40th annual Illinois River Float Fishing Trip

[Farmer17]

Just got back from an annual fishing trip that some friends have gone on for many years. We floated on fishing inner tubes down the Illinois river near Tahlequah Oklahoma for three days with a Jon boat between us with all our tents, ice chests, and gear for three days. We had a great time and caught about 150 fish and had a lot of laughs and ate some good food. It rained really hard the first night and all of the next day and we fished in the rain all day long. It kept us nice and cool and it made the fish hungry which made the fishing really fun. It's pretty tricky trying to float down a river in a tube you can't control and you're trying to dodge boulders in the water while you're reeling in a catfish and trying to put him on your stringer and bait the hook. By the time we stopped and set up camp, pitch our tents, and cooked dinner we were pretty tired. We would sit around the fire and tell stories and laugh for a while and it was then really easy to go to sleep. I look forward to the 41st trip next year.

 

[woodsltc]

Sounds like a great trip with friends..........thanks for sharing the pics and story.

Don

 

[jack the toad]

Looks like good times with good folks, hard to beat.
Thanks for the pics...

 

[OLDSTER]

Fun time, and some delicious eating. Did you hear any banjos playing in the distance.??

 

[yeti]

That looks like a great trip. Nice!

 

[s&wchad]

Sounds like a great time!
I take it you supervise and have the young bucks do most of the work.
I would!

 

[Farmer17]

We told the young guys that this year we were going to let them have the honor of cleaning all the fish. Didn't hear any complaints but it's not easy cleaning 150 Catfish!

 

[Old Arkansawyer]

A friend, one of the few that owned a canoe in those days, canoed from
the Walter Carnes low water bridge just below the Ark./Okla line to the
highway 10 bridge at Tahlequah, in 1963. In the 3 days we saw 2 people, one fishing from the bank the other in a wooden jon boat.
The water was crystal clear and cool.
I last floated it in 78 and even then it was to crowded and trashy.
I'm glad you enjoyed.

 

[Faulkner]

Nothing like making memories on a float trip.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Was gonna ask you about them jumping fish - Asian Carp.
Have seen videos about them up on the Illinois River in Illinois, but your down in OK!
Never mind!

 

[Farmer17]

There are little fish here that swim in huge schools that like to jump out of the water, I think they might be shad. Sometimes you'll see hundreds of them jumping and one of them hit me in the mouth a couple weeks ago while a few of us were sitting on ski vests in the water next to my boat.

 

[CALREB]

Farmer that looks great. Thanks for sharing. Im jealous. Been many years since I have done anything like that. Not sure I still could..