LAKE SHELBYVILLE GENERAL FISHING & RECREATIONAL
INFORMATION
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Because of its
size, beauty, variety of fish and proximity near large cities, Lake
Shelbyville has become one of Illinois' popular summer recreation
areas. Created in 1970 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the
11,100 acre reservoir, situated between Sullivan and Shelbyville
in east-central Illinois, offers an excellent fishery from crappies
and largemouth bass to walleyes and muskies.
Excellent facilities
include three marinas and both private and government (state and
federal) maintained and operated camp-grounds. It provides excellent
playgrounds, swimming, beaches and similar attractions that make
it popular with families.
Formed by a
dam on the Kaskaskia River, Lake Shelbyville is situated between
steep, rolling, wooded bluffs. The result has been a lake averaging
about 19 feet deep with maximum depths of 67 feet. The lake is shaped
like a lop-sided Y, lying in a southwest-northeast direction. The
upper arms are formed by the West Okaw River to the north and the
Kaskaskia to the east.
Since its 172
miles of shoreline is quite irregular, many bays and coves have
been formed. This enables anglers to find a quiet spot even on windy
days. The lake is about 20 miles long to the head from the dam and
is about a mile across at its widest spot.
Several attractive
islands are found north and east of the Bruce-Findlay Bridge. Their
perimeters provide good fishing. Water depths drop quickly to 10-15
feet in the lower two-thirds of the lake. There is an abundance
of creek channels, flooded plains and drop offs in this portion
of the lake.
Extensive shallow
flats, three to eight feet deep at normal pool, also provide good
fisheries. They are found along Eagle Creek and Wolf Creek State
Parks, Sand and Skull Creeks, the Findlay Marina area, the junction
of the Okaw-Kaskaskia arms, northwest of the Wilborn Creek access
area, Whitley Creek access area and the upper portions of the Kaskaskia
arm east of the Fox Harbor Marina.
Many of the
coves contain patches of flooded timber. In some areas the only
openings are 100-feet wide boat clearings. There also are old roadbeds,
numerous fence rows of trees and brush and similar structures, including
man-made areas of rip rap.
Crappie fishing can be fantastic at times at Shelbyville with the
best results occurring in May or early June when the fish go to
the spawn beds. They can be caught at this time around brush, stumps
and similar flooded areas in a foot to 12 feet of water. Jigs and
small minnows produce most of these fish. In summer months, these
tasty fish are taken in deeper water around areas like bridge pilings
or creek channels.
Largemouth bass
are probably the most popular at the lake. Many tournaments are
held there during the year. Best spots in the spring for this species
are shoreline stickups, rock rip rap or spawning areas; all of which
lie near deep water. Points in deeper water produce well, as the
water warms in the summer.
Two million
walleye fry were stocked in 1971 as the lake filled, and since 1975
annual fry and fingerling stockings have been made to maintain a
quality sport fishery for this species. Fish in excess of 14 pounds
have been netted by biologists in egg-taking operations, and many
anglers feel this lake will produce the next state record. Twelve-pound
walleyes are taken each year.
A few of these
fish may spawn in the lake proper, but the major run occurs in the
Kaskaskia River, and, to a lesser degree, the West Okaw River. The
run usually begins in mid-March and lasts until mid-April. At this
time, they can be caught in the rivers on minnows, jigs and small
spinners.
The golden-sided
fish then return to the main lake, for the most part, and are taken
on flats, flooded ridge tops around the islands and around dropoffs.
They seem to drop to deeper water, sometimes 10 to 20 feet, as the
summer's heat arrives. A popular combination bait, then, is nightcrawlers
attached to jigs.
White bass,
which occasionally hit or surpass the two-pound mark, are perhaps
the most exciting fish in the lake. They were introduced to the
reservoir in 1971 and have done well. Thousands are caught annually,
and when an angler catches one, he usually puts several dozen in
the boat in a matter of minutes.
These fish usually
spawn, beginning in late March, and run up tributary streams like
the Kaskaskia River. This run may extend all the way up to Champaign
County some years. "Stripes," as they often also are called,
return to the lake after spawning and can be caught in deep water.
