Illinois Outdoor News- 50 inch club of Illinois

The article, in the April issue, about how the 50 inch club is expanding, do to some of the recent catches on Kinkaid,now makes the list of 41 muskie hunter in Illinois. Colby Simms of Missouri, and his muskie of 51 inches/37 lbs, took the IMA Release Trophy of 2009. Are we not forgetting all of the past muskie hunters who should be included in this article as well. Who are the 9 Anglers of Shelbyville, and the 6 Anglers of Lake Storey, and the 5 muskie hunter of Evergreen.Did the IMA award them as well for their efforts, for this is the first time I have ever heard of a 50 inch club in Illinois. So now, when you catch a muskie in Illinois, and its 50 inches or over, you have to report it to the IMA, better yet fill out a green card, so the state knows of your catch. Most of the muskie anglers do not even fill the green cards out anyway. What are the regulation for this award anyway, do you have to live here in Illinois?Do you have to be fishing for muskie, at the time of the catch. Can you use live bait?
I sure the IMA, will agree, that every muskie caught in this state, 50 inches and above, helps to promote the fishery, but you could also promote the men and women, who have caught them, and share the experience with the public....Do you not Agree!!!!!

I was really surprised to see Storey on the list that many times. I have fished it a few times when I was up at WIU as a student. It has really good cabbage weeds in it and decent water, but when talking with people no one ever seemed to do really well fishing for muskie. It's also a relatively small lake with only a 10HP limit.

Lake Storey is an electric motor only lake last i heard. It may have changed this year but I doubt the city of Galesburg would do that.

When I was up at Western I thought it was a ten horse limit, but I could be wrong. I do remember talking to the biologist about the muskie in Storey and he said he asked the people who give the fishing report to not put too much in about the muskie to try and keep the pressure away from them.

I did hear that about a week ago another 50 came out of McMaster. That's another lake I'd really love to go fish some weekend. I love fishing that clear water.

I was out with a client on McMaster the day the 51.75"er was caught on a plastic worm. We raised 4 fish in the mid 40" range that day and some smaller fish but no takers. I believe the fish that was caught by the bass anglers was one we raised an hour or so before they caught it. We had raised a very large fish in the same area the fish was caught.
Oh well...maybe next time.

Lake Storey is an electric motor only lake & gives up large fish regularly. I have heard basically the same thing about the locals wanting to keep the lake a secret. After fishing lakes like Shabbona that get more publicity & seeing whats happened there, I can't say as I blame them for wanting to keep quiet.