REGION 1 KIDS FISHING HOTSPOTS
District 1
LAKE LE-AQUA-NA
Coming soon:Kids' fishing pond.
Location: Stephenson County - 3 miles north of Lena.
District 2
LAKE GEORGE
Location: Rock Island County - 5 miles west of Andalusia off Route 92.
Owned by the Rock Island County Forest Preserve District.
Description: 167 acre lake with a maximum depth of 62 feet and an average depth of 24 feet. About 30% of the shoreline is accessible to shoreline anglers.
Recreational uses: Fishing, boating, hiking, picnicking, and camping. Electric trolling motors only. Rental boats available at the on-site concession.
Fish species available: Largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, channel catfish, walleye, striped bass hybrids, and muskellunge
Angling success rates: Largemouth bass - good numbers with excellent
size. Catch can
be hampered by large gizzard shad population that the bass are feeding
on.
Crappie fishing good in late spring and fall.
Catfish fishing is good especially after dark in the summer.
Large walleye and muskie are caught in early spring and late fall.
JOHNSON SAUK TRAIL
Location: Henry County - 5 miles north of Kewane off Illinois Route 78.
Description: 58 acre lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet. The majority of the shoreline is easily accessible to shoreline fishing.
Recreational uses: Fishing, boating, picnicking, camping, and playgrounds. Electric trolling motors only.
Fish species available: Largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, channel catfish, crappie, and muskellunge.
Angling success rates: The Lake has many bluegill in the 6 to 7 inch range which are caught year round. As the water warms, bass fishing and channel catfish fishing are excellent. Crappie fishing is good near brush piles.
LAKE CARLTON:
Location: Whiteside County - Located just north of Morrison.
Description: 76 acre lake with a maximum depth of 27 feet and an average depth of 12 feet. Much of the shoreline is accessible to bank angling.
Recreational uses: Fishing, boating, hiking, picnicking, and camping. Rental boats are available at the on-site concession stand. A maximum 10 horsepower motor limit.
Fish species available: Largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, channel catfish, crappie, saugeye, and muskellunge
Angling success rates: Bluegill and crappie are readily caught in the spring as the water warms. Bass fishing is also good especially around 12 inches. This is one of the elite muskie lakes in the State especially early spring and late October.
HENNEPIN CANAL:
Location: This 104.5 linear park spans 5 counties (Rock Island, Henry,
Bureau, Lee and Whiteside)
Description: The Canal is 925 acres with an average depth of 5 feet. The Canal is 104.5 miles long and averages about 90 feet across. The majority is accessible to bank angling.
Recreational uses: Fishing, boating, canoeing, picnicking, camping, and a 93 mile multi-use trail.
Fish species available: Good populations of largemouth bass, bluegill,
crappie, walleye, channel and flathead catfish.
District 3
Gladstone Lake
This small 27 acre lake, located one mile southwest of Gladstone in Henderson
County, offers a family-type atmosphere for fishing. The entire 1.5 miles
of shoreline is accessible to shore angling, and a boat ramp is available
for boat anglers (no gasoline motors). Other uses of the 87.5 acre conservation
area include camping, hiking, and picnicking.
Fish species at Gladstone Lake include Largemouth bass, Channel catfish, Bluegill, and Redear sunfish. The best fishing success is within the May and June period. During the summer period, due to the very clear water, most fish are caught in the 8 to 12 foot depth range.
Citizen’s Lake
This small 26 acre lake, located on the west edge of Monmouth in Warren
County, offers excellent shoreline fishing success. A boat ramp is
available for boat anglers (no gasoline motors). Other uses of this
recreation area include camping, picnicking, and hiking.
Fish species at Citizen’s Lake include Largemouth bass, Channel catfish, Bluegill, Redear sunfish, and Black crappie. The lake is stocked in mid-October with Rainbow trout at catchable sizes. The best fishing success period is May to June and September through October.
Blandinsville North and South Reservoirs
These two small impoundments (4.5 and 8.0 acres) are located on the north
edge of Blandinsville in McDonough County. Both impoundments offer excellent
shoreline fishing access (boat fishing is not permitted). The recreational
use of these two sites is restricted to fishing.
Fish species at Blandinsville Reservoirs include Largemouth bass, Channel catfish, Bluegill, and Black crappie. The best seasonal fishing is during the spring and fall periods.
