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| I live near Chicago and I'm looking to take a day and fish coming up and would like to know what lakewwithin 3ish hours has the best chance for a 50"? |
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| Mad chain or Indiana |
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| Chain, Madison, Indiana, and central illinois.... Shab has put out some nice ones this year as well |
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Posts: 171
| Gotta drive a little farther, but...
Lake St. Clair
www.spencersanglingadv.com
...he did say BEST 
Edited by bshep 8/29/2013 2:26 AM
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| Out of bounds!!! Take it to the booth for review |
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Posts: 7039
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | bshep - 8/29/2013 1:52 AM
Gotta drive a little farther, but...
Lake St. Clair
www.spencersanglingadv.com
...he did say BEST :)
I gotta agree here.
Some "good" fishing within 2 hours of Chicago, but I wouldnt say you're really chasing a 50. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | I would definitely say not Madison.... not many 50s are caught each year here... A guy could go to St Claire and catch more in a couple days than are caught the entire season in Madison... |
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Posts: 93
| Only 4 1/2 hours away, go to Lake St. Clair, and call Spencer Berman. I've fished 3 times with him in the last year, and we always catch huge fish. We had a 54" in the boat in July. He's caught something like 40 fish over 50 inches this year. It's a gimme, and don't waste your time going anywhere else. |
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Posts: 619
| Sencer Berman if u want a 50. |
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| I understand why a person would hire a guide, but why is everyone so quick to suggest a guide? Muskie fishing is supposed to be challenging and figuring out the fish is a big part of the fun and makes you a better fisherman. If my only 50 was caught with a guide, I don't think it would be as rewarding.
LSC is a great place for a 50... Maybe better than anywhere else right now. Take your boat and start fishing it. Learn it. You will catch your own 50. You don't need Spencer or another guide to do it for you. |
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| I would love to go to lsc but I don't have a real big boat. I was thinking some smaller lake. |
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Posts: 177
| Guest is asking for a lake within a short distance to have the best shot at a 50.Some of us don't get to spend any considerable time on a body of water to figure them out so a guide is his best shot at a 50 and he'll learn a lot more in one day from a guide |
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| And I don't want to spend $500 for a guide for the day plus gas there and back |
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Posts: 553
Location: 15 miles east of Lake Kinkaid | None of us want to spend the gas $$ back and forth. But....if you want a legitimate chance at a giant that usually requires traveling (unless you live in the Detroit area, northern Minnesota, Green Bay, or Canada). |
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Location: Illinois | Go to Shabbona and jig the deep timber for your best shot at a 50" musky. The state record lurks in there. |
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Posts: 171
| Why would you not suggest a guide if you know of one? Especially to a "guest."
No one is 'telling you to get a guide' when they post a reference to one. That is all it is... a reference.
You have the power and abilities too do whatever it is you choose, but believe it or not, some people hire guides to spend a day out on the water with a new face... not only for the sole purpose of draining them for fishing information.
If you have a boat and are willing to drive 3 hours however, I would suggest driving an extra 2 if you have FIDDY'S on the mind. The link is there if you need help... as is this website and others.
Good stuff here as always |
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Posts: 171
| Also, on a calm day you can get away with ANY boat on Lake St. Clair. If the wind picks up on a smaller lake you could potentially have the same issues as you would on St. Clair... only St. Clair having the potential to be far worse. |
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Posts: 171
| Maybe this will be of some help. Unfortunately, there are contacts to guides on that website, but they can be ignored if you wish. The answer to your question is... no lake in Illinois gives you a better shot at a 50 over another. That is only my personal and honest opinion. I wish you luck, as I know it is possible to boat a 50 in Illinois in places not called the Fox Chain or Shabbona
www.illinoismuskies.com |
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| I suggest you don't go fishing for muskies anywhere around the chicagoland area right now, as water temps have risen to unsafe levels lately with the heat wave. Go catch a Bass. |
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Posts: 661
Location: Roscoe IL | Nelson,
Is the popcorn done yet? |
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Posts: 944
| I would not say Madison at all. 1- 3 a year come out if that and these waters get pounded 24 hrs a day 7 days a week by a lot of good fisherman.
I have only had 4 in my boat in Madison ever- 50.25", 50.5", 52", 52"
I fish 160 days a year. Get a fair amount of 44-48" but don't see many that are bigger.
Most don't get to 50" here.
Jeff Hanson
madisonmuskyguide.com
Edited by Jeff Hanson 8/29/2013 11:37 AM
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Posts: 72
| It is a tough call because most of the Illinois lakes and Indiana lakes have a few fifties in them but not a lot of them. I guess I would say Tippecanoe lake , Barbee chain right behind it . |
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Posts: 1916
Location: Greenfield, WI | Pewaukee Lake |
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Posts: 20219
Location: oswego, il | The question was 3hrs from Chicago and a shot at a 50. Your "shot" at a 50 is quite remote. Pick a lake and fish it.
