If I were king

I reckon I’d have to look long and hard to find anyone, anywhere who wouldn’t change something if they could.

I’m thinking most people have a list a mile long of things they’d change. I am not talking about the three-wish genie-type of thing here either. Nope, I mean the keys to the outdoors here in Illinois were handed over to me for a day and I could change anything. What would I do?

Well, I’d start by protecting what I love most in the outdoors – the catfish, obviously.

Most folks don’t realize that catfish are not protected in any way, shape or form here in Illinois. They can be caught at will by anyone, anywhere, anytime. Now, the Department of Natural Resources will tell you they do not need protection. This is true, to a certain extent.

I mean, catfish are able to survive and prosper in areas where most fish would perish. They also do a good job protecting their young and occupy almost every square inch of water in the state.

However, we here along the Rock River live on a body of water capable of producing truly monstrous catfish. So, I would set a 10-fish-a-day limit on channel cats 12 to 25 inches long. No fish bigger, no fish smaller. I would then set a one-fish-per-day limit on flatheads 20 to 35 inches.

Then I would set a season for the bank-polers and throw-liners out there. Let’s say December through February. And that would be the end of it. Oh, man, I love it.

Now, the rest of the stuff on my list I’m
just not gonna be able to elaborate on much, but it is all important just the same – to me, anyway.

I would make it a law that all boat ramps must have lights. I know I’m nit-picking, but light at the ramp on a pitch-black night helps out a ton.

I would re-enact the way we used to have to check-in harvested deer. Yep, right back to the old check station. I believe lots of harvested deer are not being reported. This, combined with more and more hunters afield, is bad news.