Recreation

Reel In State-Record Catch At Lake Evergreen

Anglers fishing for saugeye, largemouth bass and crappie enjoy excursions onto Lake Evergreen.

Whether it’s used for a leisurely excursion or for a state-record catch‚ Lake Evergreen is an angler’s paradise.

The last two state-record saugeyes‚ a hybrid of the walleye and sauger‚ were pulled out of Lake Evergreen.

And even bigger versions are known to swim under the surface‚ not yet hauled in by the thousands of anglers who fish the 925 acres of surface water.

But with plenty of piers‚ shoreline access and boating opportunities‚ Lake Evergreen is just as welcoming to the less-competitive anglers.

Lake Evergreen is a man-made reservoir in McLean County‚ designed to meet the recreational and water needs of the community. Its waters are stocked by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources‚ with 925 10-inch muskies and 40‚000 2-inch saugeyes added annually as part of the state’s fisheries management program.

Those species‚ plus largemouth bass and crappie‚ are the most frequently targeted fish at the lake. Besides the state record saugeye‚ a 9-pound‚ 11.88-ounce fish caught in 2001‚ the lake is also known for its trophy muskie. And the best is yet to come.

“We know there are ones that weigh more than the state record‚” says Mike Garthaus‚ a fisheries biologist for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. “The same goes for muskies.”

Lake regulations limit boats to 10 horsepower motors or less‚ keeping the power boats away in deference to small fishing boats‚ canoes and kayaks. The decision is beneficial for the anglers who remain.

“It makes it more angler friendly‚” Garthaus says. “You’re not going to have the lake to yourself‚ but there are plenty of places out there to go fishing.”

The lake is surrounded by Comlara Park‚ a 2‚200-acre area maintained by the McLean County Parks and Recreation Department. The park is larger than half the state parks in Illinois.

Access to the park and the lake is free‚ though there are fees for many of the other activities available at the park. They include swimming at a 2-acre beach‚ camping (both primitive and RV-style)‚ boat rentals and biking‚ hiking and equestrian trails.

More than half the 250‚000 visitors annually come from McLean County‚ with residents of surrounding counties and the metropolitan Chicago area comprising most of the rest.

Though peak season is March through September‚ the park remains open year-round. Cross country skiing and ice fishing are popular activities during the cold Illinois winters.

“All of these elements together draw people to the park‚” says Bill Wasson‚ McLean County’s director of parks and recreation. “We feel we offer a high quality outdoor experience‚ close to home.”

Story by Dan Markham
Photo by Wes Aldridge

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