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| SportsThursday, August 30, 2007 2:43 AM CDT |
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Clinton Lake getting national ranking raises an eyebrow
Everyone has their favorite spots to fish. Evergreen Lake in northern McLean County is one of mine. I’m lucky to live so near a place with giant-sized muskies and saugeye. Evergreen would even rank on my top 10 list of favorite places to fish in the Midwest, including states like Minnesota and Wisconsin. But would Evergreen appear on my list of top 10 fishing spots in the entire United States? No. The competition on that level is far too stiff. That’s why I was more than a little surprised when another Central Illinois lake with even fewer fishing prospects than Evergreen appeared on a list of top 10 family-friendly places to fish in the country. The Sportsman Channel on cable TV recently named Clinton Lake in DeWitt County for that honor. Clinton was mentioned in the same breath as places like Clear Lake, Calif., one of the nation’s top bass fishing destinations. The channel’s other suggestions were: -- Salmon and halibut fishing in Sitka, Alaska. -- Ecofina Creek, Fla., near Panama City for bass, bluegills and catfish. -- Lake Sinclair near Macon, Ga., for bass, crappie and catfish. -- Guntersville Lake, Ala., for bass. -- Venice, La., for red fish and speckled trout. -- Lake Ontario from Rochester to Point Breeze in New York for salmon, steelheads and lake trout. -- Cape Cod, Mass., for Atlantic stripers during the late summer migration. -- Rogerson, Idaho, home of Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir, which has fishing for bass, trout, salmon, walleye, crappie, catfish and panfish. Clinton Lake was cited for its “largemouth bass, walleye, striped bass and crappie by boat or from a pier.” Certainly, people at the Sportsman Channel are entitled to their opinion. But people who regularly fish Clinton Lake have another view. The 5,000-acre cooling lake isn’t even among the top fishing destinations for families in the central part of the state. Don’t get me wrong. I agree with Twin City bass expert Terry Brown of www.bassfan.com. The Department of Natural Resources is doing a good job managing a tough 5,000-acre nuclear power plant cooling lake. Bass are rebounding. White bass are plentiful. Clinton Lake is one of the best catfish lakes in Illinois, though the cable channel didn’t mention that species. “Clinton is twice the fishery it’s ever been,” Brown said. “It has some big fish because it’s a hot-water lake and has a 12-month growing season.” But Clinton Lake also has a limited amount of structure and cover to target, Brown said, and areas where fishing is restricted due to post-9/11 security measures add to the headaches. If that weren’t enough, you literally take your life into your hands on crowded weekends, dodging jet skis, power boats and skiers. Lakes like Jacksonville beat Clinton’s bass population hands down, he said. Fishing guide Steve Welch chuckled when he heard Clinton Lake made the list compiled by the Sportsman Channel. For bass, he prefers Newton Lake. For crappie, Shelbyville is better than Clinton, and Decatur Lake surpasses them both, he said. When looking at the entire state, Rend Lake would be a top contender, he added. Heidecke Lake is a recent leader for striped bass. As for walleyes and related species, Evergreen has a saugeye population that includes verified state records, including the current one at 9 pounds, 10.5 ounces. Clinton, however, boasts better walleye prospects than Shelbyville, Welch said. “I can’t imagine Clinton being in the top thousand (in the nation),” Brown said. “There’s just no way,” Welch agreed. For families The 10th annual Take a Kid Fishing Tournament for adults and kids ages 4-12 begins at 9 a.m. Sept. 15 at Evergreen Lake. Cost is $10 per adult and $5 per child. Only shoreline fishing is allowed. Children receive grab bags. The tournament is a multispecies event. Register in person beginning at 8 a.m. or online at www.mcleancountyil.gov/parks. Phone (309) 726-2022, extension 221, for details. Tournament notes Clint Paradee and Joe Coventry won Ole Joe’s Catfish Tournament at Clinton Lake on Saturday with 34.4 pounds. That total does not include the 9.7-pound catfish Coventry caught to take big fish honors. Dave Sample and Mike Parry were second with 32.5 pounds. Robert and Duane Brewer were third with 30.7 pounds. Next events are two back-to-back tournaments from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m Sept. 29-30 at Weldon ramp on Clinton Lake. Scott Richardson is Pantagraph outdoor editor. Phone (309) 820-3227 or e-mail srichardson@pantagraph.com. Read past outdoor and fishing columns or take part in online discussions at www.pantagraph.com/blogs. Get area high school sports scores and statistics at Varsity Sports. E-mail this story | Print this story | Search archives | RSS Show comments |  Hide comments | Hide comments on all stories |
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Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.
agreed wrote on Aug 30, 2007 2:58 PM:
fisherman wrote on Aug 30, 2007 1:21 PM:
Let's talk no wake zone wrote on Aug 30, 2007 11:04 AM:
fisherman wrote on Aug 30, 2007 8:13 AM:
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