jet-drive.

The river is good around the Dixon area too, which is just a little upstream from Rock falls.

Monster flatheads live in that river...there's guys who catch-photo-release some real beauties!

Shawn

[screen]

Welcome aboard! Welcome to the area!

I live 5 miles north of Sterling - just accross the river! Big Flats in the rock!

PM me when you get here and we will exchange phone #'s -

Never saw a blue in the Rock!

[flatheadboy2002]

i live right over in sterling i have flatheaded the river fr 2 years and i have landed 11 between 20 and 35lbs pm and give me your number and when spring hits will go thnx

[Butchy]

Hey,
What do you guys use for bait up there? I read that bluegill can be hard to find.

[Rainman4u2]

There are a few bait shops that sell large goldfish, and some that sell bullheads. You just have to find them. There are a few lakes around here that have gills, and if you can get them, and keep them alive....

Ray

[Butchy]

What time of year do you guys start looking for flatheads? Since the river isn't iced over are you fishing for them now?

[screen]

The Flatheads may be there but I don't go after them in winter - for winter fishing of all types, Lake Carlton north of Morrison is great for ice fishing - way in the back - nice little camping state park -

You can net loads of shad on the rock for your live flathead bait - You will find some of the better flathead fishing from Moonlight Bay Marina to the dam in Dixon - or back water at Nelson Railroad bridge - Reeeeeeel shallow but if you like B@$$ you can find some big ones in there - Learn to find the holes and mark them on your GPS cause the river on the whole is shallow, 3'-4' - Water has been down the last couple of years!

Lot of shallow parts like the big open area out from Oppold Marina - It looks like a big lake but go slow and get to know it!

Hook up with Dodgeman 4x4 (Chris) he does a lot of night fishing on the Rock and knows where many of those holes are!

[dgde4x4man]

Yeah that river is real shallow below Oppold but once you get past that everything averages out to about 15 feet or at least it did. There are some big holes with structure between there and Dixon. One hole is about 45 feet deep! Let me know when you want to go hoss and we will hook up. The channel cat I'm holding in my profile came from there just up river from the big hole. It came in at about 18 pounds. The best part about the Rock is no silver or Big head carp...at least not yet.

[Shawn]

i've only made several trips to the Rock, but there is some amazing structure in some areas. I've been near Dixon a few times, made one trip to Erie/P-Town area, and fished channel cats near Oregon a couple times.

I'll never forget cruising downriver watching my depthfinder and seeing the bottom look like monument valley. Simply amazing.

There is a lot of deep water in some areas, but there is also structure near some of the deep water too. I have not boated a Rock flathead yet, but we had one break off on 20# test near some heavy cover... I set the hook and there was no give whatsoever...except me giving ground before we lost the fish in the wood!

I drive 1.5 hours or so to fish out there, so I catch my bait in the creek or pond close to my house and haul them with me in a 48 quart cooler with an aerator powered by 12v batter...

Shawn

[Butchy]

I really appreciate all the replies fellas. I'll be taking you up on the offers to go fishing, but I'm not sure exactly when yet. I'm moving tomorrow, I got an apartment in Rock Falls across the street from the Shell station. Computer access will be limited. Maybe I can use one at the library, if not I'll have to wait untill the weekends when I'm back in Hillsboro. I won't have my fishing stuff with me until next week anyway. Anyway thanks again for the replies and I'm looking forward to getting togather.
One more thing, does a good map of the Rock exist. If so how can I get one?

[Rainman4u2]

Your best bet would be to hit the local bait shops and see what you can find. I also know that Wally World has upper Illinois fishing area maps in the Sporting goods department for sale. They run $19.95-$24.94, I can't remember the exact price.

Ray

[dgde4x4man]

You can get a hot spots map of the Rock River in pretty good detail until you get above the dam in Dixon. Thats when the detail really seems to drop off but it does show you a few spots to fish though.

[Shawn]

the only topo map i've seen is the fishing hot spots map which covers from Rockton south to just below Oregon dam.

is there any other?

Shawn

[screen]

Shawn is right on - maps are non existant from Oregon and south!

I have been compilling info for a map to post here for the Rock, Sterling-Rock Falls to Oregon! I have tapagraphal(sp) and Sat. maps as well as info from the DNR but need more info from you that fish here to finish!

If We could get those who fish the Rock to PM me with a map of holes and structures to fish and deep areas I will put it all together for a map I will post here so all brothers interested in the Rock can have better fishing days! Map will be marked with ramps, bait shops and camping - If their is any other info you guys want just ask and I will include with the log!

