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Don't Bother Me, I'm Fishingby Kevin Patton
If you’re looking for a secluded fishing spot, away from the noise of swimming beaches, jet skis, and outboard motors, consider a trip to Mautino State Fish and Wildlife Area. The loudest distractions you will hear at Mautino are the sounds of birds and frogs. Mautino is located in Central Illinois, two miles west of Buda and three miles south of Sheffield. The facility is a collection of 15 stocked ponds and lakes, mostly strip mines. Dee Dee Kumpf and I made the 45-minute drive north from Peoria Thursday, July 5 to take on the fish in the clear waters of Osprey and Boss lakes, which are the only two at Mautino with boat ramps and rest rooms. Both lakes are between 14 and 16 acres in size and contain bluegills, redear sunfish, crappies, largemouth bass, catfish, and walleyes. Boss Lake also has smallmouth bass. Fish Biologist Comments Fisheries Biologist Ken Clodfelter stated that catfish, walleye, and smallmouth bass (Boss Lake only) are periodically stocked at Mautino, with the smallmouth population varying in size up to three pounds. He noted that while most species are present in Mautino's lakes and ponds, he recommended Boss Lake for the best quality largemouth bass and bluegill fishing and Osprey Lake for crappies and catfish. If you are looking for some good bank fishing opportunities, Clodfelter suggests Mirror Lake for redear sunfish; Ledge Pond (across the road from Osprey) for largemouths; and Goose Pond (between Boss and Osprey) for crappies. Our Fishing Day We launched at Osprey Lake’s one-lane ramp at 8:30 and found the surface water temperature to be 80 degrees, with a water clarity that enabled us to see a white spinnerbait in four to five feet of water.
There was virtually no wind, a cloudless sky, and a cold front had passed through the night before, so our expectations were meager (three excuses for not catching much should be enough for one article). We started by cruising the shoreline weeds, trying to sample the bluegill and bass with wax worms and nightcrawlers underneath bobbers and on bottom rigs. The lake is typical of many strip mines, with modest shoreline vegetation near a steep dropoff. There is some scattered brush in the water, located mostly on the north side. A side chute is also located on the north side of Osprey Lake , which contains more weed growth and shallower water then the main chute. There are some irregular bottom features located in a cut on the south side of the lake. After three hours of catching small bass and bluegills, we headed for Boss Lake, where the ramp is easier to maneuver and there is more area to beach a boat. Neither lake has a boat dock. Boss Lake is wider, deeper, and has a water clarity close to 10 feet. A few fish attractors have been planted in the lake and there is a brush pile located in 8-10 feet of water, 20 yards out from the boat ramp.
We caught bass and bluegill at Boss and they were larger than those at Osprey, but a 14-inch keeper bass was the best we could muster (See my three excuses above). Like many clear-water lakes, they are best fished at dawn or dusk or on a cloudy or rainy day. There is limited access at Mautino’s bank fishing lakes because of shoreline growth and steep banks. Mirror Lake has more bank access than most and Osprey Lake has a fishing dock. If you like the challenge of clear water, strip-pit fishing and the solitude of getting away from the crowd, consider a trip to Mautino SFWA. Park Regulations Swimming, camping, snowmobiling, and horseback riding are prohibited at Mautino and only electric trolling motors can be used. Park hours are 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. April 1 to Oct. 31 and 5 a.m. to one hour after sunset Nov. 1 to March 31.
Creel limits are as follows: largemouth or smallmouth bass is one fish per day that is a minimum of 14 inches; bluegill and/or redear sunfish are 10 per day; channel catfish are six fish per day; all other species are statewide limits and restrictions. Anglers can only use two poles per person with no more than two hooks per pole. Directions to the Park If coming from the south, take Rte. 40 north to Buda and turn left (west) at Main Street (1200 N). Drive 1.9 miles west and turn right into the park entrance. Those coming from the north should exit Interstate 80 at Exit 45 and take Rte. 40 south into Buda, turning right at Main Street. Brown directional signs are located on Rte. 40. There is a paved road winding through the first part of the park, with some limited parking at some of the bank fishing lakes. Others ponds are walk-in only. Contact Information The facility can be contacted for a brochure that shows lake locations at: Mautino SFWA, 16006-875 East St., Sheffield, IL 61361-9224 or by calling 815-454-2328. The email address is: dnr.R1Parks@illinois.gov The DNR web site is located at: More park information is available at: http://www.fermatainc.com/il/site_6.html |
