Posted: 8/6/2024 7:56:55 PM EDT
| Hey guys, trying to get away from the immediate Chicago area for fishing. Looking for bass, pike, muskie etc. this would be shore fishing, ideally off the beaten path. I was looking at the chain of lakes but not sure how congested it would be. Thanks for and help. |
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My two cents as someone who gets out on the Chain for pleasure boating, not fishing... The only time I see people shore fishing is at the various bridges crossing the channels between the lakes. I suspect most of the shoreline is private property, either residential or business, or just outright inaccessible except by boat. Chain O'Lakes State Park might be the exception to that. I found a PDF at the IDNR that might help you out: https://dnr.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/dnr/publications/documents/00000186.pdf |
Life Member: NRA, ISRA, SAF
"Humans are dust in the stellar wind." (from ME3)
"Humans are dust in the stellar wind." (from ME3)
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Shabbona Lake is supposed to have Muskies. I launched my boat there a couple times back when I got bit by the musky bug. Never even got a follow. But they did have some shore fishing and irrc a boat rental. I remember seeing some good fish come out of the Shelbyville spillway on the Facebook page. Might be more of an early season thing when they are migrating to spawn though idk. |
| Fox River (as far south as Oswego/Yorkville, can't speak south of there) has great SMB (personal best 20" SMB on Fox and when I go fly fishing with the right fly 16-18+" are the norm), cats (massive channels and flatheads), muskie (rare but they are there), walleye and some LMB tons of shore access and it's shallow enough to wade, Google Maps is your friend and wading is where you'll have the best success off of the beaten path. Jericho Lake in Aurora has some BIG LMB and all around shore access, not crowded on weekdays, if I spend a day out there I usually catch at least one that's 3lbs plus. Those are 2 off the top of my head... |