Former Stevenson principal reels in bass by the school

Friday, August 24, 2007 11:49 PM CDT

By Scott Richardson
srichardson@pantagraph.com

BOULDER JUNCTION, Wis. — Bloomington’s former Stevenson School principal Paul O’Brian of Towanda and Rick Laleman, a retired Bloomington School District 87 administrator, taught smallmouth bass a thing or two on a recent trip.

The pair boated fish after fish up to 5 pounds after focusing on smaller Vilas County lakes.

“We had the most incredible smallmouth fishing I’ve had in my life,” O’Brian said. “We literally ran out of bait. It was unbelievable.”

O’Brian is familiar with fishing in that neck of the Northwoods, where he, and his father before him, had a cabin on Big Arbor Vitae.

But on this trip, the goal was to concentrate on smaller, lesser known bodies of water. They bought a book listing lakes in Vilas County. But their best tip came from the owner of the lodge where they stayed.

The best presentation turned out to be spinning gear, light line and a simple hook and split shot combination with leeches. When the live bait was gone, they switched to black plastic Yum Bait resembling a leech. The action continued with rigged wacky-worms with the hook in the middle of the plastic worm.

The best locations proved to be rock bars and humps near small feeder creeks. Lack of fishing pressure may have played a part.

“I think the key is to not be afraid of going off to some of the smaller lakes,” O’Brian said. “One of the fisheries up there that’s not fished much is the smallmouth and if you hit it right, it’s great.”

What’s biting

Crappie – Good at Shabbona, Clinton; fair at Shelbyville, Bloomington; picking up at Evergreen; fair at Spring Lake, Banner Marsh.

Saugeye — Slow at Evergreen.

Sauger — Spotty at the Illinois River, which is high and dirty.

Walleye — Fair at Shelbyville; slow at Clinton, Shabbona, Dawson.

Largemouth bass – Good at Shabbona, Sangchris, Decatur; fair at Dawson, Clinton; slow at Lake Bloomington, Evergreen.

Smallmouth bass – Slow at Powerton; fair on rivers, according to guide Jonn Graham.

Striped bass – Fair in spillways at Clinton and Decatur and at Sangchris after dark.

White bass – Very good at Decatur; good at Clinton; fair at Shelbyville; spotty at the Illinois River.

Catfish — Excellent at Shabbona; very good at LaSalle and Illinois River before it rose, Powerton, Sangchris, Decatur; fair at Dawson, Evergreen, Spring Lake, Weldon Springs.

Muskies — Slow at Shelbyville, Evergreen, Shabbona; too hot for safe releases.

Bluegills — Good at LaSalle, Sangchris, Evergreen, Shabonna, Powerton; fair at Spring Lake.

Got a fish story, a hot spot, big fish or lots of them? Something funny happen? Phone Pantagraph outdoor editor Scott Richardson at (309) 820-3227 or e-mail srichardson@pantagraph.com . Read past fishing reports and outdoor columns and take part in online discussions at w, ww.pantagraph.com /blogs.