My Love of Rivers

It all Began....

My love for water started way before I was born, my mother and father went fishing all the time when they first met and one could say these fishing adventures could of helped bring me into this world. From the late nights Bass and Catfishing in strip mines or on rivers, my mother diligently carried me on these adventures until I was born in November 1984. They even swamped a small Jon boat in a strip mine, where they had to swim a little bit to get back to shore. If I remember correctly my mother lost her purse in that incident and oddly enough had it returned 19 years later when they drained that strip pit.

My parents fishing slowed down a little after I was born, but when they did get out to go I was right there on the shore taking it all in. My love for water and the outdoors slowly grew into an obsession at a young age, you couldn't keep me away from the water. My grandparents Ron and Judy owned a cabin in southern Illinois and they would manage to steal me and my siblings away from my parents a couple weekends a month, where we roam the backwaters of the Kaskaskia River in Fayette County Illinois. We would get up in the morning at the cabin, drag sticks, logs, and work until lunch the days we were down and then go off wandering the river bottoms all afternoon. I can't help but feel lucky to still have my grandmother Judy today, as many times we almost gave her a heart attack over snakes, frogs, and toads we would surprise her with at times, lol.

My great grandfather Blaine stopped fishing rivers long before I was old enough to go out in the boat fishing with him, however he was probably one of the best Bass fisherman I have ever met. He used to take me out to strip mines and show me numerous different ways to catch fish. He only helped my love for water increase, when he got older I was starting to drive and it got harder for him to go out on his own. I would go over on the weekends and take him out for the day or my dad, grandpa, and brothers would load up and go together. We had great memories of fishing with my grandfather Blaine and I will always cherish the time we had on this earth. He was an inspiring part of my life and he taught me a great many things about fishing.

My grandfather Lee took me a few times out on the Illinois River to catfish out of his red Jon boat and we would catch catfish, carp, and drum. He taught me some interesting things about the river and how to position in current to catch fish transitioning between deep and shallow water. I think one time we probably caught over 50 fish in a matter of a few hours. We also had our family trips to Minnesota where we would catch bass, pike, walleye, and panfish. Sadly I wish I could have got to fish with my grandpa Lee more often, but I will always cherish the good times we did have. I feel extremely blessed to have had all of the great people in my life growing up, and I wouldn't have my love for the outdoors, fishing, and especially rivers if I didn't.

My mother Christy would always take us fishing when my dad had to work or go away for work. We would go to the Fox River and a place called Fermi-Lab up by Aurora, Illinois. to be honest I think I spent more time catching silver dollar sized softshell turtles wading in the Fox than I ever caught fish, lol. We caught tons of yellow bullhead in Fermi-lab. She always made sure to take us outside when she could and we love her for it. When my Dad would take us all we would catfish from the banks of the Fox by the slaughterhouse and have decent luck on channel catfish. My Dad would also go after some small mouth bass and other species while we were out. We moved to Metamora when I was 12 and I spent most of my time around the Kaskaskia and Illinois River systems up until 18.

I remember turning 18 and my grandparents decided to sell their cabin in southern Illinois, I think that was probably one of the most depressing things in my life. We spent every other weekend at that place roaming the river bottoms for my whole childhood. Some of the best Halloween parties you could imagine, and the constant visits with relatives. I understand their position now, but didn't handle it too well back then. I really loved those Kaskaskia river bottoms. We would spend hours upon hours fishing, wading, and catching reptiles. The days passed so fast in those river bottoms. After the cabin sold I became attached to the Illinois River and it's backwaters, hunting, fishing, and swimming it's waters. It is something I love and I expose my children to, like my great mentors did before me. I write this today, to help others in the world find something to love like I love the river systems close to home.

Even if there is no one in your life to expose you to the beauty of river systems, go out and start to cultivate your own love for them. I am extremely blessed to have had people to take and show me the beauty in the natural world. Reach out to clubs, check out some river parks, and check it out for yourself. I now take my kids out on the Illinois River every chance I get and have since they were little. I remember my oldest daughter walking the banks of Woodford County State Fish and Wildlife Area, while I searched the flood waters bow fishing. She would swim, catfish, and play along the banks of the Illinois River with joy. My son Leland would do the same things when he came into the world. My second daughter Addison would watch Leland and they would come back with turtles and cool looking rocks as we enjoyed the river. Now I have my youngest daughter Rylan who is no stranger to the river. She wants to swim every chance she gets, she had to get out last week when it was 70 outside. The water was quite cold and I don't know how she managed, but she had a blast with Khloe our dog in the water.

The Illinois river is my favorite river system now, and the fishing is excellent. I hope this article gives you a little background on how I developed my love for water and river systems. I feel like I could write for hours about the many stories in my life, but I want you to go and create your own stories while developing a love for our great rivers close to home. hopefully that love will pass on to your children and their children's children. We can all make a difference in the quality of our river systems if we start cultivating a love for the things close to home. I hope I have inspired you to take a walk by a river near you or take your kids fishing on one. Just get out Enjoy and until next time, I hope to meet you out on the water!

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