“Going For The State Of Illinois Walleye Record”

Shabbona Lakeside Bait, Tackle & Boat Rental is at it again.  We are announcing “Going For The State Of Illinois Walleye Record Weekend”.  During the weekend of Friday April 20^th , Saturday April 21^st  & Sunday April 22^nd  & 15^th, 2012, from the hours of 6 AM – 9:30 PM, the hunt for a new State Record Walleye will be on at Shabbona Lake.

Lakeside is offering a prize of a new 9.9 HP 4 stroke electric start long shaft Yamaha outboard engine valued at $2,800. for the first verified new State Record Walleye caught at Shabbona Lake during the weekend of April 20 – 22.  (Only 1 prize will be awarded)

We are excited about this event, as we try to bring the Illinois State Walleye Record to Shabbona Lake.  Shabbona Lake has had 4 State Of Illinois Records Muskie and 2 State Record Hybrid Crappie in its legacy.  Over the years the IDNR Biologist have recorded State Record size Walleye in their annual April sampling of Shabbona Lake.

As we all know, there was a new Illinois State Record Walleye caught this year by Nick Tassoni of Rockford on January 7^th, 2012, in the Pecatonica River in Winnebago County, North of Rockford.  The fish weighed in at 14 pounds, 12 ounces and was 31 inches in length with a girth of 20.25 inches.  Nick Tassoni’s fish topped the previous state-record walleye, a 14 pounder caught on the Kankakee River in 1961. This had added to our anticipation, that this is the year!

The bar has been raised by Nick, but we are confident that several larger Walleye exist at Shabbona Lake. During the weekend of April 20 – 22, large female Walleye at Shabbona Lake will be full of eggs, adding additional weight needed to break a State Record. 

The New Record must be verified and weighed in at Lakeside’s certified scale. We encourage all participants to register at Lakeside Bait, Tackle & Boat Rental and donate $5.00 to our annual Walleye Restocking Fund, prior to going fishing.  There is no entry fee.  This is a pursuit of one Walleye to break the record.  Pokanoka’s Café, the on site Café at Shabbona Lake State Park, will be open Saturday and Sunday for its famous dollar days from 11AM to 4PM.

Looks like we will be open water fishing soon!!!

There are now 8 Tundra Swans at Shabbona Lake State Park. Since I was there two
days ago, a lot more of the ice has melted and the waterfowl are more spread
out. In addition to the usual waterfowl, there are many Greater White-fronted
Geese as well as Cackling Geese.

At Afton F.P., there was the usual assortment of winter land birds. I have
noticed a lot more American Robins coming in. Two days ago there was a
Red-winged Blackbird singing. Today I had my first of year Killdeer fly over my
head calling out. On the ponds there were the usual Canada Geese and Mallards.
Mixed in with them there were a few Cackling Geese and Northern Pintails.

Merritt Prairie F.P. was abuzz with the chatter of the usual assortment of
winter birds and the resident Cooper’s Hawk made a couple appearances.

My favorite two birds today were two species of owls. I won’t give their
locations since they are in sensitive areas for the birds. The first owl I
spotted was a Barred Owl at the roost I found last week. The other owl was a
Great Horned Owl that was perched near the nest that it used last year.

I have included a photo link to one of the Cackling Geese and Tundra Swans.

Cackling Goose at Afton:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/critterseeker/6899907369/

Tundra Swan at Shabbona Lake:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/critterseeker/6899907365/

Daniel Leifheit
DeKalb County
source: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ILbirds/message/53006

View photo here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/critterseeker/6889461277/

Daniel Leifheit
DeKalb County

source: http://digest.sialia.com/?rm=message;id=386882

Show Hours :

Friday 4 PM – 8 PM

Saturday  10AM – 6 PM

Sunday 11 AM – 5 PM

We will have seminars about Shabbona Lake on Friday evening at 5:45 PM and Saturday afternoon at 3:30 PM.

It is a great show, one of a kind!!!

Our booth number is B25 and we will have 2 seminars at 11:30,one on Saturday & one on Sunday.

http://www.tinleyparkfishingshow.com/

Due to poor ice conditions, lakeside will be closed Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  We hope to reopen Friday Feb. 10.  If you venture out be very careful as the ice is unsafe.

Stop by & see us.  We will be giving a seminar on  Saturday at 2PM.

Show Hours

Friday 4PM – 8 PM

Saturday 10 AM – 6 PM

Sunday 10 AM – 2 PM

See You There!!!

As of today we still have ice 4-6 inches, but the forcast is for unusually warm weather this week.

Hopefully the ice will hold and the forecast for the following week looks very cold.