Photo by Ron Sinfelt

By P.J. Perea

Bullgills? Yes, bullgills. Those are the bluegills that put a serious arc in your rod and make you think, even for a few seconds, that you are hooked into a bass or much larger fish. The hard-fighting hand-sized bluegill that is much sought after by panfish anglers are tough to find and are as rare as a 7-pound bass in Illinois. People always talk about them, but you can never get access to the private ponds where monsters like these are caught.

But don't fret because big bluegills can be found in public lakes. Anglers who are willing to do a little legwork and find some of the more obscure spots can find these heavy-bodied panfish that are only known by tight-lipped locals. Our fertile soils not only raise a lot of corn and soybeans, but also fuel productive lakes that hold healthy populations of panfish. As long as the predator-prey balance is well managed, catching bluegills up to 10 inches fish is possible.

Here are a few waters recommended by the Department of Natural Resources based on annual sampling reports.

"Beaver Dam Lake has always been a good place to catch quality bluegills," said Jeff Pontnack, district fishery biologist. "This lake is full of intermediate-sized largemouth bass, which in turn does a fine job of controlling bluegill reproduction/recruitment. The results of this scenario allow good numbers of 6- to 9-inch individuals. Angler harvest aids in this process. Largemouth bass predation and strong angler interest limits bluegill densities, hence, good condition/growth for this species.

"Lastly, Beaver Dam Lake is a small, shallow and fertile impoundment. Curlyleaf pondweed inhabits this waterbody five months of the year, which provides a solid forage base for the bluegills. This situation bodes well for this fish group."

The trailer camping area has electricity at each pad and a sanitary dump station. A shower building with flush toilets is located in the center of the trailer camping area. Water is available in the area, but there are no water hookups at each site. Tent camping is in a separate area, with nearby restrooms and water. All camping is situated in wooded areas with large oak and hickory trees, which provide shade throughout most of the day. Located next to the shower house is a new Rent-A-Cabin available for reservation by calling the park office at (217) 854-8020.

The lake has a strong largemouth bass predator base that keeps the panfish population in check. Whether from the five miles of shoreline or off the handicapped-accessible fishing pier, the angling is always good. There is an idle-speed/no-wake speed limit existing for boat motors over 10-horsepower. There is a two-lane launching ramp and docking facility, and boat rentals are available at the concession stand.

Bluegills range from 1/4- to 1/3-pound and are found along weedbeds and backs of coves. As a bonus, the lake also has a strong redear sunfish population, with fish up to 1-pound caught along with the nice bluegills.

There are 137 Class A trailer campsites with water, electricity and a sanitary station. Sixty-one sites can now be reserved in Gander Bay campground. A boat launch and dock is also situated in this area. Catfish Bay camp area and Tall Timber backpack trail provide 32 primitive Class D sites. Ol' Orchard group camp has two sites able to accommodate 125 people. Timber Ridge group camp has three sites. Timberline Ridge horse camp has 30 Class A campsites complete with water, electricity and hitching racks.

The site phone number is (309) 724-8032.

Fish average about 7 to 9 inches and can be caught from virtually anywhere along the shoreline where there is some cover.

Find out more about visiting this area by browsing the Web at www.greenvilleusa.org.

It's a well-kept secret, but fishing along the Hennepin Canal is well worth the trip. Whether you're angling for bluegills, crappies, walleyes or bass, the 70 bridge or lock locations are available and the pools are stocked regularly.

Bluegills average 1/3-pound and are found in weedy areas, downed trees, brush and rockpiles lining the miles of shoreline.

Class C and Youth Group camping are allowed along the Hennepin Canal Parkway at the following locations: Lock 11, west of the Canal Prism; Lock 17, northwest of the lock; Lock 21, North Day Use Area (drinking water available); Bridge 14, north bank; Lock 22, southwest of the lift bridge (drinking water available); Bridge 23, south bank; Lock 23, just west of the parking lot; Lock 26. Southbank Equestrian camping is restricted to the south side of the Lock 21 area. More information can be found by calling the site office at (815) 454-2328.

Located in just east of Illinois Route 3 seven miles north of Cairo, the 10,200 acre Horseshoe Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area is a massive park with nearly unlimited recreational opportunities. There are 38 Class A camping sites with electricity and showers, 40 Class B/E campsites with electricity only and 10 Class C sites available for overnight guests.

Fish the spawning beds from May to June, and dip live bait around the cypress trees and hang on, because the big stumps hold big bluegills, crappies, bass and catfish.

Call the site office for more information at (618) 776-5689 or (618) 776-5281.