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I bought a small boat w/2 trolling motors and am looking for small lakes within 20-25 miles of niles. I've already been to Beck, Opeka, Busse, and Skokie Lagoons. Anyone have any suggestions?
Small lakes with boat access?
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Never heard of Mazonia. Niles borders Chicago on the N/W side near Edison Park/Norwood Park/Jefferson Park area. I'll have to google those 2 places and see what the P.I.T.A. factor is to get there. My boat trailer has dinky tires and I don't think I'm supposed to drive it over 55MPH. Thanks for the advice though. Anyone else have some suggestions?
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Haven't tried Big Bend yet. Do they have a decent boat launch or is it carry-in? Beck's boat launch is real shallow and I need to walk out to waist high water to launch and land.
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Big Bends launch is nicer than Beck.
I feel sorry for anyone who tries to launch a heavy boat at Beck. They really need to make it a little deeper there.
I feel sorry for anyone who tries to launch a heavy boat at Beck. They really need to make it a little deeper there.
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The sign says no motors allowed (at Beck). I don't know if they only want carry-in boats there or what. I'll give Big Bend a try in the next couple of days.
tampier lake on the south side of chicago... cook county forest preserve lake at like 131st st. and wolf road. they have a decent little launch and you can use any trolling motor, just no gas motors. pretty decent size lake, weve been out there before in our small boat, done some drifting and picked up some decent walleye. plenty of water to fish and fish to be caught if youre interested in it 
good luck!
good luck!Big Bend is as bad as Beck as far as launches go. There is a way to load and unload a 14' or smaller aluminum boat that requires no or very little contact with the water. You have to unhitch your trailer and push the boat off while allowing the tongue to come up in the air until the boat slides to contact the ground, if you do this with half a brain and carefully it works really well. Then when the tongue is way up and the transom is on the ground you can begin to pull the boat off while holding the tongue down. The boat slides off if done slowly and carefully. You can reload by backing the trailer to the front of the boat, hooking up the wench, and reverse the process. Reloading is much easier. Trust me, it sounds crazy, but I've done it with a 15' deep V Alumicraft and its not that difficult IF done slowly and carefully.
Anyway, I don't know of any decent fisheries around our area for boats other than Opeka and those mentioned.
Oh, small tires aren't the issue, it's tread size/thickness. I forget exactly, but you need to get a certain tread that is heftier for highway travel (up to 65mph or so). It has to do with temperatures and seperation of the tread from the radials or something. :? The have them for smaller trailer tires, but they're about 120.00 plus for the pair installed on the rims. I went to the place on Oakton near Elmhurst road. Eberhardt's I think is the name. Their ok, not all that helpful but at least their close and will do the work for you.
Anyway, I don't know of any decent fisheries around our area for boats other than Opeka and those mentioned.
Oh, small tires aren't the issue, it's tread size/thickness. I forget exactly, but you need to get a certain tread that is heftier for highway travel (up to 65mph or so). It has to do with temperatures and seperation of the tread from the radials or something. :? The have them for smaller trailer tires, but they're about 120.00 plus for the pair installed on the rims. I went to the place on Oakton near Elmhurst road. Eberhardt's I think is the name. Their ok, not all that helpful but at least their close and will do the work for you.
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I'm out in the NW burbs - these 2 lakes are just a touch outside the 25 mile limit you set. Lake Atwood in Cary is troller only w/ a nice boat launch. crystal clear, and very deep - could see lots of decent bass during the spawn. big down side here is that the launch isn't open until 8am and closes at dark.
McCollum Lake is <10hp; LOTS of weeds - there is a public boat launch on this lake just north of McHenry. pulled a 3lb'r out of there last year, plus lots of 20+" pike.
McCollum Lake is <10hp; LOTS of weeds - there is a public boat launch on this lake just north of McHenry. pulled a 3lb'r out of there last year, plus lots of 20+" pike.
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Skunked, electric motors are allowed at Beck.
I just walk out in the water behind the boat and slide it off. :wink:
That sounds like a nice way to get clobbered by the tounge :lol:
I just walk out in the water behind the boat and slide it off. :wink:
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