My first fishing report for 2024. The lake is 595.04 or 1.04ft. above winter pool. Very low but normal this time of the year. Summer pool is 599.7. Winter is 594. With all the warm weather we have experienced the water temps. have went up quick. Today I found as high as 54.8. The crappie are up shallow basking in the much warmer water temps than the deep water. With all the wind we are tight lining a 3/32oz. Deep Ledge Jig and a Brushpile Hammer or Dart in either Peppercorn, Wyatt's Blue Magic or Green Goblin. Today the Dart [...]

My Calendar for 2024 is up on my website. I am up in Chicago Tinley Park Show February 16-18 for one more fishing show to book spring trips. A lot of good dates still exist but won't for long. Give me a call at 217-840-1221 or go to "Book a Date" on my website and send us an email from the website. I currently have the calendar updated so those trips are available. I currently have these dates open March 11-22, 24-29 April 19,21,22,24,26 May is booked June 5,6,11,12,13,15-20,22-28,30

Water temps on the north end are bouncing around 60-63. The south end 65-66. The lake is about a foot below summer pool and stained to clear north to south. I have put away the white bass gear to concentrate on crappie for the remainder of the year. Whites really like warm weather so it is hard to put many in the boat. Crappie however love cooler weather and they are really putting on the feed bag. Every fish you catch just has shad poop running out of them they are just gorging. I have the three seat system in [...]

Fishing Report October 1-15The current lake level is 599.1. Summer pool is 599.7 so down some and the water temps are bouncing around from 68-70. The lake is gin clear especially the south end. I am seeing baitfish very shallow early in the morning, just look where the Pelicans are moving around in the water. They are right on top of them. Wind will bring in white bass and walleye since there is so much bait. I have been stopping and throwing my jigging spoon, hair jig combo or a Big Dude blade bait at these shallow schools. The whites [...]

The water temps have fallen very quickly from low 80's a couple weeks ago down to 68-70. What this has done is move my white bass big time. They are now on the bank and spread all over the lake on anything slow tapering with wind on it. I have just a couple trips left for them then will be getting rid of the rods and concentrating on crappie only. Hopefully on these last two trips we get a 20 plus wind. That will bunch them up. For those looking for white bass just look for bait. They are up [...]

Lake Level is 599.62. Normal summer pool is 599.7 so almost normal. Water temps are running around 77 and lake is gin clear due to very little rain fall. I have given the crappie a small break and been concentrating on white bass. I can still catch plenty of crappie but the white bass love the heat and bunch up on points and early in the morning actually bust the surface. I love chasing them since wind directions move them and you must figure out the puzzle every day. Once found you can catch a hundred from an anchored position. [...]