Posted by Kevin Dells from spider-to013.proxy.aol.com on February 12, 2002 at 21:32:42:
To let anyone who hasnt heard, a group of us Kishwaukee river Smallmouth fanatics have joined the Illinois Smallmouth Alliance and are going to be planning fishing outings,Canoe/fishing outings,clean-ups and other events through out the summer.I know some of you would like to keep the Kish a secret but with over sixty miles of river to fish and TOTAL regard to C.P.R.we dont see any problems.Most of us fish areas that a lot of guy's wouldnt even bother to hike into anyhow,we bypass the Forest Preserve all together unless we only have an hour to fish and are looking to quick sneak out on the wife.Let me explain a little about the Alliance.The Alliance was started many years ago by a guy named Tim Holschlag,back then it was just the Smallmouth Alliance.Tims reason to start the club was to educate anglers about how easy it is to ruin a small stream or river due to harvesting smallmouth bass especially since they are a very aggresive fishand at times are really easy to catch.Over the years magazines like in-fisherman and Bassin have preached catch & release and today is practiced by most fishermen religously.A fish let go today is another persons catch tommorow.A few years went by and as more guy's joined the Alliance they found the need to be state to state.Now there are many states that have an Alliance chapters,Illinois,Missouri,and Minnesota for instance.
Illinois to this date has over 200 members most of which are downstate in the Kankakee Area.As i have fished the Kishwaukee over the years i have found many indications that the Kish was being abused by fellow users a few examples are people keeping fish outside slot limits and many of them at that.Farmfeild run-off is a huge problem! And my personal devil child problem the float tubers that float from Cherry Valley to Blackhawk road disposing of beer cans and bottles all along the way and not in trash containers where they should be.(pan down this b-board and read my post Trash Tubers Suck).I have found beer can christmas trees decorated with cans,bottles,Styrofoam,Paper and of course soiled underwear! I felt someone had to do something about this problem,so i e-mailed the Winnebago County Forest Preserve District and told them of these problems and got little if no response.So I joined the Alliance,this club will sign on to any petition or cause in the interest of smallmouth bass,they will donate time and money to clean-ups,habitat restorations,and stream bank restoration projects.They have signed on to the new Farm bill which limits the farmers tougher restrictions in the interests of rivers and streams.They are working with my guy's and myself for a smallmouth stocking program that the D.N.R. will hopefully match.The stocking program is planned for the Cherry Valley and Belvidere area,and also some south branch sites to help with the farm manure fish kill ten years ago.Jay Angel,Doug Goodman,and Phil Pash who are local outdoor writers are all backing us 100% on these issues.Angler Ed who owns this web-site helps us with the banners like the one you see listed up top.
So this is going to be a WINNING battle for us and hopefully someday soon we will see our efforts returned.
With becoming an Alliance member you will receive a bi monthly newsletter written by some of the best smallmouth fishermen in the state,they also offer many outings to rivers all over the upper portion of the state like the Kankakee,Fox,and Dupage rivers.They also offer free guiding on those rivers if your interested.Norm Minus is one of the best Kankakee fishermen out there and Norm has posted a free trip to any Alliance member willing to make the trip.He posts on this board,look him up and arrange a day on the Kankakee if your not a member you soon will be after fishing with Norm!
The Alliance offers out of state trips to places like Sylvania Michigan which is one of my favorites.
So if this sounds interesting to you come out and join us for our meeting March 10th at Gander Mountain at 10:00am,and thank you Gander Mountain for sponsoring us!We will have a guest speaker Pete Plauck,He has caught so many smallies and other fish his portfolio's are about to burst and it should be an interesting to time for both the experienced and inexperienced fisherman alike,you are sure to learn something.You need not be a member everyones invited and by that time Gander Mountain should have their full line of fishing equipment to check out afterwards. If you have any questions e-mail me Kevin Dells at kdells1@aol.com and i will be happy to answer. Summers on it's way lets get together and make a difference on the Kish this year!