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Welcome to Tight Lines Guide Service.  We are a year-round crappie fishing guide service on Lake Shelbyville and Clinton Lake.  We will provide everything you need to enjoy a day of crappie fishing. All you need to bring is a valid Illinois fishing license, appropriate clothing for the weather we are expecting that day i.e. rain gear, sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, and whatever food you would like for the day.  We will provide a cooler with ice and water for the day.

Lake Shelbyville is located across both Shelby and Moultrie counties in central Illinois.  It is an 11,000 acre Army Corps of Engineers flood control reservoir.  Clinton Lake is located in DeWitt county approximately 10 miles east of Clinton IL.  Clinton is a power plant lake and is used as a cooling water source for Clinton Power Station which makes the water warmer and can be an oasis in the middle of winter when all the other lakes are frozen solid.  Both lakes offer excellent crappie populations.

“My fishing memories are many. But treasured most of all are those fishing trips when all appeared hopeless, and then crappie came to the rescue.” – Dan Gapen

Fishing Report

September 16, 2024

Lake Shelbyville Crappie Fishing Guide

September is off to a great start! On Lake Shelbyville I have been finding fish in less than 10 feet of water and having a blast fishing a drop shot minnow rig swinging slabs in the boat. Some days we opt for a slip bobber and a minnow fished in the same depths but that’s only if we notice fish spooking when we get too close. Stumps have been producing well for me with the occasional cube mixed in but the cubes I like to fish have been holding a lot of little fish and the natural wood seems to be holding larger fish.

The lake level is sitting right an 598.8, about a foot below normal summer pool. Surface temps have been running about 72 first thing in the morning and depending on how much sun we get during the day climbing up to about 77. With daylight hours getting shorter and over night temps dipping into the 50s and 60s the water temperature should start dropping and really help us push towards a jig bite, but for now it’s just a plain gold hook with a lively minnow.

I have opened up my calendar for Lake Decatur guide trips for the fall and will be running a special rate for up to 2 people on Lake Decatur. If you’ve never fished Lake Decatur for crappie it is an awesome lake to put big slabs in the boat. It has the largest crappie out of all of our lakes here in Central Illinois and I’ve been fishing it my whole life. Right now we are fishing a slip bobber and minnow rig on Lake Decatur about 5 feet deep bouncing around from structure to structure. Also, I have been targeting those big open water slabs with the Livescope on days the wind allows to change it up. White bass are also in abundance on Lake Decatur and fall is a great time to target them.

If you want to book a fall fishing trip I have openings available in September, October and November so give me a call or text and we’ll go catch some fish!

Dan Lange

Tight Lines Guide Service

(217)475-1499

[email protected]

Rates

Rates:

These rates are for a private charter for up to two people, add an additional $100 for a third person.
All children 16 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

$375 for 6 hours

$300 for 4 hours

phone: 217.475.1499

email: [email protected]

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