Matthew 'Vandy' Vanlandeghem of Batavia, a Fighting Illini Bass Club member who was bass fishing, caught this one on the Fox Chain O'Lakes over the Fourth of July weekend and it earns FOTW honors. Pat Ryan, father of Kerry Ryan, who sent the FOTW nomination, is in the background.

FOTW tops the Midwest Fishing Report each Wednesday in the Sun-Times. An extended online version appears here by midnight Tuesday.

Ryan, of Ingleside, the secretary of the Fighting Illini Bass Club, e-mailed:

``Went out bass fishing on the fourth of July on the Fox Chain o' Lakes. While we did have some luck with bass, we had better luck with Northern Pike, the largest caught on a black frog mid morning. Matthew 'Vandy' Vanlandeghem of Batavia, IL caught this beauty (see attatched photo). Who says there are no more pike on the chain?''

I asked for some background information and at the end, Kerry Ryan added:

``Hopefully we will get measurements next time since my Dad lost one that was bigger than that ;).''

And hopefully it is nominated for FOTW by being sent to outdoordb@sbcglobal.net.