Flyfishing the Lower River for Trout

Flyfishing the Lower River for Trout

Kelly with a nice Rainbow

Fishing for trout on the Lower Illinois River can be fun if you know the right techniques. The best technique seems to be dead-drifting with nymphs. Take a good selection and experiment with streamer fishing and dry flies while your there.

Take a good selection

Most the fish seem to stay in the pools rather than the fast water. There are not as many access points as the upper river but there are several. Right at the dam is the most popular and MarVals has the best facilities. Call MarVals for the best available information.

Remember you have to have a Trout stamp and MarVals can sell you one.

When flyfishing the Lower Illinois for trout you prefer the generators to be off. When they turn the generators on the water level will get high very quickly. There is a web site you can look at and a phone number for the schedule. But there is no guarantee that is will be that way. Anytime they feel they need more power, they will turn it on.

It can be disappointing, to drive down there and find it on. It can be DANGEROUS, if you are in the river and they turn the generators on. There is a horn that "sounds" and if you're anywhere near you will here it. It means GET OUT NOW. I have been fishing and had people ask me what the horn means and I tell them. I once met a young man walking down the river as I was leaving and I suggested he leave. He gave me a dirty look and asked why. I simply stated, "look at your feet". It went from dry, to over our ankles during our short conversation.

If you cross the river anywhere beyond the dam area, put a stick near the waters edge that you can see from your fishing spot. If you see your stick is now in the water get back across quickly or you may be walking all the way back to the highway. Never try to cross if it gets to high! It's not worth it. Where do you fish when the water comes up? You tell me. Be careful.