Fishing and Camping in Illinois? (Peoria, Springfield: house, wedding, school)

[linicx]

Where can anglers launch a boat, cast a line and camp in Illinois?

I found a few places in the six county Peoria area where sportsmen can do all of the above, plus hunt duck and goose .- but special rules apply to fowl. Not all sites allow hunting. None of the areas listed are private or commercial. All require the appropriate license to fish or hunt.

I am sure there are other areas in Illinois, but where are they?

Fulton County: Anderson Lake, Rice Lake, Banner Marsh
DNR
DNR
DNR

Marshall - Stark Counties{ (Duck blinds on the river)
DNR

Mason County: Manito, Havana
 DNR
City of Havana Riverfront Park. NO hunting

Peoria County: Chillicothe
Small city owned campground near the river. NO Hunting

[doll lady]

Hi Linicx .... thanks for adding more threads about the great facilities in Illinois.

I'll try to add a few lakes near Springfield with good facilities.

I mentioned before on another thread the Jim Edgar Panther Creek resort area....camping, cabins, fishing, boating, hunting, picnics, and overall fun. Operated by DNR.

DNR


Sangchris Lake over near Kincaid Illinois and southeast of Springfield, provides some good fishing. It's a state park and has boating, fishing and picnic areas.

Sangchris Lake State Recreation Area - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lake Shelbyville is a really good place to go for a weekend. It's not far to the east and a bit south of Springfield. The fishing is good and there are plenty of picnic areas, camping, with nice Lodges/cabins to stay at in Shelyville and the nearby area and good food. It's an area where you could spend a week's vacation and be happy about it without a huge expense. Bring your boat as the fishing is better from a boat. And for the kids a nearby water park. Oh I forgot to say that there is even a wedding chapel!!!!

Lake Shelbyville Attractions

Lake Springfield has really good fishing from a boat....and in some places it's really good along the shore. This lake is wonderful to go skiing, or pleasure boating. There are many parks along the shore for picnics with plenty of kiddie swings and slides and ducks and geese to feed and chase....these occupy kids that's for sure.

Lake Taylorville also has good boating and fishing.

To the west off Interstate 72, at Pittsfield, there is a nice campground with a nice big lake with no license required. It's called Pine Lakes.

Pine Lakes Resort - Camping, Lodging and Fishing in West Central Illinois

Down in the southern part of the state there are lots of lakes for really great fishing. I love Rend Lake, Crab Orchard and love that some southern Illinois Lakes are referred to as Little Egypt. The Devil's Kitchen Lake has the cleanest water I've seen in Illinois. I've been to several of the lakes, but I think I will leave the explanations to the Southern Illinois people who know it better than I.

Illinois fishing and camping areas are good places to take your family. Happy fishing!

[linicx]

Doll Lady where is 72? IS that the four-lane that bypasses Jacksonville? I always stopped at Pittsfield on my way back from Missouri on US54 out of Louisiana, MO.. I always managed to find a way to eat, shop and relax before I headed up north to US 24. I think it is a great little town. Good people having hard times. Their bank went under. .

[rockfordsucksbigtime]

i would actually like to know this answer as well only around the rockford area except for the dang rock and my usual private spot west lake i usually fish for cat and walleye

[Havasu]

Originally Posted by rockfordsucksbigtime

i would actually like to know this answer as well only around the rockford area except for the dang rock and my usual private spot west lake i usually fish for cat and walleye

Rock Cut use to be a great place to fish

[kmwheel]

Doll Lady, thanks for those tips on the Springfield area. My husband wanted to fish in Lake Springfield, but several friends told me not to eat the fish?!! Another person just told me about Sangchris, which is apparently just down the road from me, and I'm excited to try that out. We fished a lot in Michigan, but never in Illinois yet.

I didn't even know about the Panther Creek area or Lake Taylorville. Thanks a lot!

By the way, I can remember you from when we were first looking at the area. You gave me a lot of really useful information, and I just want to say thank you. We are really loving it here!

[rockfordsucksbigtime]

Originally Posted by Havasu

Rock Cut use to be a great place to fish

man the last time i fished at rockcut was when i was 11 but lately i heard cops been coming out the woodwork and pestering you every 5 mins for ur license.... thats something i dont want.. fishing supposed to be fun and relaxing but not with the oinkys botherin ya lol

[doll lady]

Originally Posted by linicx

Doll Lady where is 72? IS that the four-lane that bypasses Jacksonville? I always stopped at Pittsfield on my way back from Missouri on US54 out of Louisiana, MO.. I always managed to find a way to eat, shop and relax before I headed up north to US 24. I think it is a great little town. Good people having hard times. Their bank went under. .

You are right....I-72 bypasses Jacksonville....it runs east to west clear over to Hannibal Mo. Be sure to watch out for the deer in Pike County....one of the highest number of deer (and accidents too) are in Pike county by Pittsfield.

http://www.imbmonsterbucks.com/info.php?id=76

I'll tell you a story. One of our daughters went to school her first year at Culver-Stockton in Canton Missouri...just over the river at Quincy and a bit north. She came home one weekend and while driving north of Springfield, three deer ran into the side of her car doing major damage. Since she worked weekends in Springfield, I had to go every Friday afternoon to get her and take her back every Sunday (that s*cked). Her car finally got fixed and she picked it up on a Friday night. When she went back to school on Sunday evening, and while in Pike county, two deer ran into the driver side back panel of her car....needless to say we didn't get it fixed...it wasn't too much damage. Too many deer!

[doll lady]

Originally Posted by kmwheel

Doll Lady, thanks for those tips on the Springfield area. My husband wanted to fish in Lake Springfield, but several friends told me not to eat the fish?!! Another person just told me about Sangchris, which is apparently just down the road from me, and I'm excited to try that out. We fished a lot in Michigan, but never in Illinois yet.

I didn't even know about the Panther Creek area or Lake Taylorville. Thanks a lot!

By the way, I can remember you from when we were first looking at the area. You gave me a lot of really useful information, and I just want to say thank you. We are really loving it here!

Thank you my friend. Glad I was able to help you. The Panther Creek area is my most favorite....our camper is so huge we don't like to take it any longer so we always stay in one of the cabins....just $45 per night....in the summer be sure to ask for one of the two in the shade....the rest are out in the sun. If you camp, there is a wonderfully clean campground. The showers there are squeeky clean.

During the last several years there have been some bacteria problems with Lake Springfield. The bacteria (leptospira) was so bad that some marathon swimmers got very sick and the beach house was closed. It's open now but not long ago the city fathers were thinking of closing it to save money. There's aTriathalon July 26 starting at the Beach House,....it's in Center Park.
I doubt that I would eat the fish from the lake or the Sangamon River for that matter.

Don't hesitate to let me know if I can help again. Just send me a direct message.

[linicx]

Originally Posted by kmwheel

Doll Lady, thanks for those tips on the Springfield area. My husband wanted to fish in Lake Springfield, but several friends told me not to eat the fish?!! Another person just told me about Sangchris, which is apparently just down the road from me, and I'm excited to try that out. We fished a lot in Michigan, but never in Illinois yet.

I didn't even know about the Panther Creek area or Lake Taylorville. Thanks a lot!

By the way, I can remember you from when we were first looking at the area. You gave me a lot of really useful information, and I just want to say thank you. We are really loving it here!

You will like Pittsfield area, too. It's beautiful and quaint. Pittsfield does have fast food, nice new gas station, hospital and walmart. If it is the park I am thinking of it is less than 5 miles from the hospital (on your right) west on US 54. . Walmart is maybe a mile further on your left at the stoplight as you head toward MO.. .