Wintry conditions for RCL Tour on Illinois River quell jig bite, necessitate trolling
SPRING VALLEY, Ill. – Forget the jigging rods. It’s time for the top 10 anglers in the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Tour’s final day to go for a troll on the Illinois River.
With the return of winter to the Midwest – below-freezing temperatures, snow flurries and frigid north winds – few finalists are banking on jigging when handlining or leadcore trolling appears to be the best way to mop up despite an increasingly erratic sauger action.
Yesterday’s ninth-place finalist, John Kolinski of Menasha, Wis., knows what has to be done now that jigging has hit the skids. “My bite’s going to die,” Kolinski says. “I can’t beat the trollers with a jig. This is the first time I don’t think I can do it. I’m going to handline, even though I hate it, or troll leadcore.”
Handlining and leadcore trolling were the top techniques for the top pair of pros throughout the tournament. Ranger pro Keith Eshbaugh of West Alexander, Pa., handlined his way into second place Wednesday with a six-fish limit weighing 15 pounds, 1 ounce. Evinrude pro Pat Neu of Forestville, Wis., who has climbed atop the leader board with a mix of leadcore trolling and jigging, says he believes trolling is the ticket for today, with jigging a fallback technique.
“I’d like to jig, but not until the sun comes out and warms the water,” says Neu, who notes the water temperature has fallen to 51 degrees from highs of 58 degrees. “The front came through yesterday – the leading edge of it when that thunderstorm moved through. But river fish have to feed because they’re always swimming.
“You get the active ones with the ‘core, and you go back and get the finicky ones with the jig.”
Neu says he has a couple of secrets to his success. One is trolling lead upstream with jointed Rapala Shad Raps at speeds of 2.2 mph. Another is following contours instead of pulling baits midriver.
“I’m strictly catching all my fish on the breakline from the shoreline,” Neu says. “All these other guys are farther out on the humps and dunes.”
One jigging holdout is Ranger pro Richard Zachowski of Milwaukee, who brought in a six-fish limit weighing 14 pounds, 9 ounces pitching jigs just below the dam at Starved Rock. It’s highly possible the saugers holding in the current below the dam will be less affected by the sudden downturn in the weather.
We’ll find out when the top 10 return to the Spring Valley Boat Club at 3 p.m. and make their way to the weigh-in at the Wal-Mart at 1650 38th St. in Peru, about a quarter-mile south of Interstate 80 from exit 75.
Saturday’s conditions:
Sunrise: 5:32 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 28 degrees (wind chill: 15 degrees)
Expected high temperature: 40 degrees
Water temperature: 51 degrees
Wind: from the northwest at 18 mph
Relative humidity: 46 percent
Day’s outlook: winter storm watch later today
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