The state of Illinois will be closing 11 state park properties, 25 historical landmarks, and laying off 39 DNR employees after state budgets dropped $14 million of DNR funding in the state.

The state of Illinois is being forced to close 11 state parks after lawmakers recent made a $14 million dollar cut to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources funding.  All eleven parks will be closed on November 1st, 2008.  The Illinois DNR is also being forced to layoff 39 employees, 36 of whom are full-time.  These employees include park rangers, security, superintendants, and park technicians.

Earlier this summer, Illinois’ General Assembly passed the state budget which included a 24% decrease in DNR general funding.  This funding is used to pay park salaries and maintain the current park system.  Many of Illinois’ lawmakers are attributing the cuts to a poor economy, but Illinois’ DNR claims that these parks are one of few areas that actually profit in the state.  The Illinois state park system had over 45 million visitors in 2007, many of which spend more funds in local economies.  It is thought that the loss in local revenue from visitors will far outweigh any savings that the state hopes to gain by the closures.

The Illinois DNR was actually in the process of making a proposal to slightly raise park fees in an effort to compensate for the state’s shortcomings on funding, when the measure to close the parks was handed down.

The parks in question (which I will list shortly) do have the possibility of being reopened at a future date, but DNR officials worry that without proper maintenance, it will take much more money to get these parks back in line.  With a shortcoming on funds, they fear that this option may be a far stretch and future funding will not allow for the kind of work involved to reopen the parks.

Illinois’ DNR currently manages and maintains 320 state parks, natural areas, state forests, historical areas, and public property throughout Illinois.  The fear now comes that even more state managed land will be closed in the future due to funding.

The Illinois state parks that will be closing on November 1st, 2008 include the following:

• Castle Rock State Park, Oregon

• Lowden State Park, Oregon

• Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park, Sheffield

• Illini State Park, Marseilles

• Channahon Parkway State Park, Channahon

• Gebhard Woods State Park, Morris

• Hidden Springs State Forrest, Strasburg

• Kickapoo State Park, Oakwood

• Moraine View State Park, Leroy

• Weldon Springs State Park, Clinton

• Wolf Creek State Park, Windsor

BikingBis, a blog dedicated to everything ‘cycling’, has mentioned that one of the biggest blows to the state will be the closure of Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park.  This park boasts over 90 miles of trails and roadways dedicated to the bicycling enthusiast.

Along with the state park closings, Illinois will also be closing 25 historical landmarks, including four National historic Landmarks.  These closings will take effect on October 1st, 2008.  These closures will definitely be hitting the local economies pretty hard.  Many of these historical landmarks are big tourist attractions and bring in much needed funds across smaller communities while also drawing in visitors and tourists to little known areas.

To see a list of the historical landmarks being closed across Illinois, please visit this site.

The economy is definitely hitting many areas hard right now.  With state budgets in the billions of dollars, it just seems like there would be a way to cut funding to more ‘less meaningful’ projects, then to take away something that is meant ‘for the people’.  $14 million dollars is not a lot of money to a state whose budget is in the billions.  One less road would do the trick.  Just something to think about..

I would appreciate any comments you might have on this issue.  Is there a better way of handling Illinois’ DNR budget shortfall?  I would like to hear your answers.  Comment below.

Written by Jason A. Hendricks · Filed Under Outdoor News Today

Now that the Fox Lake Chain has reopened for boating, many businesses are breathing heavy sighs of relief.

And yet some anglers still haven’t realized the potential for some excellent fishing on Fox Lake and the surrounding Chain O Lakes.

I learned a long time ago that high water levels on a river or lake act like a green light for the various species of game and pan fish to migrate close to shorelines.

Take the Fox River as one example. Many years ago I got serious about bank fishing the Fox for smallmouth bass right after an extended period of heavy rainfall.

The fishing rigs I used were nothing more than a #8 hook, split shot and a small minnow. The other set up was a tiny Mini Mite jig tipped with the smallest minnow I could buy.

I found smallies within 6-12 inches off the bank, holding in slack-water pools. I also found bass suspended under drainage pipes, deadfall trees, concrete protrusions and chain link fences jutting out and over the water. I also discovered walleyes in these spots as well.

