By Ted Peck

Largemouth bass are the most common game fish swimming in Illinois waters. There is at least one bass lake, pond or impoundment within 20 miles of any point in the Prairie State.

Selecting just a few of the top largemouth lakes with literally thousands of places to choose from is no easy task. What constitutes an exceptional largemouth bass lake? A place where you have an honest shot at a trophy? Water where 50- or even 100-bass days are the norm?

Maybe a little of both. In this article, we won't look at rivers, ruling out places like the upper Mississippi where you can find both size and numbers when conditions are right. We won't look at private lakes either, although some private lakes in northern Illinois offer bassin' that is several steps above what you can find on the best of public waters.

Last summer I had the privilege of guiding Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White on one such lake in Jo Daviess County. The secretary arrived late, troubled by the business of politics. Seventy-eight bass later he was laughing like a little kid without a trouble in the world.

A day on a good bass lake will do that to you. But the very best are either private or jammed with boats. In all honesty, the opportunity for a quality bassing experience is much greater south of Springfield because there are fewer anglers and more water downstate. Folks on Shabbona Lake and the Fox Chain-O-Lakes in northeastern Illinois can have a great day bass fishin' once they subtract the humanity factor, which has a great deal to do with angling fulfillment. That said, let's go bassin'!

Photo by Ron Sinfelt

With a one-fish, 21-inch limit in place the trophy fishery here is pretty well protected. If you can stay out of overhanging trees and brush for 50 consecutive casts here with a slow-rolled 1/4-ounce chartreuse spinnerbait or clown-pattern Suspending Rogue, you'll be hard pressed not to tangle with at least one legal fish during reasonable weather conditions right now.

Contact: Greg Conover, federal fish biologist, (618) 997-6869.

Hirst calls this 10-horsepower limit lake the "best in the district," with nearly half of the bass population swimming here in excess of legal size.

"Last summer we had a report of a fish kill here impacting only large bass," Hirst reports. "Just 10 minutes with the electroshocker eased all fears. We cranked up over 60 bass in excess of 3 pounds during this brief survey. And a couple were real whoppers."

Pinckneyville City Lake has limited visibility, a great deal of bottom structure, stickups and flooded timber to hold fish. Most anglers seldom need to experiment beyond a chartreuse tandem-blade spinnerbait or Rat-L-Trap to get their fishing itch thoroughly scratched.

Contact: Shawn Hirst, (618) 687-4546.

Pastor Eric Hoehn says even the toned-down truth about bass action here would smell an awful lot like a fish story. DNR biologist Jeff Pontnack says legal bass here average 3 pounds, calling Gillespie "one of the top three bass lakes in the state."

Fisheries surveys indicate "good numbers of 4- to 8-pound bass," according to Pontnack, who notes, "There is no doubt the bass population is tremendous here. But sometimes angler success doesn't measure up to documented potential."

A city permit is required prior to launching a boat on these 200 acres. A slot limit protecting all bass between 12 and 15 inches is in effect.

Structure appears to be the biggest protector of bass and most formidable roadblock to getting your string stretched on Gillespie. Riprap, weeds and plenty of wood provide ambush and escape cover, with fish only feeling the need to respond to a perfectly placed cast.

Contact: Jeff Pontnack, (217) 833-2811.