Best Crappie Waters in Kane/Dupage Counties?

[soarky]

Hey everybody,

Just got into ice fishing last year and moved to Aurora. Haven't found many productive lakes as of yet and I was wondering if anyone might be able to point me in the direction of a decent public lake or 2 for catching panfish in my area?

I am willing to travel pretty far as I spend some time on Bangs Lake and Shabbona. Just like to hear your thoughts! Good luck and tight lines.

[boscolab]

Shab is a real good crappie lake. Lake Sule along 39 has had some good crappie in years past. You have a few sleeper FP lakes near you too. ;-)

[Cantgetenough]

Good crappie spots are hard to come by and harder to keep when being posted in a public forum
Just saying................ ...

[Tubes77]

Although not in your Kane/DuPage description, I'd say the best overall lake in our general area for "Clops" is Shabbona.  With that said, it is not an easy lake to learn.  It takes some searching and the willingness to move, but when the bite is good, it can be impressive.  Of course there is a mere 10 fish per day limit which is a double edged sword.  When the bite is hot, you feel a little bummed at only 10 fish, but that same limit is what makes those 10 fish limits weigh up to 10#!  I think last year the new record was set and it was just over 10# or, a 1# average.  I've caught some nice ones but never quite got into the hogs that consistent.  My best day ever is probably more like half that give or take.

The other good news is that there are plenty of other species that bite well throughout the winter as well if the crappie aren't cooperating.  Last winter the Gilligan bite over the roadbed was really consistent.  The walleye in that area can be good too if you can figure them out (I can't seem to).

[Cantgetenough]

Good info Tubes. I have the same issue with Shab and the walleye's if I do get one its only a cigar.

[Tubes77]

I actually took the family camping there twice this summer and we really worked on targeting walleyes, trying to learn what we could.  I wish I could say I had this great new knowledge to take into the ice season, but that just isn't the case.

I've been trying to think of any other crappie lakes to suggest closer to the Kane/DuPage area he originally asked about and really can't think of anything stellar.  Loon lake out at Silver Springs State Park has lots of crappies, but very small.  Silver Lake at Blackwell Forest Preserve has better size but not great numbers.  The only other one I can think of is Mallard Lake, which is in DuPage county I believe, which supposedly has crappies but I have ice fished that lake one time, and that was at an ice outing roughly 10 years ago.

I think the real answer is that if you can't find a small honey hole pond of your own (those don't ever get posted here) then you're either going to drive an hour west or north.

[soarky]

Thanks for all of the info! I do get out to Shabbona every now and again and have a bit of trouble figuring out how to locate the crappie there. I've stumbled on a few spots but I didn't have a flasher. This year will be different.

Blackwell is on my radar and so is Mallard. I'll definitely let you guys know if I run across anything that is high quality. Anybody out on the ice yet? Smaller water should be fishable.