|
SPRINGFIELD, IL – Recreation agencies, park districts, youth groups, civic organizations and fishing clubs throughout Illinois will host a wide variety of fishing derbies, how-to clinics and other special activities as part of the 2007 celebration of Illinois Free Fishing Days, June 8-11. Free Fishing Days allows anyone to fish without a fishing license, inland trout stamp or salmon stamp during the four-day event each June.
“Free Fishing Days is a great way to introduce people to fishing,” said Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Acting Director Sam Flood. “Fishing is a great family activity and there are so many opportunities to cast a line here in Illinois. We appreciate the support of all of the groups that host special events promoting fishing during our Free Fishing Days celebration.”
Organizations throughout the state plan special events during Free Fishing Days weekend and at other times during the spring and summer to focus on fishing. While anyone can fish without a license during the four days of Free Fishing Days, anglers fishing in fishing derbies, tournaments and other special events held prior to or after Free Fishing Days are required to have a fishing license, unless they are otherwise exempted.
For more information on Free Fishing Days events in Illinois, contact the IDNR at 217/782-9990.
A list of some of the 2007 Illinois Free Fishing Days events is below (note that special group fishing permits may be issued for events held on dates other than June 8-11).
City Sponsoring Org Location Date(s) Contact Altamont Altamont Lions Club Mathias Lake June 9 Lynn Kull 618-483-6323 Antioch C.J. Smith Resort C.J. Smith Resort June 8-11 Melonnie Hartl 847-395-2753 Bath Redneck Fishing Tournament Bath August 4 Betty Deford 309-546-2545 Beardstown Beardstown Park District Hard Road Ditch June 9 Steve Megginson 217-323-2555 Carbon Cliff Carbon Cliff Bait & Tackle Inc. Fish Contest June 8-11 Margaret Pankey 309-792-3460 Carlinville Carlinville Park District and Lions Club American Legion Pond Sept 8 Bernhard Dzafic Jr. 217-854-9231 Carlyle U.S. Army Corps Engineers Dam West June 9 Jody Harris 618-594-2484 Carlyle U.S. Army Corps Engineers Dam West Campground June 8-9 Kim Hammel 618-594-2484 Centralia BCMW Head Start Moose Lodge May 24 Larice Stalls 618-533-4498 Champaign Champaign-Urbana Optimists Club Kaufman Park June 2 Gene Morgan 217-352-0936 Chicago IDNR William Powers SFWA William Powers SFWA June 9 Saki Villalobos 773-646-3270 Chicago Daily Southtown Lake Sedwick June 2 Duke O’Malley 773-586-8206 Chicago Fishin’ Buddies Chicago River June 21-22 John Kidd, Jr. 773-233-3250 Colchester Argyle Lake State Park Argyle Lake State Park June 9 Bridget Napolitano 309-776-3422 Crab Orchard U.S. FWS Images Marina Area June 9 Mardean Roach 618-998-5933 Dallas City Dallas City Jr Fishing Association Recreation Park May 19 Mark Stevens 309-337-0543 Du Quoin Du Quoin Jaycees Du Quoin State Fairgrounds June 9 William Koonce 618-790-5061 Edwardsville Edwardsville Gun Club Edwardsville June 16 Dewayne Connolly 618-604-5842 Effingham Girl Scouts-River Bluffs Camp Wassatoga June 9 Emily Stanley 1-800-345-6858 Galesburg Galesburg Youth Fishing Derby Lincoln Park May 20 Susan Dutell 309-368-1507 Geneseo Geneseo Izaak Walton League Hennepin Canal June 9 Charlie Palmgren 309-944-1394 Glendale U.S. Forest Service Lake Glendale June 10 Roy Street 618-559-7914 Grafton IDNR Pere Marquette State Park June 2 Scott Isringhaussen 618-786-3323 Granite City Tri City AMVETS Granite City June 9 Pete Marlin 618-791-6913 Greenville Kingsbury Park District Patriot’s Park Lake June 9 Jerry Saverwein 618-664-4969
Harrisburg Harrisburg Park District Park Lagoon June 9-11 Connie Moorman 618-252-2111 Highland Marine Stars and Junior 4-H Silver Lake Park June 6 Connie Grapperhaus 618-654-2341 Hodgkins Santa Fe Prairie Volunteers Des Plaines River June 9 Greg Starr 708-598-6139 Hoffman Estates Hoffman Estates Chamber of Commerce South Ridge& Westbury Lakes June 9 Jill Blodgett 847-781-9100 Lombard Boy Scout Pack 242 Churchill Woods June 9 Len Sklaney 630-627-5967 Loves Park Flatlanders Muskies Inc Rock Cut State Park June 16 Amy Shackleton 815-389-8486 Mapleton Hollis Park District Reed City Lake June 9 George Weers 309-697-2944 Mattoon Douglas-Hart Nature Center Center Pond June 13 Kristin Giglietti 217-235-4644 McHenry McHenry Recreation Whispering Oaks Park June 9 Cynthia Witt 815-363-2160 Mt. Carmel Beall Woods State Park Beall Woods June 9 Jacque Hallam 618-298-2441 Neoga Grace United Methodist Church Neoga June 10 Glenn Buskirk 217-895-9907 Ottawa Better Fishing Assn Buffalo Rock State Park June 9 Tom Wall 815-223-3671 Plainfield Plainfield Park District June 2 Mary Beth Flagg 815-436-8812 Riverton Village of Riverton Riverton Pond June 8-9 Max Shekelton 217-629-9122 Roscoe Boy Scouts Troop 622 Rock River June 9 Louise Glon 815-988-9515 Springfield Bob’s Bait and Tackle Springfield Jaycees DNR Pond – Fairgrounds June 9 Bob Baker 217-544-4148 Springfield Ansar Shrine DNR Pond – Fairgrounds June 16 Ron Turasky 217-632-7819 Thomson Friends of the Upper Mississippi River Frog Pond June 16 Frank Brobender 815-441-5511 Vandalia Vandalia Sport Fishing & Conservation Vandalia Lake June 9 John Blythe 618-283-2475 Villa Park Villa Park Sportsmen Club North Terrace Park Pond June 9 Marty Kapolozynski 630-932-1923 Waukegan Waukegan Park District Bevier Park June 9 Laura Pendergrass 847-782-3621 Wayne St. Domitilla Church Pratt Wayne Woods June 9 Alan Gilbert 708-547-0970 Wayne Cicero Youth Assn Pratt Wayne Woods June 9 Alan Gilbert 708-547-0970 Woodstock McHenry County Conservation District Broomdale/ Hollows June 9-10 Sgt. Abraham Martinez 815-338-6223
|