Author Topic: West Central il  (Read 2107 times)

Offline Crappie Day11

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West Central il
« on: Jan 14, 2016, 07:45 PM »
Went out today and their was a good 4-5in on smaller ponds the bite was really slow

Offline macook79

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Re: West Central il
« Reply #1 on: Jan 15, 2016, 01:49 PM »
Had about 5 inches on my pond here in Adams County on Wednesday.  Caught a dozen really nice crappie.....finally some relief.  Looks like done till Sunday.

Offline VanderLaan

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Re: West Central il
« Reply #2 on: Jan 19, 2016, 08:10 AM »
You guys are killin' me.  Checked a few ponds in Menard county this last weekend and most had 2-3 inches.  This cold is supposed to stick around for another week, so I am expecting to be on the ice this weekend. 
The test of man is not how how far he will go to win, but how far he will go when he has already lost.

Offline macook79

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Re: West Central il
« Reply #3 on: Jan 19, 2016, 03:23 PM »
didn't go yesterday but Sunday caught 10 crappie that were 11 inches...ice still running about 5 inches on my pond...hoping to go after work for an hour...

Offline VanderLaan

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Re: West Central il
« Reply #4 on: Jan 20, 2016, 08:03 AM »
didn't go yesterday but Sunday caught 10 crappie that were 11 inches...ice still running about 5 inches on my pond...hoping to go after work for an hour...

Now you are just being mean.   ;)
The test of man is not how how far he will go to win, but how far he will go when he has already lost.

Offline harpenter

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Re: West Central il
« Reply #5 on: Jan 20, 2016, 02:52 PM »
Didn't get a chance to fish, but I stopped at Lake Storey today and there was 7" of ice and a few huts out fishing.

Offline macook79

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Re: West Central il
« Reply #6 on: Jan 21, 2016, 03:02 PM »



dinner.



Offline IlliniIce

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Re: West Central il
« Reply #7 on: Jan 21, 2016, 06:22 PM »
tough tuesday and wednesday on a small farm pond, only 6 keeper gills each day (w/1 nice crappie) despite a lot of lookers
went to a bigger lake today. 7 inches of ice
bite was better, still lots of lookers n lickers, but every now and then one would zoom to the bait
ended up with a dozen keeper crappies and 4 decent gills, including my personal best crappie - 15.5 inches. too bad camera was in the boat  ::)
caught em on a little bit of everything, best was CJS pink/glo tungsten w/green/glo trigger x mustache worm. the big one flew off the bottom and hit a green/glo tingler spoon w/waxies

Offline spcsports

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Re: West Central il
« Reply #8 on: Jan 22, 2016, 10:50 AM »
Banner Marsh. Does anybody know much about this place? Like to try it but don't know where to start.
Shawn

Offline Iceman Cometh

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Re: West Central il
« Reply #9 on: Jan 22, 2016, 03:52 PM »
I sure other guys here will know more about the place, but from what I remember it's a bunch of medium to small sized ponds with bass, bluegill, cats, and crappie. Some of the ponds are within walking distance. I don't know if you're allowed to drive in in the winter. When I went, didn't have much luck. I thought it got a lot of fishing pressure. Some guys say they catch a bunch of crappie and gills there in the winter,though.
"If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is, Infinite." --- William Blake

"There are things known and things unknown...in between are THE DOORS." --- Jim Morrison

Offline spcsports

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Re: West Central il
« Reply #10 on: Jan 23, 2016, 08:13 PM »
Thanks Iceman. Tried a pond by Jacksonville this afternoon. 4-5 inches of good ice. Bite was real slow. Water is dirty. Caught 6 fish between 2 of us. Tried several different jigs tipped with waxies.
Shawn

Offline VanderLaan

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Re: West Central il
« Reply #11 on: Jan 25, 2016, 07:45 AM »
Banner is basically three huge lakes that are reclaimed strip pits (Wheel, Shovel and Johnson).  There are four or five access points where you can park, but I would think that in the winter, you would be able to park anywhere and walk on.  Primarily bass, channel cat and crappie lakes, with some muskie and walleye thrown it.  There are better lakes for bluegill.  Be careful, as every winter someone always seems to get into trouble ice fishing out there.

Description & Fishing Reports - http://www.ifishillinois.org/profiles/display_lake.php?waternum=00036

Map - http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/landmgt/parks/r1/banner.htm   
The test of man is not how how far he will go to win, but how far he will go when he has already lost.

 



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