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Posts: 305
Location: Illinois | I read with interest the article in Muskies Inc. regarding the status of the Illinois musky fishery. One thing that stuck out is that I can only fish a handful of Illinois lakes because of horsepower restrictions. I own a whopping 50 horse tiller. I wish Illinois would adjust their thinking on this. If the powers that be are concerned about shoreline erosion, a no-wake or 5 MPH speed restriction would make sense. Yes, it would be difficult to enforce but not impossible.It would also spread out the pressure a little and give Illinois musky fisherman more choices. I am sure some fisherman in the state would be bummed by the extra pressure in the smaller lakes, but as a license buying resident musky fisherman it is frustrating. Wisconsin has many small lakes that support watercraft of all sizes.
I would even be in favor of an escalating launching fee based on HP, just let me use the resource in a respectful way. Some of these lakes with restrictions are over 500 acres. I am not looking to fish the "green gene" experimental lakes or the 60 acre potholes, but anything over 150 acres should be just fine. Right now, with a 50 horse, I can fish 6/36 musky lakes in Illinois. I would like my dollar to speak and have the same opportuities that a guy with a 10 horse has. Some of these lakes are going to peak in a few years. Make them no wake and give everyone a chance at a resource we all contribute to. |
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Posts: 1462
Location: Davenport, IA | Yeah, it kinda sucks...I ended up getting a 4 hp engine just so I can move around and troll. But, if a lake is only 150 acres...do you really need to use a gas engine? |
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Posts: 20212
Location: oswego, il | This has been debated to nauseum. You can't even bring the topic up on the local illinois message boards without it being removed for getting too heated. I agree with what you are saying and could go into great detail here what makes sense and why but there are many who believe just the opposite. If your interested in changing minds, try to find people who fish pierce. It went to no wake. |
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Posts: 305
Location: Illinois | No, I really don't need a gas engine on a 150 acre lake, but i would like the opportunity to at least launch my boat and use the trolling motor. Under the current laws, I can't even do that. |
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Location: Minneapolis, MN | The DNR was receptive to change a few years ago and even went so far as to pilot the NO Wake rule on several lakes including Pierce. Unfortunately a couple knobs disregarded the new rule and blew a rooster tail across a couple lakes that were in pilot phase and that really tanked the program. |
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Posts: 117
Location: champaign, illinois | Resident Illiniois muskie fisherman here who thinks the HP restrictions on Illinois waters is archaic to say the least!
Unfortunately Illinois was not blessed with the quantity of lakes other states have had since, well, forever. That equates into a population of non-boaters who become, almost overnight, boat captains capable of leaping....never mind. Basically around here farmer Joe goes and get's a high HP bass rig for himself and kiddies then goes to the local lake and puts the hammer down, sometimes with disastrous results. So historically the IDNR (formerly the IDOC) decided to make the smaller lakes (in almost all cases, actually reservoirs) HP restricted thinking that the boaters would police themselves. That and that in the early days most fishing boats WERE small v's with low HP motors on them thereby restricting the power obsessed boaters from waters guys liked to fish.
But alas, we are well into the 20th century and the neanderthals in our capital haven't budged more than an inch on this issue though fishing boats, angler attitudes, and the general population have evolved. Over 2 decades ago I wrote our IDNR director regarding this issue (along with others) which resulted in the experimental no-wake rule Luke refers to above. But as Luke said, apparently there are still some power obsessed idiots ruining it for others. Se la vie!
Jay - Lake Shelbyville Muskie Club
and
Illinois Muskie Tournament Trail |
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Posts: 1462
Location: Davenport, IA | husky_jerk - 3/5/2007 8:34 PM
No, I really don't need a gas engine on a 150 acre lake, but i would like the opportunity to at least launch my boat and use the trolling motor. Under the current laws, I can't even do that.
Most lakes allow you to use the motor to launch the boat...but I don't believe they all do. Its kinda confusing when they don't post it. |
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| Husky, not sure if your comment is accurate. I contacted the IDNR about using my 140HP runabout powered only with my trolling motor and I was given the ok. You need to seek permission to use your motor to load and unload from the trailor. I highly recommend you contact the IDNR or local management office for the lake you would like to fish for clarification/permission. By working with teh IDNR, it has allowed me to fish several lakes I thought were off limits to me because of the size boat I have.
husky_jerk - 3/5/2007 8:34 PM
No, I really don't need a gas engine on a 150 acre lake, but i would like the opportunity to at least launch my boat and use the trolling motor. Under the current laws, I can't even do that. |
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Posts: 550
Location: So. Illinois | The above reply was mine..... didn't realize that I was not logged in. |
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Illinois Musky Lakes