Largemouth Bass

Chicagoland bass anglers often overlook the inland opportunities near Forest View, Illinois, but the Des Plaines River and its associated canals offer some surprisingly good largemouth bass fishing. The key is focusing on structure. Look for largemouth holding around docks, fallen trees, and riprap along the riverbanks and canal edges. Summer evenings and early mornings are particularly productive, as the bass seek cooler water and ambush prey. A practical tip for fishing here: the canals often have clearer water than the river itself, so adjust your lure selection accordingly – using more natural colors in the canals and brighter colors in the river. Public access is available at several parks and forest preserves along the Des Plaines River Trail. Largemouth in this area tend to be opportunistic feeders, so a variety of lures, from crankbaits and spinnerbaits to soft plastics, can be effective. Don't be afraid to experiment to see what the bass are hitting on any given day.