Brought my bike out and rode down the road to about the 120 marker, just around the turn. Fished from 3 to 5 PM and the bite was hot for catfish. Caught the usual small channel cats but also a good number of 2-5lb Blues. I was using floats and crawlers down about 4 to 6 feet. Bite was good near shore or casting out. It didn't really matter much. At times it was hard to keep two floats in the water at the same time. Just wish there was some shade on the... well anywhere.
Tight lines.
My Son and I hit LaSalle for a few hours yesterday.
Temp at the mouth of the discharge channel was 93*.
North pool was 87*.
Middle pool was around 81* iirc.
South pool was 77* iirc.
Caught the usual fish, none stood out except the bass. The couple of Largemouth I caught (north pool) burning a rattletrap next to the rocks were the fattest 14" bass I've ever seen. It was almost comical !
Decided to give the lake one more try before it closes next week so I went for a few hours after work. Used 1/4oz. white roadrunner with a red twister tail. I fished along the riprap and caught a good variety of fish: Mostly smallmouth and largemouth with some up to 14" but a lot around 10". Several bluegills and green sunfish up to 9" and the usual channel cats. Hardly anyone there but I'm glad I was.
For those of you that don"t know what's going on, the fish kill at LaSalle lake is mostly shad and carp. There were a few bass and large catfish that probably were injured and could not survive the high temps of the water that occur whenever there is a prolonged event of temps in the 90's. This happens quite regularly in late July and August, "Dog Days of Summer". This IS a cooling lake for a nuclear power plant. Water temps will go over a hundred degrees at the discharge end. There is nothing to worry about. If you fish it, stay away from the final section by the discharge, that is if you don't mind getting vapor-lock in your outboard motor and have to get towed back to the launch!! Tight lines and go fish the river until things cool down!!
If LaSalle opens up anytime soon or opening day any year, try these two spots for hybrids. The southeast corner and northeast corner of the main lake. From the parking lot it is a 2 mile walk to the southeast corner and 3 miles to the northeast corner; nice hike. It will be crowded with shore fishermen and boats but that is where you are going to catch them. You can slay them with liver, or for a challenge try rattle baits, spoons or body baits. You can find YouTube videos from previous years. Back in the late 80's and early 90's you could get the hybrids just about anywhere but those areas are where they congregate now.
Did anyone who reads this, have the opportunity in the late 80's, just after it opened to go LaSalle in the winter? There was a small parking lot on the north side of the lake right along the discharge channel. The guys I used to go with have all passed away, but everyday in the discharge channel was like opening day. But that wasn't good enough for some people who had to press it and sneak right up to the plant. That led to closing the gate forever. Although, with as foggy as it is I'm sure it would pose a security problem now.
