BLOOMINGTON - Fishermen have a reputation for stretching the truth, but Department of Natural Resources biologists say day in and day out, there's no place like home for fishing if you live in Illinois.

No foolin'.

"Right now, Illinois is at the top of the heap," said Scott Stuewe, who was head of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources division of fisheries until he left to go into private industry last month. "We have fantastic largemouth bass fishing in our reservoirs. The coho fishery is really good in Lake Michigan. We have an outstanding sauger fishery in the Illinois River. The muskie fishing is second to none as far as action, and the sizes are coming up.

"I think Illinois is in very good shape. I'd be willing to put us up against anybody."

The Pantagraph asked IDNR district biologists who oversee lakes and rivers in Central Illinois to name what they consider the best places to fish in 2007. Here's what they had to say:

Crappies

Best spot for big crappie? Sangchris Lake near Springfield, said DNR biologist Dan Stephenson. Rare crappies up to 18¾ inches have been caught, but dandy fish 12- to 15 inches are common.

Lake Taylorville is another good spot. Evergreen Lake is the place for 'specks closer to Bloomington-Normal, said DNR biologist Mike Garthaus. Argyle Lake near Macomb and Johnson Lake at Banner Marsh near Banner have good numbers and good sizes, said biologist Rob Hilsabeck. Biologist Wayne Herndon suggests Spring Lake - North for fish up to 13 inches.

Biologist Mike Mounce suggests Lake Mattoon and Mill Creek for both numbers and sizes. Shelbyville has good-sized crappies, too, but it's a big reservoir, so you have to know where to find them.

Bass

Garthaus suggests Weldon Springs just south of Clinton for largemouth bass. Surveys down the road at Clinton Lake are showing a decent population of largemouth based on all natural reproduction. The 2006 spawn was the second highest recorded, and smallmouth bass are doing well there, too. Largemouth bass at Dawson Lake are good. He rates Evergreen Lake and Lake Bloomington fair.

Hilsabeck suggests Banner Marsh and Argyle for good bass fishing. Herndon sends people to Spring Lake which has largemouth bass averaging 18 inches.

Lake Eureka is a sleeper.

"You almost can't go wrong at Taylorville," added Stephenson. "They are heavy-bodied fish because there is so much shad.

Sangchris and Springfield are his next choices. Recent electro-shocking at Sangchris produced 183 bass an hour, a record. Stephenson thinks Lake Jacksonville tops them all.

"It is just phenomenal for big bass and numbers. A 40-boat tournament last year in one day had 485 pounds of bass weighed in. The average was 3.35 pounds," he said.

Mounce suggests Lake Shelbyville.

"It's outstanding, probably as good as it's ever been. We have five good strong year classes - 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006. That fishery has been really tough, but last June, they tore them up. One tournament weighed in 556 pounds in two days, 230 fish. "

Mill Creek is rebounding from a fish kill which affected largemouth bass in 1998.

"They are catching some nice fish there and good numbers. It's come back really well. Last time we surveyed it in 2005, we had the second highest adult catch rate and a wide variety of sizes," Mounce said.

Biologist Ken Clodfelter named Johnson-Sauk Trail for a good population of bass plus some trophies. Other good bass spots include Shabbona and the Hennepin Canal.

For smallmouth, Clodfelter sends folks to the Rock River or LaSalle Lake north of Streator.

"There are some big ones in there, and it's not uncommon to get 3-pounders," he said.

Muskies

Muskies thrive in many Illinois reservoirs. Lake Shelbyville holds the state record at over 38 pounds. But bigger fish have been caught and released or netted in DNR surveys at many lakes in Central Illinois. Evergreen Lake last week produced a fish during a netting survey that topped the state record by several pounds.

Spring Lake has numbers of muskies in the low 40-inch range, Herndon said.

Garthaus mentioned Lake Mingo in Vermilion County near Danville for lesser numbers but still good sizes.

Don't overlook Banner Marsh, Argyle and Canton.

