Arguably the primary attraction at Snakeden Hollow is what has variously been called “The Big State Lake”, “The Big Lake” or “Snakeden Hollow Lake” over the years. And for about the first ten years of public access, it didn’t really have an official name. More on that after a look at some details about this interesting body of water.

A little internet research turned up the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Status Summary for the lake. That document indicated that the lake “was built in 1978 by Midland Coal Company as their water supply reservoir.” Interestingly, per the IDNR website it is cited as the only lake on the original Snakeden site that was not “formed as the result of surface mining operations.”

Entrance to the boat ramp on “The Big Lake”

At roughly 165 acres, it also happens to be the only lake on the site that features a boat ramp. The remainder of the lakes are walk-in/drag-in access only but those spots will have to wait until another week to get their due. Maximum depth is listed at 65 feet per the IDNR and the water clarity is downright amazing. In fact, it is rather eerie to sit amidst a patch of standing timber or look down into the water to view sprawling treetops as you sit in 50 or more feet of water. Back in 1990 I got to participate in a bit of fisheries data collection on the lake that included Secchi depth readings. Readings on the big lake at that time exceeded the 20 foot range in some locations, truly remarkable (see Secchi disk info below). Over the years, the turbidity of the lake has increased to some degree. However, it still sports the clearest water clarity that I have ever observed on any fishing hole.

A Secchi disk is lowered into the water and a depth reading recorded when it is no longer visible from the surface.

After more than a decade without a formal name, the lake was dedicated as Lake McMaster in late 1999. It bears the name of the late, longtime Illinois State Representative, A.T. “Tom” McMaster (1918-2002) who was instrumental in the state acquiring the Snakeden Hollow property from the Midland Coal Company in 1987. The naming of the lake was noted in the 2002 Illinois State Senate Resolution referenced below marking his passing.

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SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Representative McMaster was active in State and
 local politics for 33 years, starting in 1952 as township
 assessor, and served on the Knox County Board of Supervisors
 for 10 years, serving as chairman for four years; in 1971, he
 began the first of eight terms as State representative of the
 73rd District of the Illinois House of Representatives and
 was known for his work with land reclamation and strip mines;
 he retired in 1987; and

 WHEREAS, In November 1999, State Representative Don
 Moffitt and State Senator Carl Hawkinson worked with the
Illinois Department of Natural Resources to rename Snakeden
Hollow Lake after Representative McMaster;

A look to the southwest across Lake McMaster from the parking lot

Of course, there’s a lot more to the “The Big Lake” than just history, dimensions and water quality. You know, things like rules, species, structure and yes, some fish stories. And there’s also more to Snakeden Hollow than just “The Big Lake” so stay tuned to the blog for more Snakeden lore. Talk to you later. Troy

“The Big State Lake” (now Lake McMaster) looking southwest from parking lot

Well, one could start at the beginning with this series of Snakeden posts by going back to the July 1, 1990 “Grand Opening” of the site to public access. However, I was fortunate to get a sneak peek at the waters prior to that date. In fact, my first look at what is now named Lake McMaster was nearly three years prior.

You see, back in the summer of 1987 I was working for the Galesburg Park Department as a summer job. My boss at the Park was a guy named Bob who had also hired a guy named Larry who had known my Dad and my uncle for quite a few years. Larry also knew a guy named Ken who had access to the property. Larry also knew that I knew a guy named Brent who was just as into fishing as I was. This Brent guy also happens to be my younger brother, so Larry invited us as a package deal to fish what was simply known then as “The Big State Lake.”

Page one of the original July 1, 1987 log entry

Of course, “Big” is a relative term but for two teenagers used to fishing ponds or small strip mines out of an eight foot johnboat, the lake was plenty big and full of fishy looking structure. Not only that, but it was absolutely crystal clear, almost in an eerie way. I had never seen anything like it before and never have since.

But those details are for another post.

On July 1, 1987 around 5:00pm, Larry launched his johnboat from the crude ramp for what would be a real eye-opener for the two teenagers in tow. From the log entry it looks like the initial bite was slow for me and I am pretty certain it was due to a lack of knowledge on how to fish such incredibly clear water. My standard loud and gaudy presentations that were successful on farm ponds and stained water likely only served to scare the heck out of those Big State Lake bass.