My experience has shown me that the average angler tends to stay away from high water conditions because some fishermen are leery about working the current, or they just don’t know how to tame the savage beast.

Our recent flooding conditions brought the Fox Lake Chain to a standstill, and yet there were quite a few anglers on the shorelines working pods of walleyes and crappie with great success.

Antioch angler Ron Hertzberg gets the Daily Herald at a local grocery store there and e-mailed me about this matter. Here’s what he asked.

“I’ve read some of your columns over the past year regarding high water levels and various successful outings. How can I catch fish on the Chain with very little public access areas?”

I answered him with some simple solutions. I suggested he ask some neighbors for permission to fish from their docks and piers (if they’re not under water) and drop a line right under the pilings. Use live bait with small jigs as well as a slip float and live bait.

Experience has shown that game fish like bass and walleyes have a tendency to tightly school up under these kinds of conditions. Pan fish like crappie and bluegill do the exact same thing. It’s not uncommon for a shore angler to fill a bucket with pan fish in a short period of time.

I also suggested that if the shoreline property owner refuses permission, then look to the various marinas on the Chain and ask the operators for access. I told Ron that I knew of a half-dozen anglers who hit the jackpot on Pistakee and Bluff Lakes while dropping lines all around piers and boat launch areas.

Another example is to try Barnacle Bob’s Resort and rental on Lake Marie. Buy some bait there and ask Tom the owner for permission to fish the back bay where he tethers his boats, that is if you’re not planning to rent a boat and hit the lake (847-395-2036).

One other suggestion: Use very light line, like 4-6-pound test, and tie on a flouracarbon leader in order to make the line more invisible underwater. Go small in your lure choices, like brightly-colored, one-sixteenth ounce jigs, and tip the jig (either a Lindy Fuzz-E-Grub of Mini Mite, with a tiny minnow or piece of nightcrawler.

The rest is up to you.

By Mike Jackson, content writer for the Daily Herald

Calling All Walleye Fishermen

Hi, I’m Paul Jones, the owner of the Fishing Forum at FoxLakeFishing.com and I’m holding up a 29″ 5.5 lb. Walleye that I recently caught on a dead end channel on the north side of Fox Lake. Actually I was fishing for some Crappie that day, casting a minnow on a split shot underneath some of the piers. All of a sudden this monster busted out from under the dock grabbing my bait and putting on a helluva fight on my ultralight setup. I must have played with this one 20 minutes before I was able to tire him out and get him to the boat.

I wanted to let everyone know that on my fishing reports section on my forum we’re writing about fishing stories like that every day, telling you where are the best fishing holes are on the Fox Chain O Lakes.  JD Spinner, the professional fishing guide from www.jdspinners.com regularly writes about what lures fish are hitting on while on his fishing charters and has a section devoted to showing the best of what fishing for a living is all about.

It’s an online Fox Lake fishing community where local fishermen can share fishing stories, fishing reports, photos and even fishing jokes. Come join in the fun by creating your own account and sharing your fishing stories and fishing photos from Fox Lake and the surrounding Fox Chain, you may just pick up a fishing tip or two along the way.

Register Here

Thanks

Paul Jones here, An active  fisherman  living in Fox Lake Illinois, one of the best lake and river fishing spot in , er,, hehe Chicagoland.

This place will be for chatting about stuff that has to do with fishing whether it is from a boat or on the shore or ice.

I’ll also add some stories about vacation fishing trips I’ve taken with family and friends and fishing derbies I’ve hosted.

Later we’ll add a place for my fishing buddies to share their fishing pictures and stories from around the world.

Don’t forget about fishing tackle, did anyone get a new rod or reel for Christmas? Know any hot lures or fishing rigs? What do you use for bait?

We will have to talk abut what fish are in Fox lake and the surrounding Chain Of Lakes. Bass, walleye, Muskie, Crappie etc.

We can include links:

• Women Fishing on Fox Lake, 1926
• Chicagoland Fishing
• Ice Shanty.com

And photos too: 

Well, welcome aboard and I hope you stop back for updates, just bookmark my site FoxLakeFishing.com below.

Paul

Our Web Stats

We recently added a forum so everyone can add their fishing stories and photos and have some good discussions.  Please help get started by posting your ideas.

You can access it from the top right FORUM link