Once boat-ramp work is completed later this year, try Lake McMaster at Snakeden Hollow State Fish and Wildlife Area in Knox County. Others to try include Shabbona Lake in DeKalb County, Lake Kinkaid in southern Illinois or Pierce Lake in northern Illinois near Rockford.

The perch family

Walleye, sauger and saugeye are also doing great in Illinois.

Clodfelter said the Illinois River from Starved Rock State Park downstream to Henry continues to rank among the best destinations for sauger in North America especially during the spring run. The river also is home to fewer numbers of walleyes, but they can top 7 pounds. More walleyes are appearing in the upper reaches of the Illinois apparently due to migration of fish downstream after they are stocked in the Kankakee River.

Evergreen Lake holds the state record for saugeye, a walleye/sauger hybrid, at 9 pounds, 10.88 ounces. A survey last week produced four fish bigger than that. (See Tuesday's Sports section.) Hilsabeck said Argyle may be a better choice if you're after a trophy. Biologists have seen them there over 12 pounds.

Surveys at Dawson Lake, which began receiving saugeye in 2003, show good numbers of fast-growing fish.

Pierce Lake near Rockford offers good numbers of walleyes up to 5 pounds. Harvest there is an incredible 50 pounds per acre, according to the most recent creel survey. Lake George in Rock Island County is another good destination.

Lake Bloomington has a fair walleye population. Garthaus termed the prospects there as "boom or bust."

Mounce said walleyes at Lake Shelbyville are "doing well."

Catfish

The Illinois River ranks near the top for channel catfish. Clinton Lake and Evergreen Lake are both tops. Dawson and Weldon Springs are stocked so they're good for smaller channels. Clinton boasts big flatheads along with Powerton Lake near Pekin and Canton Lake. Stephenson said Springfield Lake is "super" for both big channels and numbers of fish. It also has big flatheads. Channels are also good at Lake Decatur, Mattoon and Charleston. Lake Decatur also has good numbers of flatheads.

Don't overlook Shabbona for big channels from 10- to 15 pounds each.

LaSalle Lake offers lots of smaller eating-sized channels. The Rock River has both channels and flatheads galore.

"We had over 1,000 in the 3- to 5-pound range in one hoop net last fall," Clodfelter said. "We had flatheads up to 52 pounds and good numbers in the 20-to 38-pound range."

But, the big news recently in catfish is the success of stocking efforts of blue catfish in several reservoirs. At Powerton, blue catfish stocked at 8 inches in 1999 are currently over 50 pounds. The Springfield Catfish Club is working with the DNR to catch blues from the Mississippi River near Alton and move them to Lake Springfield. So far, they've stocked 150 blues ranging in size from 3- to 47 pounds.

Blues also are doing great at LaSalle Lake.

White bass/stripers

The Illinois River teems with these scrappy fish in spring. Head to Lake Springfield for reservoir fishing.

"The white bass are phenomenal," said Stephenson. "Fish 14 inches are not at all uncommon."

Shelbyville, Clinton and Decatur have good numbers.

Sangchris is hosting pure stripers in good numbers, but not big ones. Fish of 16- to 18 inches are the norm.

Bluegills

A bluegill study over the past few years that set length and catch limits at several lakes has had positive results, according to biologists. Lake Bloomington now has good numbers of fish over 8 inches. Walnut Point Lake in Douglas County also saw positive results. Other good bluegill spots include Evergreen Lake, Lincoln Trail Lake in Clark County near Marshall, and Jim Edgar Panther Creek Fish & Wildlife Area.

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Fishing reports

• Get updated news on fishing in Central Illinois by reading Hook, Line & Sinker in Thursday's sports section or visit www.ifishillinois.org or www.larrysfishinghole.com. Watch for the mid-April return of What's Biting, a weekly fishing report, that will appear in Friday's sports section.

• For more ideas on where to fish plus a listing of fishing regulations and state records, read the 2007 Fishing Booklet published by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The booklets are available at most bait shops and sporting goods stores.