heads up on clinton lake

[john h]

my favorite time of year is coming soon.. april 1st is when they open up the area betwen dewitt and 48 bridges so you can reach the hot water discharge. last year the first few weeks were astonishing and should be better this year due to this late cold weather.. we would get there at crack of dawn and tie up to the bouys at the hot water discharge, toss cast net and get some shad and cast upstream and nail 5-10 lb plus channels all day long along with ocassional flathead, or cast a small rattle trap or kast master off back of boat and limit out on white bass and small stripers in matter of minutes....used to be a toss up between there and the spillway to catch them nice hybrids but still think thats a month away due to the coldness and the high water levels.

[gofish]

got my batteries finally....if i knew the water wasnt muddy and the plant was online id go over there one day this week an try for eyes an crappie.

[john h]

yeah its still high and muddy there, im just gonna wait till april first and hit that hot water discharge and load up... with thei week the temps getting a lil warm ill probably hit heritage lake for some slab crappie... if i can get 3-4 days of 50 degreee temps they move in shllow and can nail a bunch of 10-14 inch crappie there.... the plants been online for the last month just that the section where the discharge is is closed between the 2 bridges till march 31st for waterfowl...ill probbly be goig to lake springfield tommrow and then play it by ear with this weather, if it just warms up a bit ill be crappie fishing till the first of april then be heavy on that hot water discharge till the spillway gets warmed up

[gofish]

can ya put a boat in at rantoul?

[Fishaholic]

id like to fish that clinton lk sometime, heard of some good crappies in there!!

[john h]

can ya put a boat in at rantoul?

yeah you can get a johnboat in there, not anything bigger tho.. me and a buddy gonna troll the whole lake cause we found a bunch of structure during ice season and also know its loaded with crappie. the warm spell in decemnber we were getting loads of em 11-13 inches and a few up to 14.. he went today and got 6 even so its still cold, this week with the warm weathers should drice em nuts

[Fishaholic]

why u say nothing bigger???? lake still froze, or all thats allowed??

[john h]

the ramp at the lake here in rantoul is long and shallow, i would have to drive my truck 3/4 of the way into the water to try and launch my boat... any 14 or 16 footer could fit in there tho, there still is some patchy ice but the fish are getting idea its ice out there now, my buddy said he got all his fish in 1-2 foot of water from sure at places me and him places some pvc structures and trees last fall

[Fishaholic]

im takin it, this is a smaller lk than!

[john h]

lol yeah maybe 10 acres or so bout 10-12 foot deep max but averages bout 6-8 foot most of the way through..... but most the ice fishing pictures i posted in another thread were from there.

[gofish]

bout the size of inland sea then right? might have ta make a trip that way an learn em lol

[john h]

yeah its bout size of inland sea.. they should really turn on heavy this upcoming week with the warmer weather

[gofish]

no promises but might git over there this week...still on jury duty though:confused0024:

[john h]

just give me a shout , any day after tuesday and im free, which is bout when i predict them to get more active and get busier as the week goes on and weather gets warmer

[gofish]

allrighty....jus called an gotta report fer jury duty tommorrow......aint they in fer a suprise....gonna find out they probly dont want me..too much redneck lol

[john h]

lmao was bout to say

you-jury duty= see you tuesday lol

well wednesday anyway, i catch 99% of the crappies on jigs there but might scrounge up some minners if i can find any local cause im a lazy behind

[gofish]

ever use a long crappie rod?ifn i make it itll probly be that an jig a bobbin fer me.....i hate minners!gotta drop the blame things on the bottom of the boat a couple times ta git a lil dirt on em so i can hold onta em,and yer hands git cold messin with em lol

[john h]

yeah i got a few 12 foot crappie rods, i use them mostly on the boat for trolling and when im fishing laydowns and timber at bigger lakes, but i occasionally take them heritage just cause its fun as all heck to catch anything on em.usually ill just use my 7 footers ... 90% of the time im using a float and 1/16th oz jig there tipped with either a waxie or crappie nibble. i have to go buy new trolling motor and another depthfinder for the ranger today so ill probably try it tommorow and buy wedsnday or thursday with the warmer temps should be better. my buddy got 6 saturday all 10-13 inches and a few smallish bass but it was butt behind cold then and ice hadjust opened up so a little warmth they will come shallow

[john h]

went a dropped 3 more pvc trees in heritage for some more structure.. used all my pvc i need another ****load

[gofish]

i gotta report in the morn fer jury duty,hope they jus send me home lol

[john h]

lol ill be out fishin.... was windier then hack today i stayed an hour and got 7 crappie and 3 bass bout 2 - 2 1/2 pounds