Troubled Waters. Disputes run deep between landowners and paddlers over the use of rivers in Illinois and elsewhere.

• Author: Zack Nauth
• Pages: 44-52

Ralph Osuch drives the few blocks from his house with a

12-foot blue kayak tossed in the back of his Chevy Silver-

ado. It’s a beautiful September morning, about 68 degrees

with a steady wind blowing from the southwest. He steps

over a jumble of rocks and lowers himself into his kayak on the mud-

dy shoreline of the DuPage River in northern Illinois .

Osuch paddles to a little hole at a bend in the river that draws

smallmouth bass. The morning sunlight glances off the rif ing waters.

Black-necked Canada geese honk overhead, and a raft of mallards

explode straight up with a shower of water.

On the  rst cast, Osuch hooks a largemouth bass. It’s less than a

pound, and he tosses it back. He casts again and hooks a 2-pound

smallmouth bass that warrants a sel e before he returns it to the wa-

ter. He pushes his re ective sunglasses up onto his forehead and wipes

his wistful green eyes. Six months ago, he would have had his  shing

Photo illustrations by Sara Wadford/ABA Journal

ABA JOURNAL | FEBRUARY–MARCH 2022

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