The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

A day at Kiser Lake

Witt’s lead in NCAC trimmed to 1 game
Updated 6 min. ago
Latest area varsity wrestling leaders for Feb. 10
2/10/12
Latest area varsity boys, girls bowling leaders for Feb. 10
2/10/12
Latest area varsity boys basketball leaders for Feb. 10
2/10/12
Latest area varsity girls basketball leaders for Feb. 10
2/10/12
> More sports headlines

By By Brian Plasters, Staff Writer 11:30 PM Friday, June 12, 2009

My quest: I want to catch one fish — any fish — at the Springfield area’s public waterways. I’ll be fishing from the bank; no boats for me. I’ve caught fish at Hosterman Lake, Clark Lake and C.J. Brown Reservoir, but was skunked last week at the Mad River. Hopefully my skills are better suited at Champaign County’s largest body of water.

Date: Friday, June 12

Temperature: 66 degrees, warming to 73

Wind: NNE, 11 mph

Sky: Mostly sunny

Start: 12:17 p.m.

Finish: 3:28 p.m.

I’ve never been to Kiser Lake, but I’m immediately impressed by its seclusion. Trees line the banks and lily pads dominate the shoreline. Boats with motors are not allowed here, and I enjoy the quiet. Bluegill fishing is great, so that’s what I’m going after first. With my ultra-light rod and reel and a pack of waxworms, I start near the marina. Here’s how I spent my day.

12:17 p.m.: The wind feels like it’s blowing harder than 11 mph. My small hook, about two feet under a bobber, is blowing all over the lake.

12:33: Nothing much going here. I want to move south, toward the campground. That area is filled with lily pads; I know a fish is in those somewhere.

12:45: My bobber heads north, against the wind. I set the hook and start to reel. A bluegill breaches the water like a tarpon in the Atlantic. But this is Kiser Lake, and the fish is only about 15 feet out — not much room to take out the drag. A couple reels and it’s in. A couple photos are snapped, looks like an 8-inch fish, and back it goes. The Fish Slayer has returned, and my quest is a success yet again.

1:10: I can’t repeat the first performance. Time to move.

1:17: This lake offers a great opportunity to catch striped bass and hybrid striped bass. I yank out a lure that looks like a minnow — a favorite for these fish — and launch it on the south side of the lake.

1:31: After many casts at several locations up and down this bank, I get nothin’. My lure gets snagged in the weeds, and it’s not coming back.

Over the next 90 minutes I move several times and tried a couple baits, but nothing is working. Everything keeps getting caught in the weeds. They provide great cover for fish, but make it hard on the fisherman.

3:11: I’m back where I started, mainly because I want to see if I can retrieve a bobber that got snagged in the weeds. It’s loose, but not near the bank.

3:24: A second bobber gets snagged in the lily pads. Now I’m angry.

3:28: A bobber costs about $1, but it’s the principle. I yank out my rubber boots and wade in. Kiser Lake isn’t deep and the water’s warm. Both bobbers are recovered. All is not lost (except for that one lure).

Hours fished: 3

Fish caught: 1

Bobbers retrieved: 2

Share this article