Spring Lake North

Fishing Report

State Park and Muskie Status Report Info

The following is an excerpt from the IL State Parks website:

Spring Lake Fish and Wildlife Area is located in Tazewell county, 25 miles southwest of Peoria on the east side of the Illinois River.

In 1950 the state made the initial land acquisition of the 632 acres. The total acreage is now 2,032.

The lake lies almost parallel to the Illinois river for 8.5 miles up the river bottoms along the base of the river's east bluff. Spring Lake was described as a meander by an 1840 survey, and title was given to the State of Illinois. Overlooked by a large sandstone bluff, Spring Lake is a long, narrow lake created by a meander of the Illinois River. The lake covers and area of 1,285 acres, has a maximum depth of 10 feet and has 18 miles of shoreline.

The lake water level was raised by the construction of a higher dike in the late 1950's. The expanded lake was completely filled by 1960. The new lake was completely filled by 1960. The new lake is nearly twice the size of the old Spring Lake and has also inundated another lake known as Saiwell Lake.

Fishing and Boating

The lake is divided into two separate lakes. North lake has largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, muskie, channel catfish, sunfish, bullheads, and carp. The south lake has largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, channel catfish, northern pike and sunfish.

Directions

From the city of Pekin, take Illinois Rte 29 south approximately 1 mile to Manito Rd, turn right (west) and go 10 miles to Spring Lake Rd (1000 N), turn right (west) and go 3 miles to North Park Entrance. You will then be able to follow signs to the South Park.
 

If traveling north on IL Rte 29, at the town of Green Valley, turn left (west) on Toboggan Avenue (6000 N) and go 7.5 miles to Manito Road (2960 E), turn right (north) and go 4 miles (through the town of Manito) to Spring Lake Road (1000 N), turn left (west) and go 3 miles to North Park Entrance. You will then be able to follow signs to the South Park.

 

The following is an excerpt from the IL DNR's

"STATUS OF MUSKIE FISHERY IN ILLINOIS 2004"

SPRING LAKE NORTH - In 1978, Spring Lake was divided into two distinct waters for the purpose of capital improvement and the restructuring of the fish population. Prior to 1916, Spring Lake was part of the Illinois River system as a lateral freshwater marsh. In 1916 it was separated from the river by a high levee and has remained a separate body of water. From 1916 until 1981, the quality of the fishery habitat and the fish population declined due to rough fish populations such as carp and bullheads. In 1981 the lake was treated with rotenone to remove the existing fish population and encourage the growth of aquatic vegetation. The key to the rehabilitation was the re-establishment of lush aquatic vegetation which had occurred by summer of 1983.

Always a shallow water, Spring Lake today has an average depth of 2.9 feet. Of the 578 acres of water, at least 75 percent is covered with 17 different species of aquatic vegetation by late May of each year. The majority of this coverage now consists of Eurasian milfoil. The tremendous spring recharge from the bed of the lake amounts to 52 acre feet a day, creating very cold water temperatures under the insulating layer of vegetation for the majority of the summer months. This is a unique situation and only occurs in Spring Lake within the State of Illinois. The resulting temperature regime and water quality is excellent habitat for muskie.

Because of its proximity to the Jake Wolf Hatchery, North Spring Lake has been used as a brood source for muskie the past ten years and has provided most of the early muskie stocks for statewide stocking each year. In an effort to collect fish for egg production, extensive population assessment data has been gathered since 1991. We know quite a lot about the size structure and age of the population as well as growth. It appears that growth of female fish is excellent when compared to nation-wide populations. Growth of male muskie is in the normal range when making a similar comparison. There is a big difference in the length at age between sexes! A 32 inch female is usually 4 years old, whereas a 32 inch male is 5 years old, on average.

North Spring Lake is stocked every third year at a rate of between 2 and 3 fish per acre. It has been observed that significant cannibalism occurs if muskie are stocked every year. Young muskie are especially vulnerable to 1 and 2 year old male muskie at North Spring Lake.

A muskie tagging project is in its sixth year on North Spring Lake. It is important to gain information regarding growth of fish by sex and age as well as potential egg production data. This tagging project should answer many questions concerning muskie biology in Illinois.

Fishing for muskie on North Spring Lake is a challenge. The water temperatures rise quickly and usually result in fish feeding actively in late March. Aquatic vegetation becomes thick and hard to fish no later than May 15th of each year and lasts until the lake closes for regular waterfowl season. The narrow window of opportunity between the middle of March and mid-May results in some excellent fishing. The fish are then refuged by the thick vegetation until the following year. Sometimes fishing the holes in the vegetation in June is quite effective. There are a number of large fish in the population available to muskie fishermen.

North Spring Lake has three useable boat ramps and is accessible by the Manito Blacktop, 12 miles south of Pekin. No fuel or services are available; however, camping and food is. There is a 25 horsepower limit at Spring Lake.

Spring Lake North Fishing Report

March 6th 2005

Seeing the lake for the first time I am figuring the water levels are fairly normal as the lake is 400 acres and the average depth is around 4 ft give or take a bit.

The water is fairly clean with about 1 & ½ ft visibility but if the wind whips up or there is too much boat traffic it can muddy up quick. Water temps were around 45 degrees. There isn’t much weed growth yet however the lake does have some kind of canes sticking up and there is shoreline cover, not much more as far as structure.

We fished around 5 hrs and had 1 follow that looked about 40 inches & 1 hooked that did not hold. With the lake being so shallow you need to make long drifts across all the open areas also because the muskies can be anywhere. The fish we moved were right out of the middle of the lake. Right now with the water temps, think small. Such as rattle traps, Rizzo whiz, small suicks, rappalas, & bass size spinner baits. Don’t be afraid to try some larger stuff if you catch a warm weather system.

Tite Lines!

Ron Fulk