Largemouth bass are undoubtedly the Prairie State's most sought-after game fish and some of the heftiest species come from the smallest public waters. Here's an assessment -- from north to south -- of our state's best small public lakes for largemouths.

There are few things more thrilling than dropping artificial bait near underwater structure and reeling it boatward with sporadic jerks of the wrist. Each cast offers the anticipation of a world-class largemouth snatching the bait with the force of a runaway jet ski. Ten, 50 or 100 no-count casts only heighten the expectations for die-hard bass anglers.

But what about the hordes that aren't die-hard bass fishermen? What about the average Joe who loves catching big bass, but prefers avoiding big-tournament waters covered with 150-horsepower boats buzzing from cove to cove? What about a parent who wants his child to experience the excitement of hooking a 16-inch-or-better largemouth? Is there life after Illinois' large impoundments?

It's true, Illinois is home to some of the best big-water bass lakes in the Midwest -- Rend, Carlyle, Shelbyville, Clinton, Coffeen, Heidecke lakes and Fox Chain O'Lakes -- just to name a few. Though we can fault our Illinois Department of Natural Resources in many areas of administration of late, it has for decades done a superior job of managing and maintaining the state's fisheries.

Why are large impoundments tough fishing?

Fishing clubs and tournaments have done wonders for Illinois fisheries. They have spawned awareness of catch-and-release, they have boosted the economy of many rural areas in Illinois, and most important, they have generated excitement for Prairie State anglers who would otherwise be couch potatoes complaining about honey-dos, gas prices and economic hard times. I've participated in many fishing tournaments myself, so don't take this wrong, but when it comes to a relaxing day of bass fishing with family or friends, I avoid big water. (Continued)

Though 95 percent of all tournament fishermen are courteous sportsmen, it only takes one inconsiderate wake-thrower or bank-hog to aggravate my outing. And this happens more often on 1,000-acre-plus lakes with large, sanctioned tournaments. Yes, even a few of Illinois' small impoundments have occasional bass-fishing competitions, but these angler rivalries are usually unsanctioned, friendly contests on waters with motor restrictions.

Bass-fishing success for average anglers is more low-odds on big lakes due to several factors. First, many of Illinois' large impoundments were built for flood control of inland tributaries. The Corps of Engineers dammed several creeks and small rivers that annually posed problems for bottomland farmers. Though these federal undertakings have greatly enhanced Illinois' fishery, bass-catching consistency in these impoundments suffers more poor than good days during spring months. The variance of springtime water levels in Corps lakes has also hurt bass spawning.

The second issue with success on large, regulated impoundments is water clarity and the over-abundance of diverse structure and water depth. The constant rise and regulated fall of Corps lakes saturate water with silt. And since bass are primarily visual stalkers, water clarity inhibits the effectiveness of many artificial baits. Riprap, flooded timber and multiple feeder streams spread throughout a 1,000-acre-plus Corps impoundment makes for needle-in-the-haystack fishing. This is especially true when fluctuating spring water temperatures drive largemouths to varying depths, some of which are tough to effectively fish.

EXPERT BASS ANGLING TECHNIQUES
A lesson about bass-catching consistency can be learned from two of the best fishermen I've ever known, Terry Mayhall from Eureka and Dick Trumbull of Rockford. Either of these guys could walk into an outhouse with a rod and tackle box and soon emerge with a stringer of big bass. Their secret for finding and catching lunker largemouths, or any fish species, is twofold.