Just returned from my church's annual Illinois River catfishing trip. This was the 41st year and we had a great time but didn't catch quite as many fish as we normally do. We have had so much rain all summer the river was moving very rapidly and many times it was impossible to stop where you wanted to drop a line. At times it was really difficult to stand up even in knee deep water. Also, the water was the clearest I had ever seen it, you could stand in up to your neck and see your feet. I think catfish like murky water better, but everything was green and the river was absolutely beautiful. Only eight of us went this year, and we all floated in fishing tubes with the johnboat and the gear floating between us. It was very hot but the river was nice and cool and we stayed comfortable all day the first night I slept in my tent and I was a little warm but the next night we all slept outside and it was just cool enough I covered up with my sleeping bag but left it unzipped. I have not slept under the stars in years and it was great. Surprisingly there were no flies or mosquitoes., just the typical cottonmouth and a few water snakes. We typically catch 150 to 250 fish and did not do near as well but it was sure a fun time and I love seeing some of the younger guys getting into fishing and camping for the first time and really enjoying it!
My annual innertube fishing trip
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MSgt G
US Veteran
Sounds like a wonderful trip and tradition!
You lost me at the word "Cottonmouths". No thank you.
OP
Near the end of the trip there's a spring fed creek called Barrenfork that feeds into the river and the creek is very cold. We always stop there for a while and get refreshed.
Don't believe Hollywood. Every cottonmouth I've ever seen was heading the other way.OP, that looks like a great trip whether you caught fish or not.
OP
On the first trip I was exhausted at the end of the day. Floating down the river in a tube dodging boulders and downed trees, while trying to take a catfish off of the hook and put him on the stringer, then bait your hook and not miss the fishing hole going by is harder than you think. After dinner I went to lay down in my tent to stretch my back and the next thing I know, I woke up to the sound of guys drinking coffee and cooking breakfast. I had not even closed the door on my tent that night and then heard someone yell "there's a Cottonmouth"! I got up quickly with my S&W 586 C02, 6" pellet pistol and shot him in the head 20 feet from my tent door. Another one appeared and I handed the gun to my buddy Jimmy (who's a really good shot) and he shot it in the head. That night I made sure my tent door was COMPLETELY zipped closed and I stacked all my gear in front of it!
