Coldfish

BY GARY THOMAS

February is the time of the year most anglers spend either ice fishing or fixing their equipment while they dream about spring. Not Gene Cailey.

Cailey is one of a growing legion of anglers who doesn't store his boat when the grass turns brown. He keeps his gas tanks filled throughout the year. He's a fishing guide who specializes in winter fishing-not through the ice, but in hot water lakes. And the fishing, according to the Litchfield resident, tends to be a lot better now than during the hot summer months.

"There's less fishing pressure during the winter months, so the fish are easier to catch when it's cold," Cailey said during our recent outing to Sangchris Lake. "This is especially true for the bigger fish. They are wary in the summer months because of all the lures they see, but seem to be more aggressive and more in a feeding mode during this time of the year."

Although I'm an avid angler, I was a little apprehensive. But it had been a couple of months since I had put a lure in the water, and the weather wasn't supposed to be that bad. It wasn't. The morning started in the high 20s and was up to about 40 degrees by the time we quit at noon. It was windy, which made it seem colder, but it was a sunny day, which compensated. Not an ideal day, but not a bad one either.

"Water temperature is the key to a good trip," Cailey said as we began motoring into the hot water discharge arm of the lake. "When the plant is generating electricity, it discharges hot water, so it's just a matter of locating the right water temperature."

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With the power plant in the background, Gene Cailey shows off a 12 1/2-inch crappie taken on a small crankbait from Sangchris Lake's hot water arm.

A temperature gauge is all-important.

"I look for temperatures from 55 to 60 degrees," Cailey said. "You can catch fish down to about 50, but I think 55 degrees and up is best. Below 50 degrees it really gets tough."

Once we located water that was in the mid-50s, we pulled into a shallow cove and began casting spinnerbaits to the lilypad stems sticking out of the water along the shoreline. Within five minutes, Cailey had his first fish, a two-pound largemouth bass.

Cailey said fish usually are in relatively shallow water during winter months. His first bass came in water about 1-foot deep, and we spent most of the day casting into water 2-to 3-feet deep. He never fishes for bass or crappie in water deeper than 12 feet during winter trips.

"Another good way to find fish is to watch for gulls," Cailey said. "If they're hanging around one spot, that's a good indication that bait fish are there, and if you find

Mad Dogs and Guided Trips You might say fishing is in Cailey's blood. He began making lures and guiding in 1989 on a part-time basis while he worked full-time as a fireman for the city of Litchfield. After retiring in 1997, he began devoting more time to each field. During the winter months, Cailey usually fishes four days a week and makes lures three days. Two or three days of his fishing involve guided trips. Because he prefers winter fishing, he guides only a few times per month during the summer. Cailey specializes in fishing hot water lakes-Newton, Coffeen and Sangchris-and fishes primarily for bass and crappie, but will also take clients for striped bass. He charges $125 per person for a day trip to Coffeen or Sangchris, and $ 150 for Newton due to the 100-mile drive. Cailey also fishes about 20 bass tournaments during the winter months, and runs his own tournament circuit at Coffeen Lake. He has eight tournaments a year, from late October through February, with anywhere from 20 to 40 boats for each event. In addition to guiding and running winter fishing tournaments, Cailey manufactures Mad Dog fishing lures. Cailey makes spinnerbaits, buzz baits, jigs and several specialty products, such as hook worm hook rigs. He recently switched to more durable titanium wire for his spinnerbaits. He sell his lures at numerous sports shows and through sporting good stores and bait shops. To book a guided trip with Cailey, you can get in touch with him at 1-800-713-2944. You can check out his lures on the Internet at: www.maddoglures.com.

the bait fish, you'll usually find bass and crappie nearby."

We caught six largemouth bass-two of them keepers-during the first hour of fishing, and spooked another dozen larger ones. The largest bass weighed about 472 pounds-a nice fish, but not as good as the 71/2-pound bass Cailey caught the preceding week. During the three hours we fished, we caught about 20 fish. Most were largemouth bass, but we also caught 3 or 4 small stripers and a 12-inch crappie that weighed about a pound. Just another day-make that cold day—on the lake.

