Early Spring Fishing on the Des Plaines River (March 2024)

I made a couple of trips recently this past weekend to the Des Plaines River for some multi species action. The bite was a bit slower than anticipated, but fishing close to the river bank in slack water (which is ideal during the spring when the shallows warm up quickly and the main river is typical high) produced some fish, including a nice healthy smallmouth!

[@jasondierbeck4392]

When I was younger, the DPR was full of bullheads. Now I hardly ever see them anymore. Now I catch mostly bass and pike with the occasional channel catfish. I think I've only caught one bullhead in the last decade and it was on a rooster tail spinner

[@outdoorswithmatt4709]

Honestly until recently I rarely caught bullheads from the DPR myself. A bullhead on a rooster tail is quite a surprise catch

[@Didot2]

You made the best of a bad situation. Welcome back.

[@DPRiverMonsters]

I've been fishing DPR for 4 years now, and the section I fish must be 💩 or maybe i just havent figured out the river yet cause I always see vids of ppl fishing this river, such as yourself, just absolutely slaying em. I was wondering if you can give me any tips, your preferred lures to use for Pike/Bass/Saugar? How to find em...Any advice in general I'd appreciate. Anyways, love the vids.

[@outdoorswithmatt4709]

Slack water around deep pools is usually the ticket to locating the fish. Cover and structure like bridges and submerged timber are also key spots. For lures, I do well with inline spinners, swimbaits, small jigs, and in summer, topwater