Snakeden Hollow State Fish & Wildlife
Area
This large 2,500 acre site southeast of Victoria in Knox County offers
125 ponds and lakes of various sizes (0.1 acre to 142.0 acres) for family
oriented fishing. Lake McMaster, the largest site impoundment, has a boat
ramp and permits motors up to 10 H.P. Boats are permitted on the other
lakes and ponds, but boat access ramps are not available. Shoreline fishing
access is good on most of the sites numerous impoundments.
Due to the diversity of aquatic habitats at the site, the list of fish
species include Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Channel catfish, Bluegill,
Redear sunfish, Black crappie, Walleye, and Muskie. Other recreational
uses of the site include boating and hiking. Lake Victoria and Northwest
Lake, located on the west side of the site, offer panfish sizes up to
1 pound.
District 4
Kids Only Pond at Banner Marsh
Location - Peoria County - approximately 15 miles south of Peoria off
of Route 24. Take the East Access Point entrance into the Banner Marsh
State Fish and Wildlife Area and follow it all the way to the boat ramp
parking lot. The pond is on the south side of the parking area.
Description - This 1 acre pond is accessible to shore anglers.
Recreational Uses - This pond was established for anglers under 12 years old and their adult supervision. Covered pavilion and restrooms located next to pond. The Fish and Wildlife Area also offers boating, hiking, hunting, birdwatching and a site office (309) 647-9184.
Fish Species Available - This pond is supple mentally stocked with large crappie, bass, walleye and channel catfish.
Angler Success - Can be good depending upon the quality of the adult supervision.
Jubilee College State Park Pond
Location - Peoria County- Jubilee College State Park is located between
the towns of Kickapoo and Brimfield, just off U.S. Route 150. The pond
is located off the main campground road.
Description - This 3 acre pond is nestled in the woods down a short trail from the main campground road. The majority of the shoreline is accessible to anglers.
Recreational Uses - Fishing is only allowed in the pond and the State Park also has available camping, picnicking, hunting, hiking, restrooms and a site office (309) 446-3758.
Fish Species Available - Largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish and channel catfish are present.
Angler Success - Spring and Fall fishing provide the best opportunities for bass and sunfish.
North Charter Oak Lake, Peoria Park District
Location - Peoria County - located on the Northwest side of Peoria, go
1 mile south of U.S. Route 150 on Orange Prairie Road to the parking area
for the park.
Description - This 6.4 acre lake is accessible to shore anglers by a
paved trail and 3 fishing piers.
Recreational Uses - Fishing, walking and nature watching along a paved
trail near the lake. The park also has a playground and covered pavilion
for picnicking.
Fish Species Available - Largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, channel catfish and carp are present.
Angler Success - Spring and Fall provide the best opportunity for bass and sunfish. During the summer the fishing piers provide the best access for fishing open water without aquatic plants.
Glen Oak Lagoon, Peoria Park District
Location - Peoria County - located on the east central side of Peoria
in Glen Oak Park off of North Prospect Road.
Description - This 3 acre spring fed pond has the entire shoreline accessible to anglers with a paved surface.
Recreational Uses - Fishing, waking and picnicking. The pond is also an urban fishing clinic site for children each summer. The park has a zoo, botanical garden, playgrounds, recreational fields, hiking trails and amphitheater. The site office can be reached at (309) 688-3667.
Fish Species Available - Largemouth bass, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, bullhead
catfish, channel catfish
and carp. The site is stocked monthly during the urban fishing clinics.
Angler Success - Good, especially following the summer fish stockings.
Lakeland Park, Canton Park District
Location - Fulton County - located on the Northwest edge of Canton off
of Lakeland Park Dirve.
Description - This park has five main lakes with 105 acres of water. Most
of the shorelines are accessible to anglers and docks are present. Two
lakes are available for boat fishing with electric motors.
Recreational Uses - Fishing, boating, walking, picnicking, covered pavilions, playgrounds, restrooms and a concession stand are available. The site office can be reached at (309) 647-1345.
Fish Species Available - Largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, crappie, channel catfish, muskie and carp.
Angler Success - Good for bass and sunfish in the spring and fall, and good for catifish in the summer.
District 5
Bowen Lake
Location - Tazewell County - approximately 1 mile north of Washington
at the junction of Route 24 and the Washington, Metamora blacktop. The
lake is the property of the Washington Park District.
Description - A borrow pit of 5.8 acres in size, maximum depth is 64 feet. The entire shoreline is accessible to shore anglers.
Recreational Uses - Fishing, boating, picnicing. There is a concrete boat ramp (electric motors only). A handicap accessible pier provides access for all fishermen.
