By: BOB MACIULIS
5/01/12
There may not be a better example of the impact a true partnership between a DNR and a group of volunteers can have on a resource than the incredible success story than Shabbona Park and the lake it surrounds.
Nestled among rolling hills covered in hardwood and pine, natural prairie grasslands and open fields that are planted with feed for the myriad animals and birds that live in the Park, Shabbona Lake has recently been honored by the state legislature as “Muskie Capital of Illinois” and as “Illinois Finest Fishing Lake.”
Not bad, for a project that focused on the resource poor section of DeKalb County which was little more than a truck stop for most of its life.
Now, Shabbona is considered quality water by even the most serious anglers and is a beautiful 318 acre reservoir on which thousands of people learned to fish.
A lot of the credit, of course, falls to the DNR park manager and staff. They’ll quickly admit, however, that the various organizations and clubs who call Shabbona their home water have played a major roll in the development and management of the park and the lake.
The Shabbona Sportsman Club, the Quad County Hawg Hunters a Muskies, Inc., chapter from nearby Plano, the DuPage River Fly Tyers— and, dozens of other groups that range from parents with young children to retirees who enjoy the incredibly beautiful scenery as well as the fishing.
There is a concession and a boat rental (including pontoons!) and a precious restaurant sitting at the waters edge that is operated by the Sands team.
Denny Sands grew up fishing Indian Creek, which was dammed to create the lake. After retiring from the Air Force, Sands returned to Shabbona to raise his family and has been the driving force that’s catapaulted the resource into the headlines of every outdoor publication and outdoor column in the state.
Hitting the road virtually as soon as the lake opened, Sands teamed up with the local Police Chief to promote the lake. Their seminar series was built around slides taken as the lake was built, as it filled and of the many quality fish that were being caught. That slide series pre-dated power-point presentations by decades and the awesome shots showing the exact structure that was at the bottom of the lake was jaw-dropping and as dramatic as slipping over the side of a boat with scuba gear.
Every fish crib, every tree line, foundations and remnants of barns and roadways, the exact route of the winding creek channel, it was all there, before your eyes, in vivid color.
A map based on that information followed and the rest, as they say, is the history of one of the most frequented sites in the state.
The Sands are at it again!
Son Clint Sands invites you to, “Come out and enjoy a day or the whole weekend at Shabbona Lake State Park during the 2012 Camper’s Weekend, May 5th & 6th. Cabela’s Outdoors from Hoffman Estates and Vacationland RV Dealership from Big Rock will have displays of the newest and latest equipment for Campers. Cabela’s will have demonstration models of Kayaks for park visitors to test drive. Vacationland will have RV’s available for viewing.
Lakeside Bait, Tackle & Boat Rental will have great information about the lake and campground, including upcoming activities, hiking & fishing maps, as well where to catch the big ones!”
Of course, the historical pictures of how Shabbona Lake was constructed are always available at the Lakeside Bait Shop, along with three of the four Illinois state record muskies the lake has produced.
“Don’t miss Shabbona Lake State Park’s famous Pokanoka Café,” Clint said. The Café is known for its Pokanoka Burger and its delicious soft service ice cream Enjoy your ice cream treat and the lake view from the large restaurant windows or from the Pergola patio, where you just may see a bald eagle swoop down and pick up a fish. You will probably see deer and turkey, along the roadside, as you drive thru the Park.”
Shabbona Lake State Park is a Class A Campground with 150 sites. Of the sites, 90% are wooded. All have an electrical hookup, picnic table and cement ringed fire pit. There is a large shower building centrally located in the Campground. “At The Camp Store,” Sands added, “we have weekend coupon specials and activities such as volleyball, badminton, horseshoes, bag games and golf birdie games.”
For more information contact: Clint Sands at 815-824-2581 or at www.shabbonalake.com