They also, under ideal weather conditions, occasionally move onto
shallow flats in May and early June, particularly after the first
hatch of the gizzard shad. By mid-July, when the young shad school
up and range near the surface, the white bass seek out schools of
these bait fish and attack voraciously.
Anglers move
on the outside edges of the boiling water and cast spoon-type or
bright-bladed spinning lures in the direction of the commotion.
Fishing, at times, can be fantastic. Anglers call this method of
fishing as "castin' the jumps."
A relaxed bass
or crappie fisherman also may receive the surprise of his life on
Lake Shelbyville. Muskies there now have reached trophy size and
could latch onto a small minnow or an artificial lure. These large
predators first were stocked in 1978 as large fingerlings. Another
release was made in 1980.
Channel catfish
are very popular with Illinois fishermen, and the population at
Shelbyville seems to be increasing yearly. They are sought both
by trotliners and pole-and-line fishermen. A variety of baits are
used from stink baits to shrimp, liver and leeches. Check with local
bait shops to learn what they prefer during different times of the
year.
Bluegills, bullheads,
jumbo flathead catfish and carp also are taken by many anglers.
Lake Shelbyville
offers a superb tailwater fishery below the dam. Winter and early
spring fishing for walleyes has been very productive. Good catches
of white bass and crappies also are made in spring.
If cold winters
prevail, ice fishing sometimes is available. Crappies are probably
the most abundant fish taken through the ice.
Lake Shelbyville Profile
Location:
Lake Shelbyville lies in Shelby and Moultrie Counties between Sullivan
and Shelbyville in east-central Illinois, about 25 miles southeast
of Decatur. The dam is located along Illinois Route 16 at Shelbyville.
Access also is available from Route 32 on the east and 128 on the
west.
Facilities:
There are both private campgrounds and those operated by the state
and federal agencies. Fifteen concrete launch ramps and parking
lots are found around the lake at developed recreation areas. Additional
launching facilities for small boats or canoes are located both
in the Okaw and Kaskaskia River Wildlife management areas. These
gravel ramps are utilized by fishermen during early spring when
spawning runs of walleyes and white bass occur. Later in the summer,
this area is a popular fishing spot for channel cat and carp.
Additional facilities
at recreation spots include playgrounds, picnic tables, swimming
beaches, dump stations, laundry facilities, fish cleaning stations
and hiking trails. Three complete service marinas also are operated
at various spots on the lake.
Corps-Operated
Campgrounds: Four of the seven campgrounds (Coon Creek
with 226 sites, Bo Wood with 84, Lithia Springs with 124 and Fox
Harbor Marina with 180) offer both electrical hookups and shower
facilities. No electricity but showers are available at Lone Point
(85 sites) and Whitley Creek (76 sites) as well as day-use areas
where swimming is available (Sullivan and the Dam West Area).
State
Park Campgrounds: Two state parks, Eagle Creek on the west
side and Wolf Creek on the eastern shore, virtually across from
each other, are found on the central portion of the lake. Both facilities
provide launching ramps, showers and electrical hookups.
Eagle
Creek, situated three miles southeast of Findlay, consists
of 2,200 acres and offers 150 campsites. There is a self-guiding
nature trail and three hiking trails located within boundaries of
the park. Wolf Creek is located eight miles northwest
of Windsor and offers 378 tent and trailer camping sites. There
also is a 15-mile equestrian trail and four hiking trails within
the park.
Private
Campgrounds: Additional camping is available at the following
commercial operations: Arrowhead and Swings Camp-grounds, both one-half
mile from the Lone Point access area; J & J Trading Post north
of Coon Creek; Robin Hood Woods and Lithia Resort east of Shelbyville;
the Horseshoe Campgrounds south of Shelbyville on the east side
of the Kaskaskia River; Kaskaskia River Campgrounds south of Shelbyville
on the east side of the Kaskaskia River.
Marinas:
Three full-service marinas are available: Fox Harbor on the Kaskaskia
River arm near Sullivan; Findlay, two miles east of Findlay, and
Lithia Springs close to the dam which is situated one-half mile
east of Shelbyville. These facilities offer boat and motor rentals,
gas and oil, baits and tackle, boat dockage areas, snacks and some
food and beverage and other grocery items.
