The Outdoor Report

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Share your fishing information or wildlife sightings by sending an e-mail to forest@dupageforest.org.

Expanded season at St. James Farm Forest Preserve

St. Jame Farm will be open daily June 5 – Nov. 30, with operating hours of one hour after sunrise to one hour after sunset. This unique location is rich in history and offers 3.4 miles of turf trails for equestrians, hikers and cyclists. A pond offers catch-and-release fishing where bass and bluegill can be found. For more information and a printable map, visit the St. James Farm preserve page.

Outdoor Notes: July 30, 2010

It’s been a busy time of cleanup in the aftermath of last weekend’s storms. The deluge of rain brought lakes and especially rivers to high levels, flooding streets, parking lots and buildings. District crews pumped water out of the basements of Graue Mill and Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center, and trimmed damaged trees. They relocated picnic tables, fixed trail washouts and used power washers to clean picnic shelters and buildings. If you encounter any storm damage that needs attention, please send an e-mail to forest@dupageforest.org  or call the District’s main offices at 630-933-7200.

As you may imagine, not a lot of anglers were out this week. Water levels have receded but still remain elevated. Reports for this week include largemouth bass biting at Blackwell’s Silver Lake. Fish at 17 and 20 inches in length were caught on flathead minnows. At Herrick Lake’s Herrick Lake, a 9-inch crappie was reported. At Wood Dale Grove’s Grove Lake, bluegills were the catch late in the week. 

An alligator snapping turtle at Herrick Lake offered a reminder to anglers and other preserve visitors to properly dispose of their trash. The turtle’s leg was tangled in fishing line and snagged on a downed tree in the waters. Two rangers took to the water in a boat and managed to free the turtle so that it could swim away. 

Bird sightings include a pied-billed grebe and a cormorant on the waters of Harrier Lake at Pratt’s Wayne Woods. An indigo bunting was also seen at Pratt’s Wayne Woods near the parking lot on the east side of Powis Road. At Blackwell, a great horned owl was heard calling and seen flying overhead near the ranger shop.  

Snapshots: Flooding was certainly dramatic in the aftermath of storms over the weekend. Here are pictures from a few of the most flooded areas taken on Saturday, July 24. Above left: The waters of Salt Creek flooded several areas, including Graue Mill. Above right: This is a view of the intersection of Spring and York roads. Below left: swiftly moving waters can relocated trash bins and picnic tables, leaving mud and debris when they recede. Below right: This view is of the West Branch of the DuPage River near the off-leash dog area at Blackwell.

Outdoor Notes: July 23, 2010

No new fishing notes for the week. With temperatures remaining hot, few anglers have been out. For best results, try early or late in the day.

For tips on fishing and a close-up encounter with fish from local waters, visit the District’s exhibit at the DuPage County Fair, running now through Sunday, July 25. Step up to the 4,000-gallon aquarium to see muskie, northern pike, white crappie, yellow bullhead, rock bass, gizzard shad, largemouth bass and even a snapping turtle. They were all collected locally with the help of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and will be released at the end of the fair. Fishing experts will give demonstrations fishing the giant tank. A “Go Fish” activity will help kids learn about fishing fun, and everyone can discover ways to enjoy the outdoors from District staff. The District’s exhibit opens at 10 a.m. at closes at 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 8 p.m. on Sunday. To learn more about the DuPage County Fair, and purchase admission tickets, visit www.dupagecountyfair.org.

Summertime is mosquito time. And late summer, with its hot and dry conditions, can create breeding grounds for the Culex mosquito, the species most likely to transmit West Nile virus to humans. Culex are known as a “drought-driven” species; rather than multiplying in healthy wetlands or after heavy rains, they do so after long, dry spells that produce warm, stagnant water. Since 2003, the District has conducted monitoring for West Nile virus. At 173 sites, water is sampled for the presence of Culex larvae or traps are set to capture adults. None of the District’s sites have tested positive for the virus in 2010, and no human cases of the disease have been reported in Illinois this year. The program continues until the first frost.

To enjoy your time outdoors, here are a few tips from the Centers for Disease Control on how to avoid mosquito bites:

• Wear long-sleeved tops and long pants made of tightly woven light-colored materials.
• Stay indoors during peak mosquito feeding hours, just before and after sunrise and sunset.
• Use an EPA-registered insect repellent such as those with DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus when spending time outdoors. (Be sure to read and follow the product directions.)

Snapshots: Visitors to the District’s exhibit at the DuPage County Fair.