I’ll be going to Illinois with my family, and I want to take a side trip to catch some walleye. Where should I go, and what should I use?

The better question should be where you shouldn’t go! A little known secret about Illinois is that it offers up a healthy stock of walleye in various bodies of water across the state. The state record walleye was produced from the Kankakee River weighing in at 14 pounds even. Other viable lake sources of walleye include the 26,000 acre Carlyle Lake in the southwest portion of the state in Carlyle, Illinois. There is Fox Lake which is a 7,100 acres lake in the north east portion of the state in a city that bears the same name, Fox Lake, Illinois. Another sizable lake is Kinkaid Lake. This 2,700 acre lake resides in the southern part of the state about 5 miles outside of Murphysboro, Illinois. Not to be left off the list is one of the great superior lakes. This would be the mighty Lake Michigan. A massive 22,300 square miles of potential walleye fishing goodness awaits you here. Lake Michigan sits at the northern most portions of Illinois. Illinois walleye prefer a culinary diet of live bait, crank baits, spoons mixed in with spinner baits and plastic worms or grubs. During spring, fish shallow water levels or feeder stream areas. The walleye move here towards the end of winter in anticipation of the upcoming spawning season. Key spots here are gravel or rocky surface bottoms with structures for hiding out. In the summer, these spots still hold true for catching walleye. Stick to fishing times of early morning and evenings. Walleye frequently move about during this time of day for both summer and fall. In the winter, water temperatures are colder which in turn makes walleye move slower. Match your movements to theirs and spend an extra few minutes slowly dragging the bait through the water. The walleye will still bite it will just be at a slower pace. Have a great trip to Illinois and happy walleye hunting!