[Bearsfan]

With the Bears off on Sunday, was planning on taking the boy and a buddy of mine up to Delavan to cast jerk baits. Anybody been out? Anybody know any water temps after all that wind? When do you think Delavan is gonna turnover? How about Geneva? I've got the cold weather gear, I'd like to get a few trips in before hard water.

Just a quick trip in the morning as to be back in time for trick or treating... Happy Halloween.

[twade]

Not sure, but I heard using Rat-Traps right now (normal retrive, yo-yo etc) is a hot a bite and might get you on some pike and bass.

[tuggs3]

never fished delavan but i've seen some recent reports of really nice bass caught on crankbaits. 5lb range and fat. always say i'm going to fish delavan and ganeva come fall when the traffic dies down but never do.

[Paul S.]

That's a great idea. I thought about going up on Saturday.

I'd throw fast-moving baits such as cranks, jerks, rattle traps, and spinnerbaits/chatterbaits. Cover water from shallow out to the dropoff to see where fish are and then hammer them. Good luck.

[Bearsfan]

On the water from 7AM - 11 AM. Surface water temps 53-54 degrees.

20" Pike



21" Pike



Had a third fish follow but couldn't close the deal. It looked to be another pike about the same size. As it swam off, my son and I caught a glimpse of a white spot on it's tail, looked at each other and just smiled. That pike was dressed in a walleye costume for Halloween.

[ThunderStick]

Love that clown pattern on that Smithwick!

[Bearsfan]

That fish hit the clown bait about as hard as we hit the Sunday brunch buffet at Crandall's in Hebron, IL on the way home.

[tinyfisher]

Sounds like a fun trip, how'd the boat run? Water temps are dropping like a rock, I wouldn't be surprised if the lakes started turning with the next big blow. This weekend might be a good one to try elsewhere and let the lakes settle down.

[Bearsfan]

The prop I put on is a higher pitch. She gets out of the hole quick, but it was a chilly morning so I didn't subject the others in the boat to an all out test of the top end.

To your point, I'll probably see if the water temps are right for crappie in the pits this weekend. The minute you call and tell me the Geneva area lakes are mixed, we'll be back up that way.

[Bearsfan]

tuggs3 wrote:

...always say i'm going to fish delavan and ganeva come fall when the traffic dies down but never do.

I say the same thing about the chain and never go.

[Tom]

Geneva deep water smallies should just be kicking in with live perch rigs. Deep water.

Jeff, did you buy a new prop or just put the spare on? When you are coming out of the hole, do you have the motor trimmed to plow the bow? Best hole shot will come from the trim all the way down at idle. Pin the throttle, and hold your thumb on the up trim button right from the get go. The two off set each other and the shouldn't be ANY bow rise at all.

Tom

[Bearsfan]

Put on the spare. I just didn't get a chance to run it up to check the rpms at full speed.

[Tom]

Bearsfan wrote:

Put on the spare. I just didn't get a chance to run it up to check the rpms at full speed.

Those props are almost identical. I just bought a spare so that if I ever dinged a prop when away on vacation, I wasn't scrambling around to find a repair shop or a replacement prop when I would rather be on the water. Same goes for the trolling motor. Always have spare pins and props.

Ounce of prevention.....