Steve Pallo, fisheries chief of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, says striped and hybrid-striped bass are our best fighting fish. To anyone who has caught one that seems an apt assessment. These shad-eating machines prowl a number of Illinois waters providing excitement for any angler lucky enough to hook one.

Most stripers are caught by trolling shad or shad-like imitation baits.

The Illinois state record is 31 pounds, 7 ounces for striped bass and 20 pounds, .32 ounces for hybrid striped bass. The average fish from these species range from two to 15 pounds.

Three subspecies -- striped bass, hybrid striped bass and striped/hybrid striped bass -- swim in 28 Prairie State waterways and lakes. Regardless of where a fisherman lives, he is only a couple of hours from a striper fishery.

Historically, the IDNR has had problems meeting stocking needs for this fishery, but today they are a reliable, quality source of fry.

All three state hatcheries involved in striped bass and hybrid striped bass production use fry purchased out of state. The LaSalle hatchery produces hybrid striped bass, the Little Grassy hatchery produces striped bass and the Jake Wolf hatchery produces both species. This year, they plan to obtain fry from a private hatchery in Arkansas and raise them to release size.

Illinois stocks striped bass and hybrid striped bass at a rate of five to 10 2-inch fingerlings per acre. (Continued)

Angling opportunities center around following shad. Both threadfin and gizzard shad are the primary food source for all three subspecies. Many are caught incidental to fishing for other species. Catfish anglers often catch them in the spring using chicken livers fished near the bottom of a lake.

Most fish are caught trolling shad or shad-like imitation baits, but live and cut shad work well too.

After using an electronic fish locator to find shad schools, anglers must decide the correct depth to troll. Shore-anglers look for points and deep-water flats near current, the chief way to find stripers.

LASALLE LAKE
Striped bass hybrids have been stocked in LaSalle Lake since 1990 and have fared quite well. Stocking continues at an annual rate of five to-10 fish per acre, and a strong forage base provides ample food supply for the fish.

Stripers range from 7 to 11 pounds, according to IDNR survey records. Most striper action comes in the early spring and late summer when the water is cooler.

Spring anglers like to use chicken livers fished near the bottom, but as the water warms, they begin deep trolling with shad-imitation crankbaits. The average depth of the lake is about 25 feet, but there are some 70-foot holes. The bottom of the 2,050-acre lake is mostly clay, and the only structure is extensive riprap along the shoreline.

The lake is closed to fishing from Oct. 16 to March 15 each year to provide refuge for migrating waterfowl. During March and October, the lake is closed on Monday and Tuesday.

Located south of Seneca, LaSalle is a cooling lake owned by Exelon. To reach it, take Interstate 80 to exit 97, cross the Illinois River to Maxon Road and follow the road to the LaSalle Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area.

Fishing is permitted from either shore or by boat. No boat rentals are available. There are no motor restrictions. Other site-specific restrictions and creel limits are posted at the boat ramps.