Time for Shabbona youth fishing league

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SHABBONA – The Shabbona Lake Sportsmen’s Club has had a busy summer.

The SLSC has continued to make improvements to Shabbona Lake. Forty tons of rock have been added to a shoreline point in the southwest bay.

“The extension will allow anglers to get further out past the summer weeds,” Rich McElligott said. “It also protects the shore line from erosion.” 

The SLSC also continued its muskie rescue on Thursday. The SLSC had to cancel a schedule rescue last week because Dan Sallee, an IDNR biologist, had to head out to the Rock River to investigate a fish kill.  

But most importantly for adolescent fishermen, it is time once again for the youth fishing league, sponsored by the Shabbona Lake Sportsman Club.

The first practice will also be a sign-up session and will take place on Wednesday at the boat launch.

Teams will consist of five anglers with alternates. Teams will only be allowed to count scores from five anglers. Teams score one point for each fish caught that is less than 12 inches. Every fish 12 inches or longer nets five points.

Registration closes at 10 a.m. and teams and anglers 4-16 years old are eligible to enter. The SLSC awards trophies to the team with the most points and the individual with the largest fish caught for each species. Everyone gets a certificate for entering. McElligott toyed with the idea of having a 16-and-over league, but figured he’d better leave what isn’t broken – the league which is going on its 12th year – alone.

Each session will last two hours and will take place every Wednesday through Aug. 12.

The final meeting will be an awards ceremony and team picnic that McElligott said is always a fan favorite. For more information contact Rich McElligott at 815-824-2523 or Tom Urda at 815-627-9363.
Look for an update on the muskie rescue in next week’s outdoors column.

Tee Time
This week, I played 36 holes of golf at Cog Hill in Lemont. The first round was on course No. 1. A twilight special at $17, my brother and I walked the relatively simple yet challenging enough to be enjoyable course and played 16 holes before darkness descended upon the area and the sprinkler system chased us to my Jeep in the parking lot.

On Wednesday, I played solo on course No. 2, teed off at 5:30 p.m., rode a cart and finished in a snappy three hours. An overcast and gray day, I was spaced between two other solo players and played at a great pace. No. 2, the course I refer to as course No. 4, Dubsdread’s, “little brother,” was in terrific condition and provides a welcome challenge.

On the outward nine I shot a 45 and coming in carded a 47. In just my second time out this year, I tracked my shots on the score card and felt like I left at least 10 strokes on the course. With a round at Orchard Valley in Aurora set for Sunday, I feel like I’m close to getting my score back into the 80s. Look for a report on Orchard Valley next week and a potential nine-hole round with the Chronicle’s Nick Gerts.