33 years later, this fishing lure hoarder still has the lures that worked on this outing

Once I got with the program in following Larry’s lead and toning down my presentation to a 3” Squirmin’ Grub, the bass tally began to rack up in a hurry. From about 7:00pm until our 8:30pm quitting time, those bass were coming aboard with regularity, including nearly every cast after about 8:00pm. When it was all said and done, our three man crew caught and released close to 150 bass in roughly three and a half hours (with Larry leading the way and likely Brent outfishing me as normal).

When it takes a second page to log your catch you know it was a good day

No photos exist from our “undercover” fishing mission and we landed no trophies as you can see from the log entry. And sure, that logging habit might be seen as a waste of time by some and certainly cost me more fish in the boat. But it did preserve some specific details from that old fishing trip which I find rewarding. Larry and I still correspond with fish stories old and new via email on a regular basis but this one remains one of my favorites.

More Snakeden stuff to come as three years after this fishing trip I actually had a job at what had come to be known as Snakeden Hollow. Talk to you later. Troy

Happy birthday to Knox County’s Snakeden Hollow which reached 30 years of public access on July 1, 2020. The site and it’s collection of fishing holes have meant a great deal to me and a batch of fishing partners over the years.  Actually, my history with the site dates back even further than the July 1, 1990 Grand Opening.

As such, I am inspired to blog about it.

Check out the slideshow below consisting of 30 pictures to celebrate 30 years. These photos only scratch the surface of the photo collection documenting all those years of outdoor adventures. Stay tuned for further Snakeden posts as I have plenty to share on a place that holds many memories.

And the memories keep on rolling in 2020 as one of the photos in the slideshow was actually taken yesterday while I celebrated onsite. My old friend, Snakeden Hollow, was quite generous. Kind of cool how the fishing worked out. Look for the full report as well as a YouTube post this coming weekend (if all goes as planned). Talk to you later. Troy

262 bass in 2019 represented an increase from 216 in 2018. Nearly all came from the regular regional haunts with the exception of a pair that took a nine hour drive to hook. Today’s post takes a general look at where those fish call home. Lots of potholes that lie off the beaten path are involved so I don’t mind revealing that many bass were caught in places like 2×4 Lake, Bearclaw Lake, Hopper Lake, Dark Lake or Turkey Lake. A couple of those are public knowledge, another pair I named myself and one is on private ground. More power to you if you can recognize them, find them or even get to them. Indeed, a little mystery is all part of the fun of fishing.

Grand Totals
Bass = 262
Bodies of water = 30
Comments: Once again a big batch of little waters produced the vast majority of my bass. Those small waters consisted of the standard collection of public and private Knox County strip mine waters, many that I have been fishing since the 1980s. The largest lake I fished was Lost Grove Lake in Scott County, Iowa which comes in at about 400 acres and I also put in quite a few hours on good old Lake Storey just north of Galesburg, Illinois which comes in at 133 acres.

Access
Bank Bass (Northerner boots, biking and hiking) = 92 bass
Little Boat Bass (near 40 year old 8’ johnboat) = 113 bass
Big Boat Bass (1987 Bass Tracker Pro 17) = 57 bass
Comments: I have put far more miles on pairs of boots and sets of oars than I have ever racked up on trolling motors or outboards. 2019 was no exception although I took advantage of the “big boat” for several outings. Hauling the little boat off the beaten path boosted the boat totals but both approaches were quite successful. 

The Waters (from least to most caught)

Lake George – a scenic shutout

Lake George – Rock Island County (1 visit on 8/4)
0 bass
1.50 hours
Comments: I’d fished Lake George back in 1997 and 2000, making the roughly one hour drive from my then residence in Galesburg, IL. Nowadays, in the Quad Cities I can cover the route in about half the time so I decided to check it out again. The brief visit resulted in a dog day shutout but looked appealing. If I elect to try it again, I will likely borrow Dad’s boat for better maneuverability and a depthfinder.

Lost Grove lone catch

Lost Grove Lake – Scott County, IA (1 visit on 6/2)
1 bass
2.25 hours
0.44 bass/hour

Top 5 Weight: no qualifying bass at 12” or better
Comments: A regular stomping ground over the river fell by the wayside this year. Too much rain in the spring really muddied things up in the area that I target, making it not worth my while. I did venture to a clearer area but like Lake George, a bigger boat with a depthfinder would be the ticket.

