The News Outside

After years and years of fishing public water (mostly banner marsh) I’m looking to see if there are any fishing clubs / leases around the Peoria area that might be takin members for the 2016 season. The old man and I are just tired of batting crowds, bass tournaments and folks who just don’t know how to put a good fish back from time to time. With a little one on the way I’d like to make the most out of my limited fishin time. Any information would be appreciated, thanks alot

84, How far u willing to drive????

I’d say within an hour of the peoria area. We drive to Lake Evergreen and Banner all the time and occasionally Snakeden up in victoria. Those are all about 30-60 minute drives for us.

Guess I ve never paid attention to fishing pressure. There are alot of quality public fisheries. I can’t imagine having to join a club to find good fishing.

Because of the hp restrictions on evergreen and snakeden we fish banner 95% of the time. Would just like to find a place to break up the routine. I catch fish on public water but I have no problem paying a reasonable amount of money to be able to have somewhere to go where I dont have to fight a crowd everytime I wanna fish. I could go on a rant about some of the things I’ve seen at banner but that’s not what I intended this thread to be.

Unfortunately alot of these public fishing areas are used by drug users.  Pick up a copy of IL outdoor news and read the CPO Blotter that’s in the back.  I think our CPO’s spend more time arresting junkies than they do enforcing game laws.

I must live a sheltered life. I fish a piece of public water in East Central Illinois about 3 times a week. I hardly ever see anybody there. Weekdays or weekends let alone drug dealers or fisherman.

chrismaring - 18 August 2015 11:36 AM

I must live a sheltered life. I fish a piece of public water in East Central Illinois about 3 times a week. I hardly ever see anybody there. Weekdays or weekends let alone drug dealers or fisherman.

Consider yourself lucky and not sheltered.  There’s a handful of places my buddies like to go that I will only go if i’m carrying.  Chain of rocks on the mississippi is one of them.