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An Apple a Day
This pristine northern Illinois river
STORY BY GARY THOMAS
I've fished streams for trout in the western part of the united States and
waded smaller rivers in the eastren states in search of smallmouth bass. None of those streams I've fished
has any thing on Illinois' Apple river.
My introduction to Apple River fishing was almost by accident--a visit to see some of the state parks in the northern Illinois in the early1970s. I was travelling with a photographer who insisted we stop by Apple River Canyon State Park for some scenic photos. The photographer walked around the park taking photos while I wandered along the stream admiring the riffles, rapids and quite pools. Although I didn't have the opportunity to fish the river that first visit, I promised myself I'd return in the near future. And I did. During the next few years, I made it a point to visit the river atleast once , and sometimes twice, each year. I probably would have continued to do so had it not been heavy spring rain in wisconsin in the late-1970s that washed fertilizer and other chemicals into the stream and killed the fish. The river was restocked, but before the fish could reach keepable size, the same thing happened again.
14 OutdoorIllinois
The spectacular beauty of the Apple River makes a day of fishing there worthwhile. Catching fish is just a bonus.
The river rebounded quickly and continued its tradition of a strong smallmouth bass fishery. I returned to fishing the Apple River about five years ago, and I haven't been disappointed. The river retained all the qualities I remembered from past years, and the fishing is better than ever.
Anglers have to keep in mind that most of the river passes through private land, so permission to fish is required in most locations if you're outside the state park boundaries.
Keep in mind, too, that Apple River Canyon State Park is relatively small, with less than a mile of river flowing through the site. But what a mile! The scenery is beautiful. You'll encounter riffles, shallows, rocky areas, quiet pools and rapids as the water cuts through rocks, rolling hills, forested areas and areas featuring 100-foot-high cliffs with jagged, rocky outcroppings. And the fishing can be as spectacular as the scenery.
Somewhat smaller than most of the eastern and western streams I have fished, the Apple averages about 20 to 30 feet in width and 2 to 3 feet in depth where it passes through the park. However, there are wider and deeper places, such as a pool near the spot in the park where two forks of the river join and the water is 15 to 20 feet deep.
The predominant species for Apple River anglers will be smallmouth bass, but you can also catch carp, bullhead and suckers. During the spring, the site is stocked with 10- to 12-inch rainbow trout as part of DNR's catchable trout program. Jeff Hensal, site superintendent of the park, said the catch and release trout program is very popular, especially with the locals, but that a lot of anglers travel to the park from long distances each year for the opportunity to catch the fish.
"Most of the trout are caught during the first month of being released into the stream, but because of the frigid nature of the water in this river, some will live throughout the year and show up as larger fish—upwards of 18 inches—the following spring. Anglers also can catch northern pike in the river. In fact, Hensal said anglers can expect to catch just about anything you might catch from the Mississippi River. The only thing that keeps the fish from reaching the park is the dam at Hanover, and fish can make their way past that obstacle when the water is high.
Still, it's the smallmouth bass that attract most anglers. The fish aren't large, averaging just 10 to 12 inches in length, but they will put up a whale of a fight. It is an area that seems to be designed especially for scaled-down equipment— light fly-rods and ultra-light spinning gear. But be ready. Every once in awhile you'll hook into a 2-pound fish that will give you the battle of your life if you're using light equipment.
Smallmouth bass are an exciting species of fish to catch because of July 2001 15
Freeman is your typical fly fisherman, wearing an accessory-laden vest and carrying a sampling of different flies to entice the hungry smallmouth bass.
their aggressive behavior, especially in this river, so you can expect good action once you've located the fish. The key to success, then, is locating the fish. Hensal said the smallmouth travel to different parts of the river throughout the day.
"They may rest in a quiet pool one part of the day, then move into the fast-moving riffles to feed," he said. "The best advice I can give you if you're not catching fish is to keep moving around in the river until you locate them."
Hensal suggested anglers try fishing at the end of long pools, in the still pools, near current breaks, riffle areas and along rock edges.
"Cast as close to the rocks as you can when you're fishing the bluff areas," he said. "The smallmouth like to stay close to the rocks and pick off insects that fall or get blown off the ledges into the water. The important thing to remember is to keep moving until you locate the fish. And don't give up on an area because the water is only 6 inches deep. Smallmouth will stay in those shallow areas as much as any other part of the stream."
The park features easy places to fish from and places that are hard to get to. The easiest place to fish is right in the middle of the park, near where the two branches of the river meet. The shoreline is relatively easy to fish from, plus some areas have large rocks that have been brought in to help reduce erosion. They are ideal platforms for fishing, and you can catch nice fish from there.
Anglers are allowed to wade in the river in some parts of the park. But be careful not to venture into areas where wading is not permitted. While the river might be only 6 inches deep in some areas, you can get in over your head.
Some anglers opt for waders and/or hip boots, though just as many will be found wading in an old pair of jeans and tennis shoes. If you opt for the latter, keep in mind that this water is cold, even in mid-August, so plan to take breaks out of the water from time to time to warm up.
Hensal said fly rod enthusiasts use any number of dry flies to entice the smallmouth, while anglers using ultra-light equipment seem to have the best luck using small in-line spinners, mini diving lures, tiny flatfish lures or other small lures that mimic a food source.
"The key is to scale down," Hensal said. "You are going to be fishing for smaller fish, and they likely will ignore large lures."
Because smallmouth are quick to swallow live baits, anglers using these are encouraged to use barbless hooks. The most effective live baits are small worms and hell-grammites, though crickets also will catch fish.
DNR encourages catch and release fishing at the Apple River. In fact, there is a one fish daily limit, and it has to have a minimum length of 14 inches.
Because Apple River is not heavily fished, you'll have good success on most fishing trips. But as every angler knows, there also will be days when you can't get the fish to bite no matter what you try.
I managed to catch only two smallmouth bass in the three hours I spent fishing the river last year. However, I've caught upwards of 20 nice bass in less than three hours of fishing on previous trips.
If you're looking for large fish or a limit of fish to put in the skillet, the Apple River is probably not for you.
For me, it's the solitude and the beauty that keep me coming back. The river never seems crowded, even on weekends, and I have never grown tired of the beautiful scenery surrounding the stream. And with an ultra-light rod and reel and a handful of tiny lures, I get the added bonus of an action-packed day.
I've come to the conclusion that nothing I write, nor any photos taken, can truly do this river justice. You just have to see and experience the Apple River to truly appreciate it. If you do, you'll likely make plans to return. 16 OutdoorIllinois |
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