On Thursday Night, July 17th, 2013, Local Sportsman gathered to rescue 48 very large fish. The fish had gone over the Shabbona Lake Spillway and were being confined in a 200 yard stream below the Dam. There is a barrier fence located 200 yards downstream from the outflow of the spillway, which allows water to flow thru, but restrains the fish from escaping.
The anglers gather at the direction of the Quad County Hawg Hunters Muskie Club and the Shabbona Lake Sportsman Club. They entered the creek at the spillway and herded the fish downstream to the barrier fence.
The anglers stand side by side in a straight line with large Muskie nets in front of them, as they walk downstream. When a Muskie enters a net, the angler drops out of the line, and the Muskie is taken to a holding tank. The remaining anglers continue until another Muskie is netted, etc.
The largest Muskie was 47 Inches long and estimated to be well over 30 pounds. The Largest Walleye was 28 inches and estimated at 8 Pounds. The largest Striped Bass was 26 inches and over 8 Pounds. The Largest Largemouth was 20 inches and over 5 Pounds. All fish retrieved were placed back into Shabbona Lake.
SIZES In Inches:
34 Muskie:
37, 36, 39, 33.5, 38, 39, 25, 27.5, 38, 26, 28, 41, 34, 28, 34, 31, 35, 26.5, 32, 26.5, 31, 34, 47, 33, 36, 38.5, 37.5, 28, 28.5, 41, 40, 30.5, 33 and 35
11 walleye:
18.5, 22.5, 20, 20, 15.5, 21, 28, 22, 15.5, 20.5 and 19.5
2 striped bass:
18.5 and 26
1 largemouth bass:
20
Events like this is what makes, and will continue to make, Shabbona Lake such an outstanding fishing paradise!!!
Photos provided by: Amanda Saflarski Overlin