Ryan Whitacre and Josh Sokol bass fished the discharges downtown Saturday in the adyed green Chicago River, thinking fish might be stacked there to escape the dye. But the discharges, even by the Merchandise Mart, were turned off.
Yet, they persevered to the enjoyment of thousands. It’s another angle on what the dye means to fish.
“We just saw it as a unique to Chicago challenge to catch a bass in a dyed green river,” Whitacre explained. “The weather isn’t always so nice this time of year, [but], with temps in the 60s and warming water, it seemed like a good opportunity. Tournaments haven’t started here yet so boredom may have played a factor as well.”
They launched at the Daley Boat Launch at Western and the Sanitary and Ship Canal in Whitacre’s Lund 2075 Pro-V Bass boat with a 250 Mercury Pro XS from Waterwerks. They caught the big smallmouth, four largemouth bass and a carp. Only the smallmouth and one largemouth were caught downtown. All came on either a Tightrope Jig or a Ned rig with a Maxscent craw.
“It was a blast,” Sokol said. “Never seen anything like it. I always wanted to make the Bassmaster Classic and the crowds were like that. Ryan’s smallmouth bass catch was underneath one of the main bridges. The entire crowd was watching and they absolutely exploded and started screaming. I caught one over there. That is the best moment I ever experienced fishing.”
“It was a slow fishing day,” Whitacre said. “We expected to catch a lot more in certain areas. I expected a lot more bites downtown. But I do think the discharges turned off really hurt. There were fish. We saw plenty of fish on our electronics, but I think they were confused.”
Friends of the Chicago River annually question why the river is still being dyed.
“Whatever decisions were made years ago about the harm or lack thereof are no longer relevant now that the river stays green for 10 days, which it did last year too and pretty much the year before,” emailed Friends executive director Margaret Frisbie, noting the river is again staying green for days.
On March 11, she met with Illinois Environment Protection Agency director James Jennings, who is considering checking into requiring a permit.
Frisbie noted that increased dye could be “just cause for a evaluation of its chemical composition which has been kept secret from the public. That could trigger a formal review process under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit program, which Friends has advocated for in accordance with the rules of the Clean Water Act.”
The river changed greatly since Mayor Richard J. Daley started dyeing the river in 1962.
“It is time to think of new ways to celebrate that embrace the river’s health and vitality as a natural asset,” Friends noted in their annual statement on dying the river. “The river is not what it was 63 years ago when the tradition started. Then, on average, there was sewage in the river every three days. It was fenced off and so polluted that it would have been difficult to imagine the river as it is today, alive with people enjoying it in myriad ways and all kinds of wildlife including more than 75 species of fish, turtles, herons, beavers and even river otters. Chicago’s river and its vibrant river-based economy rival any in the world.
“It is time to protect the river from all forms of degradation, and to comply with the permit requirements of the Clean Water Act for this time-honored tradition.”
The fishing highlight was Whitacre battling a 3 1/2-pound smallmouth.
“Fighting that smallmouth, a guy with a deep voice kept yelling, `Get that fish, boys,’ ” Whitacre said. “I will say, I’ve fished a lot of tournaments and had some stressful times trying to land a big fish in a tournament. I don’t think I was ever as nervous as trying to land that smallmouth in front of that crowd. It was a high-stress moment.”
Hundreds watched from each bridge.
“We didn’t plan on picking up trash, but every corner was loaded beer cans and trash,” Whitacre said. “We would fish first, then scoop up trash.”
When they filled a net, Whitacre motored to the wall, where security allowed Sokol to jump out and empty the net in a trash can.
“We could have done it lot more, but we would not have been able to fish as much,” Whitacre said. “I don’t know what the crowd was cheering louder for, the fish or the picking up of the trash.”
Sokol had wins last year with Cal Sag Bass Anglers and the Big Lake Bass Anglers and an Anglers Choice win on the Cal-Sag with Whitacre. Since Sokol was in high school, he has worked at the south suburban Anglers Outlet.
Whitacre is a licensed Lake Michigan fishing guide and tournament angler who won the BLBA championship last year, plus Angler of the Year at both the BLBA and CSBA.
All in all, he observed, “It was a well-managed event and a lot of friendly people having a good time. . . . It is a good tradition. Good attention for the river and the waterway. Any time something is positive toward the Chicago waterways, I am all in.”
