“There are a number of seepage points throughout both lakes,” Herndon said. “The water temperature can vary from 54 degrees at the bottom to 100 degrees at the surface. Dense weed cover acts like an insulator, and bass tend to hug the threshold between warm and cool water.”

Herndon said most anglers have their best luck on Scum Frog-type baits, surface spoons or plastics pitched to pockets in the cabbage.

Both lakes have a 25-horsepower restriction on motors, and you will want to bring your push pole to navigate the fields of green.

For more information, call (309) 968-7135.

LAKE PITTSFIELD
Lake Jacksonville has ruled the roost for years in DNR biologist Mike Jones’ district west of Springfield, but there is a challenger on the horizon. Over in eastern Pike County is a small 240-acre municipal reservoir named after the city of Pittsfield, and according to Jones, this gem surpasses Jacksonville in numbers of largemouths, with some big fish, too.

“In our fall 2006 survey, we had a catch-per-unit effort of 178 fish per hour,” Jones said. “Each year we see excellent numbers of 4- to 5-pound fish, and we always seem to find one over 8 pounds.”

Jones said you can’t beat a spinnerbait or weedless frog in the shoreline vegetation here. Plastic worms and shallow-running crankbaits also catch largemouth bass on Pittsfield.

For more information on the 25-horsepower limit on motors and a fishing report, call Neff’s Bait & Tackle at (217) 833-2178. For travel and lodging information, call the Pike County Chamber of Commerce at (217) 285-2971.

LAKE HORTON
Travel to far western Hancock County along the Mississippi River and you will find Nauvoo State Park. This site of the second Mormon settlement in American history is now home to a small lake called Horton. According to Jones, few anglers bother with this small 12-acre pond, but if you happen to be in the neighborhood, bass are packed in thick here. And the size isn’t too bad either.

“Our fall survey revealed 94 fish per hour on this small lake,” Jones said. “Of those, 58 percent of the population is between 9 and 20 inches. There’s a great population of 16- and 17-inch fish, with a few trophies present, too.”

Most anglers have good luck dragging plastic worms parallel to shoreline vegetation, or fishing with small spinnerbaits and crankbaits. If you want to bring a cartopper, electric motors are allowed. Camping, concession and good facilities are on site.

For more information, call (217) 453-2512.

SNAKEDEN HOLLOW
Snakeden Hollow Fish & Wildlife Area in northeastern Knox County is on an old coal-mining site littered with a bunch of foot-access lakes. And while McMaster Lake on site gets the most attention from anglers, the smaller lakes see few casters, which translates into awesome opportunities for adventurous anglers.

“There are hundreds of smallish ponds, from half an acre up to about five acres, located on site,” said DNR Region 1 fisheries biologist Ken Russell. “All of these have a population of bass. Some pits are better than others. We don’t survey them, but anglers who find the ponds with the numbers of fish often get into some wilderness-type fishing.”

Russell noted that although many of the bass are in the 10- to 16-inch range, lunkers up to 8 pounds are caught each year.

The clear water here can pose a challenge regarding presentation. Light line and 4-inch worms or tubes are often necessary to fool bass here.

Anglers interested in the location of the back ponds of the site can obtain a map from the park’s headquarters upon arrival. For more fishing information, call (309) 879-2607. For lodging info, call the Kewanee Chamber of Commerce at (309) 852-2175.