Going into the Fourth of July weekend, let’s celebrate ponds, kids and the fish of summer.
Zachary Byrnes, 9, of Aurora (above) landed a largemouth bass at the pond at Wheatlands Park. His dad, David, said it was caught on a Zoom lure.
Noted Wilmington fisherman Ron Vilt, whose daughter Emily caught the former Illinois-record longnose gar in 2001, showed he still has a way with kids. He had Jace Gold (far right) out at a pond near Braidwood to catch his first bluegill of the year.
FOTW, the celebration of big fish and good stories around Chicago fishing, runs Wednesdays on the Sun-Times’ outdoors page.
Send nominations by Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside) or email (straycasts@sbcglobal.net).
