Shelbyville and Mattoon

Fished Shelbyville this morning for Crappie. Caught half a limit and many many small ones. Fished from the okaw bluff to coal shaft bridge. Caught them any where from 3 foot of water to 8 foot and a brushed filled drop off to 12 feet. Just could not find a nice pile of nice ones. Caught one nice one then 2 or 3 small ones and then had to move.

Mattoon we did ok I caught a couple on some good docks. Only fished for a couple hours on mattoon.

Just not as good as some other people here but a nice day to be out fishing for sure!

It is a lot easier to catch 10" stripers than 10" crappie at Lake Mattoon. Lots of stripers, few shad or crappies. I catch a few crappie but they are not plentiful.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Redtick

It is a lot easier to catch 10" stripers than 10" crappie at Lake Mattoon. Lots of stripers, few shad or crappies. I catch a few crappie but they are not plentiful.

---

I bet all those "released, unharmed" catfish are eating up the crappie and shad...

Red- Maybe your not catching the crappie because they arent hungry from ALL the shad in that lake. There is so many shad in that lake its a wonder we ever catch a fish!!!

Right, I should have known ichthyologists like you guys would know.

Redtick
You must be giving out too much information on here. People now know where your "secret" holes are and too me it seems like they are getting over fished.

Sounds like a good day to me. Any time being out fishing is a lot better than being at work.

CX.

CX, this time of the year, it is anytime out hunting is better than a good day at work. I do manage to wet a line some but most of my time is spent training hunting dogs. I don't tell where my hunting spots are either.LOL

There are some places getting over fished, that is for sure. I was fishing very late one night in the darkness and some guy actually tried to find where I was fishing at by using his car lights to see where I was fishing. There are folks that make it a point to see where I fish. I fool them every now and then. LOL

There is a shortage of shad schools and crappie on the lake. The Lake Manager said the DNR did an electro survey on the lake but I didn't see the results. There is a ton of stripers in the lake but few crappie.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Redtick

. The Lake Manager said the DNR did an electro survey on the lake but I didn't see the results.

---

You are correct they did. and if you saw the results, you wouldnt keep saying there is a shortage of shad and crappie on the lake...

Birdy, I do not need to see any survey to know about the shad and crappie populations. I use a hands on approach, I am out on the water almost daily in the summer. I have been for years. I have excellent electronics. Plus, I observe all of the wildlife. I am saying the shad and crappie population are way down. That is a fact. I can't say why, but it may have something to do with some possible illegal white bass being released.

Post a link to the survey (if you can). I won't hold my breath waiting on your post. I do not think it will happen.

Welp- sounds like I dont need to post a link to the survey! you got er alllll figured out! dag gum white basses eatin all them shad!

Is the survey a public thing can anybody see it? I would like to see the survey. Thanks

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sdeters

Is the survey a public thing can anybody see it? I would like to see the survey. Thanks

---

Talk to someone at the IDNR. I'm pretty sure that's where birdman got his info. I doubt they will give you specifics, because it's a lot of data. However, I'm sure they'd be happy to tell you whether the populations of shad & crappie is in danger of being fished out/eaten up.

I have watched them do surveys lots of times, several times in front of my house. They do shallow water surveys, which may be helpful but I doubt their accuracy. Certain times of the year, most of the fish population is in deep water. So, depending on when the survey was taken, it may or may not be accurate. I know the local state biologist and where his office is located.

I watch the shad when they spawn. We have had poor shad spawns the last 3 years. And, I see shad on my fish finder. I don't see them near as much as in the past. Also, at certain times, mainly at night, shad do a lot of jumping when a boat is near. I still get some jumping at night but not near like it used to be. Believe me, I use the shad to tell me where to fish. No shad =no predator fish in the area.

I hope Shild told Birdy what an ichtyologist was. I figure anyone teaching osmosis to kids ought to know but lots of others would not know. Everyone on this board is an ichthyologist in some degree.

Red- I think you should probably give me more credit than you do. Considering I am going to school for 'Fisheries Management' I may know a little more than you think when it comes to surveys and reports. I am very interested in all of this data and I wouldn't post random bull if I didnt have a pretty good idea of what the surveys turned out to be in some areas. Part of my degree is taking icthyology as a class, so yes, I know what it is.

I Reckon the fact that Tick can even spell the word Icthyology. Let alone know what it means, is somewhat impressive.