Fish Species Available - Largemouth bass, bluegill and channel catfish. Sizes of fish available are variable with large numbers of ¼ lb. bluegill present.
Angler Success - Good for bluegill fishing during the spring and summers. Water is quite clear with fair densities of aquatic weeds present. Bowen Lake has a considerable number of fish congregators including brush piles and pallets.
Delavan Park Pond
Location - Tazewell County - north edge of Delavan in the Delavan Village
Park.
Description - 2.0 acres in size with a maximum depth of 8 feet. The entire shoreline is accessible.
Recreational Uses - Fishing, picnicing and playground equipment. Bank fishing only.
Fish Species Available - Excellent populations of largemouth bass, bluegill and channel catfish of all sizes are present. Larger sized channel catfish are stocked yearly by the City of Delavan and the IDNR.
Angler Success - Good fishing for bluegill up to 8 inches in length and largemouth bass of 1 pound average size and channel catfish up to 3 lbs. are frequently caught.
Hopedale Pond
Location - Tazewell County - northeast edge of the Village of Hopedale.
Description - This pond is approximately 5 acres with a 12 foot maximum depth. An old earthen dam, approximately 100 years of age, impounded this reservoir for refill water for steam locomotives. It recently has been dredged, enlarged and restocked.
Recreational Uses - Fishing - bank fishing only.
Fish Species Available - Good populations of bluegill, largemouth bass and channel catfish are found at the Hopedale Pond.
Angler Success - Young anglers can expect to catch good numbers of bluegill and channel catfish of all sizes. Bluegill average 6.5 inches and largemouth bass, 14 inches.
Mackinaw Fish and Wildlife Area Ponds
Location - Four miles northeast of Mackinaw, adjacent to the Mackinaw
River, off Gresham Road.
Description - There are two ponds at Mackinaw Fish and Wildlife Area, one of 1.5 acres and another, 1.0 acre. Maximum depth of these ponds is 12.5 feet. Both are fully accessible to bank fishermen.
Recreational Uses - Fishing and hiking - bank fishing only.
Fish Species Available - Both ponds contain excellent populations of bluegill, redear sunfish, largemouth bass and channel catfish.
Angler Success - Both ponds have good fishing for all species present. Many 7-8" bluegill were caught in 2003. Largemouth bass and channel catfish are abundant and caught frequently. Largemouth bass average 1.5 pounds and channel catfish, 2 pounds.
Mineral Springs Lagoon
Location - Tazewell County - The Lagoon is found in Mineral Springs Park
inside the City of Pekin. The park is located off Court Street and is
owned by the Pekin Park District.
Description - The lagoon is 7 acres in size with a maximum depth of 8 feet. The entire shoreline is paved and is handicap accessible.
Recreational Uses - Fishing, picnicing, playground equipment, concession. Rental botas and paddle boats are available. No boat launch is found in this location.
Fish Species Available - Channel catfish, bluegill, largemouth bass, rainbow trout. Trout are put and take, stocked in October of each year.
Angler Success - Fishing success is good for channel catfish. Trout are caught mostly in October and November.
Pekin Park Ponds
Location - Tazewell County - These two ponds, McNaughton and Calvin Butterfield
are located within McNaughton Park, off Illinois Route 98, about 2 miles
northeast of Pekin. Thes ponds are owned by the Pekin Park District.
Description - McNaughton Pond is 1.2 acres and Calvin Butterfield is 3.0 acres in size. Both are entirely accessible from the shore and neither has a boat ramp.
Recreational Uses - Fishing and hiking.
Fish Species Available - McNaughton Pond has bluegill, largemouth bass and channel catfish in good abundance and good size distribution. Calvin Butterfield Pond goes dry from time to time, influencing quality of the fish population present.
Lake Eureka
Location - Woodford County - southwest edge of the City of Eureka. It
is located within a city park, 3 blocks west of Route 117.
Description - The lake is 3.0 acres in size with a 14 foot maximum depth. It was the former water supply for the City of Eureka. The entire shoreline is accessible. There is a concrete boat ramp and only electric motors are permitted.
Recreational Uses - Fishing, picnicing and playground equipment is located at Lake Eureka.
Fish Species Available - Channel catfish, largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, white and black crappie as well as northern pike are all found here. A very good fish population with many catchable sized bluegill, crappie and bass give younger anglers good fishing prospects.
Angler Success - Fishing success is excellent for all species present at Lake Eureka. Most fish are accessible from the shoreline and the limited amount of down trees along the edge give anglers an idea of where to fish.
