Shabbona Lake

[jsk0812]

Any tips/suggestions on fishing Shabbona Lake at Shabbona Lake State Park?

[fishing3]

Bass, Catfish, Walleye or Muskie????


Bass....

Go out of the launch to the LEFT towards the NO MOTOR area. Begin fishing immediately. Throw Plastic Frogs along the bank....Senko's work fine also. Run that shoreline all the way back to the NO MOTOR area.

always fish the rip-rap bye the dam. You should be able to throw small cranks...power worms, or Senkos along that rip rap and catch-em.


Catfish.....

pick up some STINK BAIT with blood, and catfish plastic worms (used for dipping). Get a wooden stick....all you need is 10lb line....tie the plastick dip worm to the line...no weight. Dip into the Stink, get a nice big ball of crap on the bait...throw it out. But first...go INTO THE NO MOTOR AREA. Tie your boat to two of those many trees back there. You tie to two of them so the boat won't move around. Then throw a clump out there....place the rod somewhere you can watch the line jump. You will get small little bluegill like bites. Slam it when you get a little bite.


Muskie.....
I've only had ONE GOOD ONE on...well over 15lbs just in front of the launch trolling large rapalas....


Walleyes....
No clue:)

[bucketmouth4]

I don't know if you have been out there lately Tommy, but that place seems to be the dead sea as of late. Been out there numerous times, and can't seem to get chit. Talked with other guys out there, and all have said the same. It's a shame too as it's close to the house, and I like fishing there.

[BassProMatuk]

New lake record cat was caught there yesterday... 22.75 pounds... I heard some small walleye are being caught along with your usual small panfish... Until the spillway issue is corrected, this lake has a long recovery ahead of it...

BPM

[maxfish86]

what's wrong with the spillway?

[BassProMatuk]

There is a net barrier that has all sorts of issues at the dam... Especially after a heavy rain... Fish are going down the spillway at a rate no one really knows and muskie and walleye rescues are done multiple times a year to get many, and I mean dozens, of big fish back into the lake... Problem has been there for years now and the DNR isn't giving them much help in resolving the problem... Fishing on the lake has been brutally tough there for several years now... There are still a few big fish in the lake but I won't take the 90 minute drive there anymore... Just isn't worth it for me to go for that one big bite because it rarely happens...


BPM

[fishing3]

I wasn't there this summer---just last summer. My family used to run the concession stand there....just before they built that nice brick place....I was never fond of fishing there.....sounds like fishin' has been tough?

Record catfish:-) sweet! Cats are fun to catch....so if JSK0812 is going out there for a camping trip (I believe with his family), then maybe that is what he does:)

I can't believe that the dam could be causing the downfall of shab??? There has to be more reasons than that right??? Maybe he should go fish below the dam:)

[maxfish86]

that dam situation has been like that for years though, I remember hearing about that when I used to frequently fish shabonna and we still had good results there. If anything the down fall of that lake has been by its own fisherman. I don't go there anymore due to the number of boats out there. Its just nuts. Also waiting in line in the morning to launch the boat not worth it.

I know russ went there this year and he told me that the weed growth there isn't what it used to be and he had a rough time targeting bass there.

[bucketmouth4]

Last summer was much better. I could go out there and catch at least 6 to 10 without a problem. This summer, it seams you can't buy a bite out there.
Max, I think your right about the over fishing.
Does suck as it wasn't a bad place to fish last year.

[BassProMatuk]

Max I agree with you, the weekends are absolutely brutally tough there... The crowds are likely a big reason... Maybe there is something to fishing there during the week... I haven't been there much during the week in the past but the times I have weren't all that much better... There are some decent fish coming outta there as a 30 pound muskie was caught today there... There are still big fish in there... Could be a case where they are just so scattered, you need to think outside the box to find them... 90 minute drive though is tough... We'll see though... Maybe try it again sometime down the road...

BPM

[fishing3]

Where are you getting the details on these HUGE fish? 30# Muskie...and a record cat in just 4 days??? Guys, this isn't that bad!

[BassProMatuk]

www.ShabbonaLake.com

[maxfish86]

never been on that site, but its a shame that guy kept that muskie I know there's a lot of good sized muskie in there, but plastic mount isn't that hard, especially when next few years he could be able to catch that same muskie.