I've been out a few times this week on my local pond with limited success. The good news is I'm doing as well or better than anyone else! I go through this every year, I walk to the pond with limited tackle and hope I made a good guess. This afternoon it will be spoons and rattle baits,  I have tried spinners and chatterbaits as well as an assortment of plastics. Haven't tried live bait yet, my favorite bait shop is seasonal and hasn't opened yet. Tom
Lifer in NE Illinois

While I haven't been able to make many trips yet this season, the few have been fairly decent. Mostly eyes from the Rock in Oregon area. And as always, a few mid 20s Pike from the Kish in DeKalb by me. This past Sat, my son and I hit the Coleta trout ponds and limited out in about an hour. Had a few 3lbers in the bag when we left. .
Life is short... fish naked and show off your pole!

Fished lilly lake and got two bass about twelve inch. Used a soft plastic and just let it sink and jigged it slow. Also caught another bass at local pond the same way.

Things are about the same with me, I really haven't done anything but throw some plastics and rattle baits on the local pond. Hope to get out and do some serious fishing soon. Kuthe64- I think we are not that far apart, I live in Cary. Tom
Lifer in NE Illinois

I fished Lake Carlton in Morrison, IL with a couple friends yesterday. I ended up catching 18 LM Bass and one friend caught about 15 Bass and a Muskie and the other friend caught 2 or 3 bass and a bunch of tree branches. 
Lifetime member since 1999