I live in the west suburbs and lsc is a solid 6 hour drive for me. Your not getting to lsc from the il/in border in 4.5 unless your going 80mph.
Edited by ToddM 8/29/2013 1:59 PM
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Location: Des Moines IA | muskellunged - 8/29/2013 8:41 AM Go to Shabbona and jig the deep timber for your best shot at a 50" musky. The state record lurks in there. Agreed. Pounders in the deep timber, if that doesn't work, Jig deep. They are in there. |
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| Okauchee |
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Posts: 84
Location: Knot on the WATER | All, yes a guide is a relief of agony, for some, and a choice to have to learn and prosper. But for some its the hunt for big fish that is saturated in deep in all of us musky fisherman, some more than others. But a sure proof for a hunt with no help, mainly Muskie first and articles, heres a video of our first day on LSC, never fished , sure we had a few pointers, but this what excites most of us, seek and flourish, and learn from the past donts in the field. Looking forward again since we only had 1.5 days out there. 14 for 19, casting..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JhDMaBDQVU |
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Posts: 171
| ToddM - 8/29/2013 1:53 PM
The question was 3hrs from Chicago and a shot at a 50. Your "shot" at a 50 is quite remote. Pick a lake and fish it.
I live in the west suburbs and lsc is a solid 6 hour drive for me. Your not getting to lsc from the il/in border in 4.5 unless your going 80mph.
Your/our location is an unfortunate one for us if we want to make it to LSC in decent time... but, if you live in Chicago or on the border of Illinois and Indiana, you absolutely can make it to LSC in 4.5 hours... 5 if you are farther from the border and depending on traffic. Thats only an hour or so longer drive than most of the lakes in Central Illinois.
You really only have 4 choices in Illinois where 50"s are even caught if you want to stick to a 3 hour trip and not drive an extra couple... maybe 1-2 50"s per year are caught out of thousands of fishermen from each of those 4 bodies of water. The other lakes in Illinois where you may have a shot are the same distance or farther away than Lake St. Clair.
Your next closest place would be Southern Wisconsin. Pewaukee and Ocauchee gives you a shot... but none of these lakes are considered 'trophy' waters and you really have the same shot at a 50" in Central Illinois as you do in Southern Wisconsin, so we gotta agree with Todd M on this one... You really do just have to pick a lake and fish it, which is the fun part.
Edited by bshep 8/29/2013 10:14 PM
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Posts: 22
Location: Gods Country | I second on Okauchee. |
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Posts: 218
| Pewaukee definitely does produce 50" class fish and certainly within your driving parameter. Surprised that so many are telling you to drive quite a bit further to St. Clair when Green Bay is closer and clearly producing good numbers of 50" fish. On the other hand there are good lakes within your three hour range that may not be as likely to produce a 50" fish but you can certainly have some fun and if you bump into a 50" so much the better. |
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Posts: 171
| You are correct Pete. You can make it to Green Bay in an hour/hour and a half less time than St. Clair depending on your location in the Chicagoland. Green Bay would still put you over the 3 hour mark, however, and Lake St. Clair still gives you the "better" chance at a 50"
To be fair and to save some time... Here are some lakes and in order of what may be your best shot at a 50 incher... 3 hours or less from the Chicagoland.
Fox Chain
Lake McMaster
Lake Storey
Spring Lake North (Best shot to catch 50 inches of Muskie)
Unfortunately, it would take the hands of God to provide you with a 50 incher from any other Illinois lake within a 3 hour drive... but I'm sure you have much better luck than I do. I guarantee it actually :P |
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Posts: 171
| I forgot to put Shabbona on the list, but unless you are a Crappie fisherman or your name is Bob... I'm not sure if Shabbona, 50", or best belong in the same sentence. |
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| I'd throw Evergreen in that list too |
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Posts: 8782
| Best chance for a 50" fish within three hours of Chicago would probably involve a plane ticket. |
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| There is a bunch of luck involved. I managed a couple fish of 50inches, one in within 1 hour of Chicago and the other about 4 hours south. I have also managed to spend time in some of the best places for trophy fish and and come up short on many trips. IL is not a haven for giants, but a really nice place to get out and enjoy the challenge. The Fox chain is pressured water for example, each lake presents fun challenges. I would say get out there and who knows, you might get lucky. BR |
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Posts: 880
Location: New Berlin,Wisconsin,53151 | Drive to Green Bay and cast the Fox river or troll the Bay.
