I took the day off of work in search of that illusive "first fish of 2007".
While I didn't see any, I did manage to cover a fair amount of ground and checked on a number of regular haunts in the area. Here is what I found.

The water was about 50 degrees in all areas checked, according to my $2 pet shop thermometer.[:-]

DesPlaines River by Joliet: OPEN with floating ice, clear water. Very low water level. Backwaters have ICE.

DesPlaines River at Big Basin near Channahon: ICE in the basin proper, except near the North shore along Dupage current.

Dupage River from the Channahon dam to where it feeds into Big Basin and the Des Plaines: OPEN with some minor ice near the shore.

DuPage River in Plainfield: OPEN with floating ice.

Kankakee River backwaters at DesPlaines Conservation Area: ICE, but starting to open up at inlets and culverts.

Three Rivers Marina near DPCA: ICE


It shouldn't be long now for shootable water, but we still need some fish.
Here's to hoping.

-Bulz