Anglers Can Keep Busy in Winter
By Scott Richardson;srichardson@pantagraph.com
Ifyou think theres nothing for fishermen to do in winter, thats your own fault.
The winter months are some of the best and busiest when it comes to all things angling.
Heres just a partial list of some events you wont want to miss:- Midwest Marine in Heyworth is hosting top professional bass angler Peter Thliverous during its open house from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Several local bass anglers who compete on tournament circuits closer to home also will be giving seminars. Hot dogs and soda plus door prizes will be given away. Dont miss this fun event close to home.- The Northwest Chicago Sports Show starts today and ends Sunday at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights. Admission is $7 for adults. Expect a $6 additional parking fee. Seminar presenters include outdoor television personality Babe Winkelman; Fishing Hall of Fame member and top fishing educator Spence Petros; smallmouth expert Mike Mladenik; guide Todd Berg; ultralight fishing expert Mick Thill; flyfisher Pat Ehlers; Bob Jenkins and Darrell Baker on fishing lake Michigan for salmon, browns and steelhead; river expert Bob Bott; Candian fishing guide Rick Krueger; Karen DiPietro, an up-and- coming angler who knows Illinois and Kentucky bass and musky waters; and Capt. Bryan Smith, a boating instructor, a Great Lakes expert and founder of the U.S. Captains Training School. Learn more at http://www.nwchicagosportsshow.com/eventinfo.html. – Top professional bass angler Shaw Grigsby, top professional walleye pro Rick LaCourse and Denny Halgren, a top Illinois catfish guide with a knack for huge flathead catfish will headline the Midstate Fish & Feather Expo at the Interstate Center in Bloomington Jan. 26-28. Other speakers include top Central Illinois muskie guide Dave Ludington; fishing guide Paul Center on Lakes Evergreen and Bloomington; Steve Welch, a guide for crappie, white bass and muskies at Lakes Shelbyville and Clinton; and Terry Brown and Jim Crowley, who rank among the best bass anglers in Central Illinois.- PrairieLand Anglers fishing club hosts Paul Center speaking on walleye rigging at 7 p.m. Jan. 11 at the Bloomington Public Library. Free and open to the public. – The 2007 Chicagoland Outdoors Show is Jan. 10-14 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. The event features the Fishing Hall, the Outfitters & Lodges section, DockDogs Competition, fishing seminars and more. Jim Crowley from Bloomington headlines on bass and Canadian pike. Admission is $9 for adults, $8 for seniors, $3 for kids 6-12. Visit www.chicagolandsportsshow.com or phone (312) 511-8376.- The Chicago Musky Show is Jan. 12-14 at Harper College in Palatine. Seminars will be held all weekend. Vendors offer the latest in gear to chase the top predator in freshwater. Joe Bucher, Jim Saric, Spence Petros and others headline. Admission is $10 a day, $20 for three-day pass. To learn more, visit http://www.chicagomuskieshow.com/ seminars.html.- Faithful Fishermen fishing club hosts decoy carver Pat Gregory at 7 p.m. Jan. 15 in the Fellowship Hall at the Lexington Community Church. Gregory will speak on carving and collecting ice spearing decoys. The meeting is free and open to the public. – Central Illinois Musky Hunters will host Jeff Gillis talking on using maps and GPS at the White Oak Lake Pavilion, 1514 N. Cottage in Bloomington at 7 p.m. Jan. 17. Free and open. Looking ahead to 5:15 p.m. March 31 at the Instate Center, the club will host Jim Saric, host and executive producer of The Musky Hunter television series, which kicks off Saturday. Check local times. Saric is also editor and publisher of Musky Hunter Magazine and a seven-time musky tournament winner. The event is free.
Tournament notes
The Tri-County Catfish Association hosts the Polar Cat Tournament at Baldwin Lake from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 3. Limit 30 two-angler teams at $200 a boat with 90 percent payback to top five teams. Phone Jack Anderson at (309) 261-2960.
/eventinfo.html. – Top professional bass angler Shaw Grigsby, top professional walleye pro Rick LaCourse and Denny Halgren, a top Illinois catfish guide with a knack for huge flathead catfish will headline the Midstate Fish & Feather Expo at the Interstate Center in Bloomington Jan. 26-28. Other speakers include top Central Illinois muskie guide Dave Ludington; fishing guide Paul Center on Lakes Evergreen and Bloomington; Steve Welch, a guide for crappie, white bass and muskies at Lakes Shelbyville and Clinton; and Terry Brown and Jim Crowley, who rank among the best bass anglers in Central Illinois.- PrairieLand Anglers fishing club hosts Paul Center speaking on walleye rigging at 7 p.m. Jan. 11 at the Bloomington Public Library. Free and open to the public. – The 2007 Chicagoland Outdoors Show is Jan. 10-14 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. The event features the Fishing Hall, the Outfitters & Lodges section, DockDogs Competition, fishing seminars and more. Jim Crowley from Bloomington headlines on bass and Canadian pike. Admission is $9 for adults, $8 for seniors, $3 for kids 6-12. Visit www.chicagolandsportsshow.com or phone (312) 511-8376.- The Chicago Musky Show is Jan. 12-14 at Harper College in Palatine. Seminars will be held all weekend. Vendors offer the latest in gear to chase the top predator in freshwater. Joe Bucher, Jim Saric, Spence Petros and others headline. Admission is $10 a day, $20 for three-day pass. To learn more, visit http:// www.chicagomuskieshow.com/seminars.html.- Faithful Fishermen fishing club hosts decoy carver Pat Gregory at 7 p.m. Jan. 15 in the Fellowship Hall at the Lexington Community Church. Gregory will speak on carving and collecting ice spearing decoys. The meeting is free and open to the public. – Central Illinois Musky Hunters will host Jeff Gillis talking on using maps and GPS at the White Oak Lake Pavilion, 1514 N. Cottage in Bloomington at 7 p.m. Jan. 17. Free and open. Looking ahead to 5:15 p.m. March 31 at the Instate Center, the club will host Jim Saric, host and executive producer of The Musky Hunter television series, which kicks off Saturday. Check local times. Saric is also editor and publisher of Musky Hunter Magazine and a seven-time musky tournament winner. The event is free.
Tournament notes
The Tri-County Catfish Association hosts the Polar Cat Tournament at Baldwin Lake from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 3. Limit 30 two-angler teams at $200 a boat with 90 percent payback to top five teams. Phone Jack Anderson at (309) 261-2960.
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