Netman |
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Posts: 4
| 28" out of Busse
22" out of lake Geneva
50 "s of musky ,
LSC hands down,
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Posts: 246
Location: Grand Marais, MN | I'm only interested in fishing for 50" muskies too  kind of a strange question. It doesn't take anywhere closed to a 50" class fish for me to appreciate the challenge of musky hunting. I haven't been measuring fish anymore, just no need, and people wouldn't believe me anyway
lsc would be a good choice, as would green bay if you got a seaworthy boat. or you could hit the southern wisc and illinois lakes that may not have many 50", but you could still have fun.
Edited by bigfoot 8/30/2013 7:55 PM
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Posts: 4080
Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion | St. Clair,.. or N. Mn.
That's your BEST chance at a 50+ fish....... (On a Daily basis) Or for you guys that don't understand Where 50" fish are boated everyday...... These 2 places are your best Bet....... Call Vegas,...... They always know the odd's
Jerome |
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| Lake Michigan doesn't have muskies? Crap |
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Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | Good luck on grabbing a 50" close to Chicago....as stated by most, best closest realistic chance is either Green Bay or LSC.... Yes some swim in waters closer to that but not very realistic you will get one |
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Posts: 20219
Location: oswego, il | Catch one, fillet one side, flip the fillet over, measure again. I find most Il muskies beat the 50" mark. |
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Posts: 171
| To restore hope to those reading, it IS very realistic catching a 50 from Illinois |
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Posts: 253
Location: On the water | Isn't Green Bay part of Lake Michigan???????
Good Luck, Tom |
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| Don't wanna use my screen nmae buddies would be ticked. Kinda keep my big fish secret but its aholiday and I am feeling like spilling the beans. Also all this talk of no 50s in Il kinda bugs me. Have been fishing super heavy sincei retired. Here is a list.
Shab 1
Mcmaster 2
Storey 2
Fox chain 3
Prairie lake 1
And the super sleeper mallard lake 2
But I advice you to bypass oukachee and go to occonomowoc only been fishing it hard for 2 years. 51.5, 50 and a giant 52.5 on Friday. Seen some there that where big enough to almost make me poop my pants. Go there and throw pounders white or walley. |
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Posts: 317
| I agree with most here, While very heavy, many IL fish just don't get the length. John Doe is mistaken, as I know of 5 legit, verified 50+ to come from the chain in the last 5 years, so that isn't a good average. Same with Shab-very heavy fish, hard to get the length. Central IL has produced some, but again, the overall numbers aren't there. I do know of a small 300 acres lake in the NW suburbs that has also put out 5 verified 50's and an upper 40 inch Tiger in the last five years, but a very tough lake overall. For SWI, I have to agree, Ocono is the best choice, but again, a hard lake to fish. A 50" fish is tough almost anywhere, LSC may be an exception but it's a big lake with a learning curve all it's own. Good luck.
Edited by MuskyStalker 9/2/2013 4:50 PM
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| Your so super sleeper lake is not a super sleeper... gets hit pretty hard on a daily basis... and there are no 50s in there lol |
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Posts: 246
Location: Grand Marais, MN | mallard got stocked for the first time in 2006, sampling this year by the dupage forest preserve district got data from 26 muskies, largest was 40 inches. dont think there's a fifty in there yet. someday there will be, and the meat hogs can have a 50"er for dinner
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Posts: 371
Location: Dixon, IL | Guest seem want to get a 50 inch in a few hours close to his home so forget it! |
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Posts: 2515
Location: Waukesha & Land O Lakes, WI | Pewaukee in fall with suckers is your best bet if you're looking north. |
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Posts: 371
Location: Dixon, IL | I know few 50 inch in some lakes in Illinois but catch them is not easy! Biggest musky I caught in Illinois is 48 inch and that's 2 inch short of 50 inch. I released it! So far I know two 50 inch this year came from two different lake that's not far from Chicago. Mallard Lake look good but heavy fishing pressure and some muskie might be out in open water and grow to 50 inch. |
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Posts: 78
| Sure, I'll add my 2 cents. I would say since you are in the Chicagoland area and looking to fish, just enjoy what is available. This is not 50" country, but it is a very good area to fish and certainly holds some very respectable fish. 40~45" fish are caught regularly with a few bigger here and there. I love big fish as much as the next guy but I fish what is given in a particular part of the region. Notmanymuskie waters throughout the range offer a lot of 50" fish. I spend over 250 days a year on these waters and we put a lot of fish in the boat but only a half dozen or so over 45". 50s do exist, but theyan aabsolute needle in a haystack. So go have fun, stick some fish in the boat and dont be disappointed if you dont catch a monster. Imo people get much to hung up on 50s and forget about the great sport that is musky fishing. |
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best chance for a 50" around chicago land