I will also mail a hard copy to all contributers for their personal use as a thank you for your help!

As we all know some spots change every time where out but mark them down anyway and don't forget to give up your hot spots cause some of us have already been there and many others are fishing your spot too!

If anyone want info south of the lower dam at ST-RF I don't fish that but we cuold still try to compile info - Schoe and Ray know the area down at the QCA so maybe they could put something together down there.

[dgde4x4man]

We'll have to take a boat ride together and I'll show all the spots an holes that I know. All except that 45 foot hole..LOL

[Shawn]

In my limited experience on the Rock, here's some information that i've gathered over the last several trips...

The Rock river has a very high proportion of hard/rock bottom compared to many Illinois streams (hence the name Rock river.)

Generally speaking from Oregon to Grand Detour the river tends to be rocky and somewhat shallow in the summertime. In many places there is less than 2 feet of water. The exceptions would be the deep hole in Oregon near Sand Sucker park, and the area near Lowden rock. Both of these areas have holes greater than 25' deep.

There is some deeper water downstream from the bridge below Grand Detour as you go towards Dixon.

In Dixon, the river is much more boatable and there are a number of deep holes to be found. You can launch at Page Park in Dixon, and run all the way up to the dam if you're careful. There is a shallow rock ledge in the middle of the river above the old railroad bridge in town. Stay to the right to get by.

Going downstream from Page Park, there's a nice hole just upstream from the islands on the right side. It's almost right across from the small concrete launch on the left side of the river. The downstream end of the hole has a vertical drop from 3' down to about 22'. Stay to the left of the islands as you go downstream. Whatever you do don't go through the middle channel here, unless you're driving a jet!

In Prophetstown, the launch area is a little shallow but it quickly gets deeper as you go downstream. The area around the bridge in town is deep (10-14'), and just downstream of the bridge on the right side is a nice "saddle" where the bottom rises up and down again in about 9' of water.

If you launch by the Erie bridge, be careful. There's a big sandbar right near the launch. (just downstream.) This stretch of river is boatable as long as you're careful, especially if you're going downstream. Going upstream from the bridge it gets deeper... a lot of nice water in this area. There's a lot of concrete slabs along the bank shallows going downstream from the bridge...probably be great for tossing float rigs for channel cats.

that's about as much as I can share....

Shawn

[Shawn]

forgot to mention; if you're launching a boat that isn't jet powered I definitely would *not* launch at Castle Rock state park and head downstream. Good place to wreck a prop or lower unit. From Oregon to Grand Detour is a pretty area to canoe though...

The launch at Lowell Park above Dixon is a safer to run out of with a prop (so I've been told.)

The pool above Oregon has a lot of boat traffic, but i've only fished downstream from there.

There's a nice campground above Oregon a few miles on the east side; you can camp at Lowden state park, and you can canoe camp at Castle Rock state park.

Another area of the Rock you about need a jet-drive to fish is immediately below Rock Falls...

I don't know about the launch directly below Oregon dam... anyone use that?

Shawn

[Catmaster81]

I've only fished the Rock a few times, and it has some monster flats in it. Also has some big channels. I've fished north of Rockford and Rockton, and the bottom is very volatile. There are some 20-30 ft. holes, and some rock reefs that go almost all the way across the river under less than 12 inches of water at normal pool. I primarily fish the Pecatonica River which dumps into the Rock at Rockton. The Pec nearly doubles the Rock's flow at that point. I have caught some dandy blues in the Pecatonica in the past, which means they must exist in the Rock. However, in recent years catching blues has been few and far between as trees have been cut, the banks have eroded, and the current has slowed. If you're after blues look for current. I've heard good things about the lower stretches of the Rock. My uncle fishes near Rock Falls and has had some luck. They run a jet down there. Also, if you're close enough, I would give Green River a try. It is pretty small, but I think it's a sleeper for cats. I haven't tried it myself, but I would definitely try it if I lived closer to it. Hennepin Canal also holds some lunker flats. Congratulations on the job, and good fishing my friend!

[Butchy]

We've been working on the Hydro Plant in Rock Falls putting unit one back together. The other day the crane was pulling the stop logs out and we had to shovel the silt out that had collected inside them. While we were doing that I found a little flathead burrowed down in the silt. He was a cute little thing about 4 or 5 inches long and I tossed him back in to get big. My first Rock River flathead!

I do have a question, what type sinker works best on the hard bottom and how much weight do you need to keep a bluegill down there in the current? That rock bottom is quite a bit different from the silt and mud bottoms that I'm used to.