Please help me identify this place.

[mcdonald0703]

Hey guys, I've been having trouble for years trying to figure the name or location of a fishing spot my father would take me to when I was a kid. I finally had this idea to ask the most likely group of people that would know. This was in the 80s. I grew up in Burbank and I don't remember a very long trip to get to this small lake or pond. Maybe an hour from our home tops. It may have been a pay to fish lake, stocked pond, or known for catfish. I do remember a large sign near the entrance and along the driveway in was an old broken down school bus. I want to say the name was Christmas Tree Lake, but I can't find anything online that references this name.
I hope someone can help me out.

[RonG]

Education is frowned on in Illinois and school buses are rare in these parts. I'm sure someone here saw the bus and will have the answer.

[catchafew]

https://www.plainfieldfishing.com/index.html might be what you're talking about.

The other two pay to fish locations I'm aware of in the Chicago area are either closed (~294 & Golf) or a fairly new as in Three Lakes I believe what it's called near crystal lake.

Others will likely chime in.

[jonny2can]

If it is the plainfield fishing resort by renwick don't bother wasting the money. Heard the owners let it go to shit. Just go to renwick for free.

[joetrain]

There used to be a pay lake near Romeoville. I think it was called Rock Lake.
~JOE~

[mcdonald0703]

Thanks for the replies so far. None of those are sounding or looking familiar from the aerials.
I also remembered driving west on 123rd passing Hackney's Restaurant.

[jonny2can]

Yea I drove by rock lake in Romeoville a few times.. never knew it was a pay place.. the gravel road to it kinda has me hesitant to drive down to see if you are even allowed to fish there now

[Bobba Down]

Christmas Tree Lake was in Homer Glen. It was a pay to fish lake. Its still there, but its private with a few homes on it now.

[mcdonald0703]

Christmas Tree Lake was in Homer Glen. It was a pay to fish lake. Its still there, but its private with a few homes on it now.

Was the entrance off of 159th or maybe 167th? I'm trying to figure out exactly which one it is. It's hard to tell from the satellite images because so much has changed.
Thank you though. I was starting to think I imagined the whole place.

[RonG]

I was starting to think I imagined the whole place.

You mean this whole thing was like one of those crazy movies where you don't find out until the end that the whole thing was just a dream?

I still think pops was taking you to the Dude Ranch in Des Plaines. Catfish were there.

[bobberwatcher]

Fishermans dude ranch was a real place? I want that sign in my front yard!!!! So cool looking!

[mcdonald0703]

Looks like this is all that's left of that awesome sign.

[Aux Pleins]

Fishermans dude ranch was a real place? I want that sign in my front yard!!!! So cool looking!

A few years ago the big ole trout was still there. It was purchased and now the big ole trout sits on top of Mad Dan's restaurant in Twin Lakes, Wis.

[Rambler]

Too bad about Fisherman's Dude Ranch. Drove by 100s of times but never went.

Things change - often for the worse. My family spent our summers on a lake in MI when my dad was director of a boy scout camp in the 50s. Been back since. Now it's surrounded by McMansions. Sad.

[Busse Jim]

I miss that sign , thanks for the blast from the past Ron. Pass by quite often, so over grown now you barely even see the lake.
One other pay trout lake from the 80s was lake Julian up in Cary or Fox River Grove on 14 and Jarvis

[jonny2can]

One pond to the west of there I see is on a public park and does allow fishing. Really close to the old farm.

[Father Sergius]

I miss that sign , thanks for the blast from the past Ron. Pass by quite often, so over grown now you barely even see the lake.
One other pay trout lake from the 80s was lake Julian up in Cary or Fox River Grove on 14 and Jarvis

The signs for Lake Julian are still up along the road. I don't know if the place is still active or not.

[Muskietime]

Lake Julian Trout Farm, Cary, IL looks to still be open.
If it is early in the season, try going further up Rt. 14 to The Hollows Conservation Area in Cary, IL. Free fishing and good size bass that are cooperative till the weeds build up.
Hit by approx. June 20th. I am guessing that if you have a canoe or kayak, it would be very good all year long as it looks to have very good depths.

I used to fish the water just south of Des Plaines Fisherman's Dude Ranch. My thought was that some of the best fish would have been moved by heavy rains downstream.
Was good fishing but was always ready to be "kicked out' from someone.
Be well.

[junaidali]

I'm sharing this my friends and i hope we will know the name of this place soon. If you have some more images of this place it will be easy to identify this place.
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[joetrain]

^^^^^^ nice try

~JOE~

[RonG]

I'm sharing this my friends and i hope we will know the name of this place soon. If you have some more images of this place it will be easy to identify this place.
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Trout are rare in Pakistan and they are often mistaken for other species.

Rainbow-Trout.jpg

Still, if you put in the time, you can easily land yourself a limit of these tasty critters.

[Rambler]

Ron - gotta say, that's funny.