Monday, March 15, 2010
Fishing license
• Annual fee: $13 or $6.75 for seniors 65 and older. A non-residents can purchase a 10-day license for $13 or a daily license for $5.50.
• Those under 16 do not require a fishing license.
Statewide limits
Black bass: daily catch is three fish in rivers and streams and six bass in lakes or ponds.
Tiger & pure muskie: 1 fish, 36-inches.
Northern pike: 3 fish daily, 24-inch minimum.
Trout: 5 fish daily
Striped, white, spotted bass: 3 fish 17 inches or longer
* Walleye/Sauger: 6 fish daily. Minimum length is 14 inches statewide.
Special Kankakee River limit:
• Smallmouth bass: A slot limit is enforced between the Kankakee dam and the mouth of the river west of Wilmington. Daily limit is three bass with one fish over 18 inches and two under 12 inches allowed.
• No fishing within 250 yards of an occupied waterfowl blind within waterfowl refuge or hunting areas.
• “No trespassing” for fishing in designated waterfowl area 7 days prior to season or to fish areas posted for waterfowl hunting.
Kankakee and Iroquois rivers
• Walleye: 16 inch minimum / 3 fish daily creel.
Braidwood Lake
• Large and smallmouth bass: 1 fish daily, 18 inch minimum
• Crappie 10 fish daily limit
Mazonia Lakes
• Channel Catfish — 6 Fish Daily Creel Limit
• Large or smallmouth bass — 15” Minimum Length / 3 fish daily creel
• Crappie — 10 fish daily
Ponderosa Lake at Mazonia
• Bluegill or redear Sunfish — 10 Fish Daily Creel Limit
• Channel catfish — 6 fish daily
• Largemouth/smallmouth bass — 15 inch minimum / 3 fish daily
• Crappie 10 fish daily
Heidecke Lake
• Channel catfish: 6 fish daily limit
• Large or smallmouth bass: 15-inch minimum, 3 fish limit
• striped, white or hybrid striped bass: 10 creel, 3 only over 17-inches
• Walleye 16 inch minimum, 3 fish daily limit/
Monee Reservoir (Will County)
• Catfish — 6 fish daily
• Large or smallmouth bass — 1 fish daily / 15 inch minimum
Best spots
• Check the dams at Momence, Kankakee and Wilmington.
• Old dam east of the Aroma Park bridge.
• riffles downstream from Kankakee through state park.
Record fish
• Walleye: Illinois record walleye is a 14 pounder taken from the Kankakee near Eagle Island in 1961 by Fred Goselin of Kankakee.
• Northern pike: A 26 lb. 15 oz. caught in November, 1989 by Walter Klenzak at Monster Lake just north of Essex in northwestern Kankakee County.
Boat ramps
• at Indiana State Line. Access from north bank only.
Momence area:
• River Isle, now owned by state, 3 1/2 miles east on Route 114. Room for 10 trailers.
• Lake Alexander Campground, 1 3/4 mile east on Rt. 114. Parking for 10 trailer. Fee.
• Momence, east end of Fourth Street. Parking for 25 trailers.
Aroma Park:
• Potawatomi Park Ramp, north side of river off Front Street. Parking for 40 trailers.
At Kankakee
• River Road Park, south side of river, Parking for 20 trailers.
• Beckman Park, north side of river. Parking fee is $3 vehicle only, $5 vehicle and trail for non-residents of park district.
• Jeffers Park, south side of river just east of Washington Avenue.
• Bird Park, south of Court Street off Wall Street. Parking for 25 trailers.
At state park
• Chippewa Campground, north side of river, off Warner Bridge Road. Parking for 20 trailers.
• Area 9, (Will County) south side of river off Rt. 113 northwest of Warner Bridge Road.
Wilmington area (Will County)
• Riverfront Campground on north shore off Rt. 102 2.7 miles south of Wilmington off Rivals Road.
• DesPlaines Fish & Wildlife Area, north shore. Take Route 53 north from Wilmington to Old River Road.
Bait & tackle:
• Frank's Bait, 621 N. Dixie, Momence
• Taz’s Bait, 660 W. Station St., Kankakee
• Kankakee River Trading Post in Altorf, Off Route 102 on Altorf Road by the Kankakee River State Park.
• Angelo’s Bait, 708 W. Baltimore St., Wilmington.
By Bill Byrns
bbyrns@daily-journal.com
815-468-7349
Looking for some fast-paced fishing for catfish, smallmouth bass and walleye? If so the Kankakee River is the place for you.
The river downstream from Kankakee produces some of the best smallmouth bass fishing in the state. Much of the area is bordered by the Kankakee River State Park and allows easy access to fishermen.
Channel cats, the most widespread species in the river, can be caught just about anywhere. Flatheads are more common from the west end of the state park to Wilmington.
The best smallie action occurs in early spring and fall. Spinners, crank baits, jigs and similar artificial are good as are minnows, worms, frogs and crayfish. Riffles, creek mouths and fast water below dams popular spots to check.
Walleyes, now pushing into the 11-pound class, are becoming more abundant thanks to an aggressive stocking program. The Kankakee holds the record walleye for both Illinois and Indiana.
Fishermen can also enjoy catching bluegill, carp, crappie, drum, northern pike, largemouth bass and rock bass along its 55-mile run from Indiana.
East of Momence the river pass through a marshy area known as the Momence Wetland. At Momence the river widens and becomes a sandier stretch on its way to Aroma Park and Kankakee.
Between Aroma Park and the dam at Kankakee is a deeper channel where power boat and water-skiers play. A small boat harbor is located in Kankakee at Beckman Park and along is just up the Iroquois at the Aroma Park Boat Club.
Downstream from Kankakee the river retains much of its undisturbed gravel bottom, a perfect spot for finding gamefish.
Along most of its length the river is shallow, ideal for canoes, kayaks, jonboats or jet skis.
Most areas the river is shallow enough for wading. Dams at Momence, Kankakee and Wilmington become popular fishing spots as is the miles of shoreline access found at the Kankakee River State Park.
Largemouth bass and pike can be found along the river’s quieter backwaters, behind islands or inner bends of the stream. The Momence area and the DesPlaines Conservation are good spots for largemouth and pike.