SMALLMOUTH HUNTER
Terry Dodge | Owner
Blinded Veteran | USMC/BVA/NBVO
Since 2009
Bring It!
By Terry Dodge
Kilbuck Creek
A Small Tributary of the Kishwaukee River in Winnebago Co., Illinois
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM | WHAT HAS BEEN DONE
WHERE THINGS STAND NOW
Terry Dodge
I had been noticing some bad water clarity from time to time when I would visit Kilbuck Creek for some wade fishing of smallmouth bass.
The creek usually flows crystal clear, other than the occasional storm run off from decent rains but clarity gradually worsened over the next few years. The creek has a rocky bottom, plentiful downfalls, little eddy's and quite a few riffs all of which can hold some pretty decent smallmouth.
Over the years, year after year, Kilbuck has constantly provided me with a Personal Best (PB) sized smallmouth toping out with my current PB of 20 1/2 inches on March 26, of 2017. The creek is at it's best during the cool clear flow of the early Spring thaw and fishes well until the end of May when clarity surrenders to a blueish gray stain.
THE PROBLEM
National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.
The NPDES is a provision of the Clean Water Act that prohibits discharge of any pollutants into waters of the U.S. unless a special permit is issued by the IEPA or the state of Illinois. The IEPA monitors NPDES compliance with on site inspections and data review. If any provisions are not fulfilled, it can result in civil and criminal action against the violator. The problem here
(see figure 1) obviously seems to be getting the IEPA to monitor, inspect and act on violations.
View copy of 2015 Landfill NPDES > HERE
Figure 1 - Landfill Property
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE
Since 2009....
​
- Countless calls to the regional IEPA office
- Two (2) newspaper articles
- Three (3) meetings with IEPA officials
- Two (2) filed reports with Springfield IEPA Office
- One (1) stream sampling with IDNR
- In contact with Senator Steve Stadelman
​
- Produced video for social media sites VIEW
​
- Maintained 2017 6 month picture log of creek VIEW
​
- Currently building Eyes On Kilbuck task force JOIN
​
Blueish gray staining
WHERE THINGS STAND NOW
​
In the Fall of 2017 an IEPA agent called me and asked to set a day and time to meet. During the meeting I was informed that the agent and a small crew would be visiting the landfill site for an inspection. No violations were found on this investigation.
I was also informed that the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) had toured the sight and pointed out many problems in the operation of the landfill as far as discharge is concerned. The IEPA agent informed me that the ACOE voiced their recommendations to correct and better the operation and have allowed the landfill until Spring of 2020 to make these corrections.
​
I did not fish the Kilbuck at all in 2019 but did receive 3 reports of oddly stained water and bad clarity.
​
Heavy rich danish staining
Kilbuck Creek at a Glance
Killbuck Creek is a 28-mile-long tributary of the Kishwaukee River in northern Illinois.The creek runs north through southeastern Ogle County, where it cuts through Galena limestone and blue limestone. The Killbuck passes through Pine Rock Township, where a stone quarry was once located. The mouth of Killbuck Creek is located about 1 mile north of Kilbuck Bluffs Forest Preserve, a Winnebago County park. In terms of square miles drained, Killbuck Creek is the third largest tributary of the Kishwaukee River behind the South Branch Kishwaukee River and Coon Creek.
Terry sticks mainly to his home waters in the Rockford, IL. area. The Kishwaukee River and Kilbuck Creek are his two favorite streams to chase smallmouth. He has been a member of the Illinois Smallmouth Alliance (ISA) since 2009 and is currently serving as the ISA Conservation Director.