Sunflower State Bass

Sedgwick County Park – Wichita, KS (2 visits, 2 lakes, 11/19 & 11/21)
2 bass
2.50 hours
0.80 bass/hour
Top Bass: 1-9 (15”) Spinnerbait
Top 5 Weight (only 2 at 12” or >): 2-11 (1-9,1-2)
Comments: A couple work trip bonus bass allowed me to achieve the annual goal of a November catch after I’d abandoned the local pursuit due to weather and schedule conflicts. Felt pretty proud of myself in landing a pair of decent bass with only internet research used to select a destination.

First cast pond bass

Henry County Private Pond (1 visit on 4/19)
5 bass
1.25 hours
4.00 bass/hour
Top Bass: 0-14 (12.5”) Chatterbait
Top 5 Weight (only 2 at 12” or >): 1-10 (0-14,0-12)
Comments: Desperate to get in some casts with a limited April evening window I turned to a nearby pothole and got my fix. Nothing big here but hits the spot for an annual spring visit when pressed for time.

Lake Storey catch

Lake Storey – Knox County, IL (5 visits – 7/26 through 10/19)
32 bass
24.00 hours
1.33 bass/hour
Top Bass: 2-2 (16.5”) Zoom Baby Brush Hog
Top 5 Weight: 9-0 (2-2,1-3,1-12,1-11,1-10)
Comments: Still enjoy getting on my “home’ water especially since I’m no longer a local. I can’t just hop out there for a visit, takes a little more time and work. Five visits with three different partners and got outfished by my brother and one of my boys along the way. Overall, a good bass/hour rate for me on a tough lake and while no trophies, those bass continue to be fit and feisty.

Little John Conservation Club catch

Knox County, IL Private Strip Mines (9 visits, 5 lakes, 1/5 through 10/14)
85 bass
33.75 hours
2.52 bass/hour
Top Bass: 3-14 (20”) Senko wacky rig
Top 5 Weight: 13-9 (3-14,2-11,2-9,2-4,2-3)
Comments: Several old fishing holes continue to produce bites and one of them gave up my Top Bass for the year. However, other quality bites just never materialized. Still exciting to fish these spots over 30 years after making my first casts as the big fish potential remains. Just couldn’t get any of them to make a mistake in 2019.

Knox County, IL public strip pit bass

Knox County, IL Public Strip Mines (7 visits, 19 lakes, 4/1 through 10/14)
137 bass
27.75 hours
4.94 bass/hour
Top Bass: 2-10 (16.5”) Jig
Top 5 Weight: 11-10 (2-10,2-8,2-4,2-3,2-0)
Comments: While I admit that my walk-in strip mine areas do wear me out a bit more these days, I’m not ready to give up quite yet. Sounds like a broken record as I couldn’t fool anything real big did witness my brother nabbing a good one. I know that they are there and I am looking forward to tromping around again in 2020 to try and find them.

Knowing where to find some bass is only part of the equation. It is also necessary to find out what can fool ‘em. That aspect comes up in the next post. Talk to you later. Troy

Last December I submitted a post entitled “West Lake Complex – Secrets” that took a look at some of the structure that I had observed through late November. Those observations had primarily taken place from a distance as I had not come prepared to hike the muddy lake bottom. However, during a pair of December visits on the heels of the “Secrets”, I came ready to get down and dirty in an effort to get some up close insights on the scenery. I was sure glad that I did wander nearly the entire lake bottom as today’s post and the upcoming series finale will detail.

Structure is a key component in the fish finding equation as it can hold fish and provide a highway for fish movement. Some folks delineate “cover” from “structure” but I’m keeping it less complicated. Essentially, a combination of some of the components to follow is typically better than a lone item. For example, a roadbed or a point has potential but combine those bottom contours with a brushpile or a group of tires and it heightens the appeal.

Bass Fishing 101 continues via video with a closer look at some of the stuff revealed in the draining of Lake of the Hills. Below is a series of clips exploring several general types of structure (Note: not all examples are included in videos and some items could fit a couple categories).

Contours (points, channels, roads, humps…)

Wood (stumps, laydowns, standing timber, brushpiles, beaver lodges…)

Rock (riprap, gravel, rockpiles…)

Manmade (tires, docks, pallets, artificial fish attractors…)

Of course, weeds also play a key role as structure (or cover) in a lake but as a seasonal aspect those are out of the picture at present. In addition, it may be a while until the lake is allowed to fill again and promote the return of aquatic vegetation. I suspect that pending structure additions and restorations will result in the valve being left open for the foreseeable future. Time will tell and your dedicated West Lake Restoration reporter will be on the case as 2020 moves forward.

One final post to get caught up on the 2019 visits comes your way next. Talk to you later. Troy