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Evergreen Lake "Has It All"

By: Terry Brown

We all have a favorite lake. It can be anywhere in the country. Whether it's going to a local farm pond, taking a long trip to Minnesota , Texas or Florida, or heading to Kentucky Lake or Lake of the Ozarks in the Midwest, all anglers have that special place that they love to frequent.

Reasons for the trips vary. Many go because of familiarity, others because of reputation, but most are a result of habitat, the type of fishing they provide, and what type of cover the angler prefers.

That particular place for me is Evergreen Lake in Central Illinois . To me, it has it all. Large fish, great habitat, deep-water structure, and shallow targets all add to the experience.

Springtime shallow water 'bassin' involves spinnerbaits, jig and chunk, and topwater. Post spawn offers crankbaiters an opportunity to hit shallow points and stumps. Summertime is great with deep diving crankbaits or Carolina rigs fished on breaks and ledges. Fall gets all of the above at different water levels and temperatures, depending on the day. Each season provides special distinctive differences and some seasonal constants to patterns found across the country.

Different presentations that work at Evergreen seem to work across the country in lakes similar to it. The geographic area this lake is in doesn't mean as much as the lessons it teaches. From a small 1000 acre lake, you can hone the skills used on much larger lakes anywhere across the country.

I am a firm believer that local lakes, including those that we know intimately, can be used as tools for fishing other lakes where that familiarity may not be as strong. Being able to translate what you learn at an area lake to other lakes is a technique I have used often, particularly when lakes are put "off limits" during tournaments.

Patterns by the season can easily be formed at one lake and like patterns are usually successful and associated techniques can be used at other lakes just as effectively. A general rule I use is to look at the same latitude. Lakes that fall within the same general coordinate usually fish about the same.

When lakes are put off-limits in preparation for upcoming tournament events, find another lake nearby so you can use the knowledge found there to increase your success in subsequent practice on the tournament waters.

Water temps at both lakes are generally constant, lake levels are similar, and if they hold the same types of structure and habitat, bass can be found in the same places. Finding a "working pattern" on the home lake can be a starting place that can be used on the other lake.

Fish caught in creeks or south facing coves on Evergreen can be caught in similar places on Lake Bloomington (another lake about 8 miles east). Fish moving to ledges or those staging on points can be patterned on other proximate lakes at about the same time. It is up to the angler to notice the small things that make them similar, but the anglers who usually fair the best are the ones that notice the subtle differences.

Bait fish in the area, water color, and/or temperature can all be factors that can affect catch rates. Those anglers that see and can react to those subtle differences will increase their catch. Knowing what to do under each condition will allow the angler to be more in tune with the same changes on other lakes.

Bass fishing is all about biology, animal instinct, and reaction to the elements. Micropterus Salmoides (largemouth bass) is a creature of his environment and reacts to weather more so than most fish. They will suspend, go shallow, or sit on the bottom. They will react to some baits and ignore others.

Presentation is critical and those anglers who know what tools work in conjunction with the proper bait selection will see success rates increase. Seasonal patterns and finding where the fish live during certain times of the year are the keys.

Most anglers can catch bass if they find them. It's the finding part that is the difficulty. Utilizing intimate knowledge of your local lake and the "spots" you frequent there can be duplicated in other locations.

Take a look at your "spots and dig deep into why bass frequent them. Those lessons and specific knowledge can be managed to your benefit at other impoundments to increase your success.

For example, if you catch a fish on a particular point every time you go, there is a reason the bass lives there. Is a creek channel near? Do bait fish and forage frequent that location? Is the bottom rock lined or does it have stumps? These traits will help you unlock the secrets that will enable you to find fish on unfamiliar water.

The ability to take the common information, getting and studying a good topographic lake map, knowing how to recognize the seasonal patterns, and time spent on pre-trip preparation will all increase success when you get on the water.