The lures of the day were spinnerbaits and small lipless crankbaits, but Cailey said other lures will work during the winter.

"I like to use small crankbaits early in the day if electricity has been generated overnight," Cailey said. "The generating creates a warm flow away from the plant,

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and the vibration of the crankbait seems to really attract aggressive fish. Buzzbaits that are fished slow work well on overcast days. Some days are crankbait days, some are soft plastic days, but a spinnerbait seems to work well on most days."

Cailey's spinnerbait of choice is a Mad Dog spinnerbait. The reason? In addition to guiding, he manufactures this brand of lures from his backyard workshop (see sidebar).

Cailey offers several other winter fishing observations:

• The later in winter, the better the fishing. Early in winter, the fish will still be spread throughout the lake. But during the winter they will be migrating slowly toward the warmer water. By late winter, the hot water arm will have larger concentrations of fish. And when you locate one fish, you likely will have lots more nearby.

• The colder it is outside, the better the fishing. Cailey suspects this is because power plants generate more electricity during the colder parts of the year, and the more electricity they generate, the warmer the water. Warmer water causes the fish to be more active.

• You don't have to get up early for good fishing. The best fishing usually takes place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sangchris Lake Sangchris Lake is a 2,162-acre lake with about 120 miles of shoreline. Located 10 miles southeast of Springfield, the popular fishing area is a cooling lake for a power plant and received its name because it is in both Sangamon and Christian counties. There is a 25-horsepower limit on the lake. In addition to large-mouth bass, crappie and striped bass, anglers will find nice populations of bluegill, channel and flathead catfish, bullhead and carp. Boat-launching facilities are located on both sides of the lake. In winter months, most boats go to the Strawkas Point launching area, which is located in the hot water arm and can be reached from Route 104 just east of the power plant. More information about Sangchris Lake is available by writing: DNR Clearinghouse, 524 S. Second St., Springfield, Ill. 62701; by calling (217) 782-7498; or emailing: Clearing@dnrmail.state.il.us.

Cailey also pointed out that fishing in winter tends to be more dependable than during warmer months because fewer fronts pass through during the cold months. This seems to keep fish in a feeding mood for longer periods of time.

Winter anglers tend to be more friendly, too, which means they're more likely to share information. When there are only 10 to 15 boats using the entire lake, there is plenty of lake for everyone to enjoy. Anglers share information freely-where they're finding the fish and what they're hitting on. You can still pretty much pick a bay or shoreline area to fish without getting close to another angler.

I was surprised at how much fight you get when you hook into a bass in mid-winter. Fish caught through the ice usually are pretty lethargic. That's not the case with fish in a hot water lake. They fight like fish you would take in early spring. And why not? The fish are swimming in water that is springlike in temperature.

Sangchris Lake is an ideal place to winter fish, but other hot water lakes can be just as good. These include Powerton Lake, near Pekin; Baldwin Lake, near Sparta; Newton Lake, near Newton; Coffeen Lake, near Hillsboro; and Clinton Lake, near Clinton. Three other hot water lakes-Braidwood, LaSalle and Heidecke-are closed during the winter months.

Winter fishing isn't for everyone, but if the long Illinois winter finds you missing your weekly dose of fishing, you might give "coldfishing" a try.

Tips for winter fishing The best advice to ensure an enjoyable day is to dress warmer than you think you need to dress. It might be comfortable outside at your home, but a mild breeze on the water can create a wind chill that can leave you numb if you're underdressed. Dress in layers. This will enable you to add and/or take off clothing as the day warms or cools. Be safe. It's best to fish with a friend. Take extra precautions for safety. Falling into the water is extra hazardous during the winter. Wear a life jacket. Heavy clothing can make it difficult to swim, and hypothermia can kill. Let someone know where you're going and when you should be back home.

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