Went in July 2 years ago on the Kaskaskia. We put in near Red Bud, IL. We had gobs of carp jumping into the boat so we used them as bait. We caught so many catfish from dusk til dawn. When we were leaving we noticed the water level changed and we almost got stuck - where we put in at wasn't very deep and our boat almost got stuck in some mud.
Dont know why I saw thinking it was a flat .Originally Posted by psychomekanik
Last year it was high till around Aug. then it started dropping quick and at the first of Sept you could walk across it up near Carlyle and not get your knees wet . Below the swinging bridge there was spots you could walk the rocks and not get a drop of water on you .
I bet this year it is really low early in the summer .
The last couple years we caught fish like that, the water had been up and almost unfishable all year. We launched just south of the dam and went downstream not thinking anything about it. I had people say What, You launched where?? LOL, evidently there's a lot of big boulders by the swinging bridge that's usually impassable. I could see them on sonar. But, they were no threat to my lower end. We motored right over them and never seen water any shallower that 10 foot. I think that's why the blues were in there like that. When the water receded, I'm betting they haul ass back to the Mississippi. The current is no joke in that river when the water is up like that though. A 50 pounder feels like a 100 pounder or better. Bring some real gear or you'll end up watching your spool empty and not be able to do anything about it except burn a blister on your thumb! We had really good luck on cut-up Bighead asians we caught at the dam, and skipjack. Also had a silver jump in the boat and we hardly got any bites on it. Compared to the bigheads, the silvers are nothing! I don't know why, but the blues LOVE them so much better than the silvers. I'm hoping the water will still be up like that in August this year. If not, I'm fishing with nothing but punkinseeds, and green sunnies for flatheads.
Agreed. With no real snowfall north of us flooding shouldn't be an issue this year as long as the spring rains aren't too heavy. Look forward to fishing a river in its banks all spring long....knock on wood
Even if the river is low there is anoter ramp below the swinging bridge that is better then the other one . I usually launch at the one you are talking about and go up towards the dam to get bait and there is two spots across from that ramp that holds a few big ones that we fish . But the big boys are south of the swinging bridge around the bend .
When the water is up that rivers starts hauling ass as it gets narrow down that way . My boat will go through some shallow water but I still stick to the left under the swinging bridge.
If its to low in Aug. I will fish the rail road bridge up in Keysport area of the lake . There are some monsters up that way also .
Had some guys buddies do good on jugs this past weekend. Gonna drift some baits all weekend and see what's bitin.
i fish the upper part aka shelby county. no carp but no bluecats either. they need to stock blues in their and get them musky out!!!!! lol. flatheads are niping on jigs but not biting cut or live yet. channels are slow still. got a 30 pounder on a jig last week but threw him back
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There's a couple of nice flatties a guy at work brought pics of to show off. They were caught in the Kaskaskia River just outside of Ficklin, IL which isn't too far from where the river starts. So, yeah, the Kas has nice fish all over it :) .
Peace,
Chad
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