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Posts: 122
Location: Bloomington, IL | Hi Guys,
Can anybody tell me a bit about Spring Lake - North? I understand that early spring before the vegetation covers the lake is a good time, but that the DNR has been working to clear out the weeds. Have they been successful in keeping the lake mostly clear? Is this lake possible to fish in the summer and fall? Or is it a mainly early season lake?
This is the info from a Sportsman Connection Map that I am basing that on:
Natural springs feed thousands of gallons of cold water into North Spring Lake each day. By late spring, the cold water is locked under an insulating layer of vegetation -- making this an incredibly unique and excellent fishery. In spring, or untill the vegetation becomes abundant, bass and musie fishing are excellent. Fisheries managers are attempting to treat the vegetation, which is not native to the lake, in order to stabilize the lake, and this may affect fishing tactics from year to year.
[Bass info skipped]
This lake is a muskellunge haven, and serves as a brood stock lake for the INDR's muskie stocking program. Spring fishing is the best, up until mid-May. Expect some big fish to come out of this lake, as is evidenced by the 48-inch length minimum limit. Guide Duane Landmeier of Mainly Musky Fishing says the fishing is excellent. he suggests fishing shorelines in the back channel with bucktails or suicks.
I'd appreciate any tips that anyone can give!!
Scott
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Location: Illinois | I do not know the lake well, in fact I've only fished it once early this Spring. I've heard from other fisherman that the lake is unfishable once the weeds sprout in the summer. The Illinois Musky Tournament Trail fishes it every Spring, so you might get some good responses if you post on their message board. Here is their link: http://www.illmuskie.com
Mike Witowski |
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Posts: 122
Location: Bloomington, IL | Hey, thanks Mike, I might give that a shot! It doesn't look like that board is terribly active..seeing as how your last post was the first one in 4 and a half months. Lol
So..does one have to be part of an organization to take part in those tourney's?? |
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Location: Illinois | scolba - 8/6/2008 7:44 PM
So..does one have to be part of an organization to take part in those tourney's??
Nope, anyone is welcome. It is a great way to learn some waters close to home. The entry fees go back into the fishery in nearly every IMTT event. The prize money is donated from local sponsors. The IMTT donates everything to the Illinois Musky Alliance (http://www.illinimuskiesalliance.org/), which in turn works on state stocking projects, buys spillway nets, etc....
I got involved last season and fished five events. Each time was really cool, whether it was Kinkaid, Fox Chain, Evergreen, or Shelbyville. It really opened up my own eyes to the wonderful musky fishery our state offers. The other neat thing was the camaraderie of the fisherman and volunteers involved.
Check it out I think you'll come away impressed! One I wouldn't miss is the Fall Classic at Shelbyville Oct. 4-5. The banquet Saturday night includes a steak dinner, a musky-related raffle, and of course, plenty of fish stories!
Good luck and I hope I see you out there!
Mike Witowski |
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| muskellunged - 8/6/2008 8:12 PM
The banquet Saturday night includes a steak dinner, a musky-related raffle, and of course, plenty of fish stories!
Whoa, I misread part of this as "a musky-related dinner"
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| like 3feet deep the entire lake, maybe 5ft in one spot....tons of weeds..... muskys are present |
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Posts: 122
Location: Bloomington, IL | The wifey and I took a trip out there today while we were kinda-sorta-somewhat in the area.  Scouting trips are fun...lol.
Anyway, it looks a lot different than I was expecting, for sure. Water temp was actually lower than I expected, too. I don't have an exact temp, but the "finger" gauge told me Mid 70's. That definitely surprised me too!
I snapped some crappy pics from my phone too, so thought I would share. the pics are in order, looking from the dock at the boat ramp, first to the northwest, then to the north, then northeast.
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