Birdy, I am glad to hear you are more than just a dumb jock (no personal offence intended). If you follow through with your goals, you will certainly have my respect. After graduating from Lakeland, I went to what is now University of Illinois Springfield. I took classes with some fellows that went on to be CPOs. But, they were more into law enforcement than I was, I didn't have the personality that job would require. I am sure most of the guys I had classes with and went on to be CPOs are probably retired or have a very senior position.

Piggy, does Old Redtick have Ispell on his computer, did the little piggy cry weeee weeee weeee all of the way home?

Just for those who don't know, an ichtheologist studies fish. I reckon we all do that to some extent.

Red, my wife has a Masters Degree in Biology. So she can help me with all those big words you like to use..Lol I must be a different kind of Pig than the ones you know. Because the only time I cry. Is when my livewell is not full on the way home. Wich is not very often.

Piggy, nothing personal about the weeee weeee stuff. Frances Gail I just love the Geico commercial.

To be honest, I just took the classses that the CPOs took just because I love hunting and fishing. I studied Alternative Energy and at one time wanted to do some of the same things at Lakeland College that they are just now starting to do 35 years later. I reckon back then I went to too many Grateful Dead concerts. Any of you folks remember the Dead Heads? LOL

Any of you fish biologists know what is special about the Hunter's Moon (October full moon) and fishing? There is an effect that takes place that makes a certain kind of fishin' very good. Can't say any more than that.

I like the woodchuck Geico commercial. Speaking of dead heads. I had a friend that was going to school at U of I in 85. He dropped out, and followed the dead all across the USA on there tour. Needless to say his parent's were not real happy about it and, shut him off finacially. He sold peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at their shows and actually made enough money to follow them for about a 3 month peroid. Driving that train..High on cocain.

I never was THAT much of a Dead Head but I saw them in the Assembly Hall in Champaign when it was completely full of Dead Heads. I saw a Dead Head sticker on a Cadillac the other day. Back in the day it was painted up school busses and VW vans.

The Fighting Illini basketball team looks good this year. They should have sell out crowds at the Assembly Hall this year. I don't think the UIS basketball team is that good this year. Lakeland hasn't had a good basketball team since Rex Morgan played.

No one has come up with my "Hunter's Moon Fishin' " secret yet. The full moon has passed now. I am not going to tell anyone, you will all have to find it out yourselves. I will say I have had plenty of break offs on high test lines lately. Nuff said.

I fished yesterday morning (10/23) on Mattoon. Caught 26 crappie, a couple cats while crappie fishing and a 16 inch striper. Good day, but kinda windy. Used a chartreuse jig. Red, I literally saw 1000's of shad this year. I find it hard to believe that the numbers would be down. I've only had a place on the lake for 3 years now. So maybe I don't have other years to compare with.

When I was there I saw tons of shad also. I would like to look at the IDNR report. Time to find the person to conact.

Here is the link for Lake Mattoon fish data, but guess what, site does not work(at least right now) if you try to select any of the listed lakes, nothing happens, maybe link will work later.

Fishing in Illinois

The data is still being recorded. There is much more than just shad populations and crappie numbers taken. I have heard that the information will be compiled this fall/winter and not come out untill spring.

I personally would like to see the stocking information. The Lake-Link board has some outdated info that is not useful. Again, in my opinion, the electro-survey may not be accurate depending on when it was taken. I think the folks running the survey are like the local bass fishermen, think that everything stays in 18" of water. I never see any bass fishermen fish where the bass are in the summer.

Mike Mounce is the local biologist. His office is in Charleston.

I especially watch the shad at spawning time but I watch the shad all summer. They are key.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Redtick

I personally would like to see the stocking information. The Lake-Link board has some outdated info that is not useful. Again, in my opinion, the electro-survey may not be accurate depending on when it was taken. I think the folks running the survey are like the local bass fishermen, think that everything stays in 18" of water. I never see any bass fishermen fish where the bass are in the summer.

Mike Mounce is the local biologist. His office is in Charleston.

I especially watch the shad at spawning time but I watch the shad all summer. They are key.

---

I've heard that Mounce guy is a pretty good biologist, but his "perch jerkin" skills could use a little help.

I am sure LSG gives him some advise on the Lake Shelbyville crappie population. Maybe he should advise him on how to catch crappie. LOL