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| I live in southern Illinois, and have somehow recently become absolutely obsessed with trying to catch a muskie. I heard today of a project in Illinois called the "Green Gene" project, where they are stocking test lakes with 3 different strains of muskie (Leech Lake, Illinois, and Ohio River strains I think) to determine the best species for future stockings in Illinois.
Apparently, one of the 3 lakes they are studying is in my home county! (Sam Dale Lake. 194 acres. 18 feet max depth. We are at about 38* N.) They began stocking 11 inch muskie in 2005, and have put 500-800 per year each year since.
Does anyone know anything at all about this project? Would those fish be big enough to fish for?
The Illinois DNR does not list muskie as a species of game fish for Sam Dale Lake, but they released the stocking numbers for each year, so it's not a huge secret. |
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Location: Illinois | http://www.illmuskie.com/images/PGG-2011.pdf Also of note, Same Dale was significantly mentioned in the Jun/Jul 12 issue of Musky Hunter, in an article by Max Wolter entitled, "Muskies Over the Wall". Good luck catching numero uno! Please don't hesitate to ask here if you have any questions about successfully releasing muskies. Ain't as much fun spending all the time learning how to catch them, only to finally catch one and not knowing how to let em go!
Edited by muskellunged 7/23/2012 10:44 PM
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Location: Illinois | 
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| That is EXACTLY the kind of info I was looking for! I will be absolutely thrilled if there is indeed a fishable population of muskies that close to home.
I am trying to get my hands on the June/July MH magazine. I subscribed earlier this month, but I think I will have to order the back issue from their website in order to receive this particular issue.
I have learned A LOT from reading this site already. I read it every day, and have read many of the old threads and done many searches on topics that I was interested in learning more about. I would imagine that I have read more about muskie fishing than anyone who has never actually even seen a muskie. I am going to Kinkaid Lake with Chad Cain this fall, so that should speed up my learning curve immensely.
My ultimate goal is to become a regular with a group of locals who go to Ontario every other year to catch muskies. I went 10 years ago to a pike/walleye/trout lake and absolutely loved it, but I have muskies on the brain now.
Would you mind giving me a rundown of exactly what I should do if I land a muskie? I know it's not ethical to fish for them now with the high temps. I also know it's dangerous to hold them vertically and not to keep them out of water longer than I can hold my breath. What are some keys to safely releasing a muskie so that others (or myself) can enjoy catching them again?
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Posts: 553
Location: 15 miles east of Lake Kinkaid | Guest-
if you register with the site and get a username, pm me and I can help you out. I live in Carbondale and spend a great deal of time of the southern Illinois and some central Illinois musky waters. |
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Posts: 140
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Guest, Matt is an excellent angler and knows his #*#* well ... I would most certainly take him up on his offer if was you. |
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Posts: 149
| I got a user name, now I am ready to soak up any and all knowledge you guys are willing to share!
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Posts: 149
| I have no boat, no muskie rod, no net or release tools. I am a farmpond bass fisherman for the most part. I have some bigger crankbaits and spinnerbaits for bass fishing that may catch a muskie. I do own a 6" Grandma (Crappie), a Super Cisco (XXX Sexy Chrome Shad), and a couple of BullDawg knockoffs. That's the extent of my muskie gear. I am waiting to actually catch one before I go all in on the rods/reels/lures/nets/etc. |
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Posts: 20248
Location: oswego, il | Alot of interesting info on project green gene. Muskie strains, diet, where they go when it is hot, and some spillway data. Sam Dale has an estimated 20% adult population loss per year over the spillway. The math end of it at least does not bode well for a fish to be in the system by the time it is 40". Muskies stay in the hot water cause that is where the shad are. Leech lake fish have not been sampled past the age of 2. The illinois strain is as good as the ohio strain for the most part. |
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Posts: 149
| I went to Sam Dale today with my family. We took our poles with us and caught a couple small bass fishing off the shoreline.
I asked about any muskie sightings and one lady who works in the restaurant said her husband caught a 32" last Sunday while jigging for crappies. She said a few bass fishermen had caught some earlier in the year. They didn't know of anyone who had ever caught one on purpose or if anyone had even tried.
They are pretty ambivalent about the presence of muskies in their lake. I thought it was interesting to finally get some inside info on muskies at Sam Dale. |
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