New Fishing Regulations

As of April 1, 2012 new fishing regulations are in effect for City of Bloomington public park lakes (Anglers Lake, Holiday Lake, Miller Park Lake, Tipton Lake and White Oaks Lake).

Trout Fishing

IDNR sponsors a catchable trout program at Miller Park Lake.

To legally harvest rainbow and/or brown trout from any waters which receive catchable trout or hatchery stockings of trout, anglers must have a fishing license and inland trout stamp, unless they are under 16 years of age, blind or disabled, or Illinois residents on leave from the Armed Forces. A daily limit of five trout per angler is enforced.

Fishing licenses and inland trout stamps are available at sporting goods stores and other vendors located near the catchable trout fishing sites, and at the IDNR’s five regional offices at Sterling, Bartlett, Clinton, Alton, and Benton. This program is funded through the sale of inland trout stamps.

Miller Park Lake

Miller Park Lake was built in 1907 and has a surface size of 13.8 acres, an average depth of 13 feet and a maximum depth of 28 feet. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has been managing the fisheries in Miller Park Lake since 1958. In the past decade, the IDNR has conducted fish surveys every few years to determine the quality of the fish community.

Species collected from the lake include: largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, gizzard shad, golden shiner, black crappie, white crappie, redear sunfish, yellow bass, rock bass, flathead catfish, rainbow trout (no catchable trout in 2012 season), and green sunfish.

• Miller Park Lake 2010 Fish Survey

Tipton Park Lake

Tipton Lake was built in 2002 and has a surface area of 11 acres with an average depth                  
of 6 feet and a maximum depth of 11 feet. The shoreline has minimal fishing access because of the natural vegetation around the lake, but there are several nice fishing piers/areas around the lake that provide fishing access. The lake also has a variety of aquatic vegetation that helps filter the water and provide fish cover.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources started managing the fisheries in 2007 and surveyed the fishery on May 18, 2007. This was the first survey of Tipton Lake and was conducted using AC electrofishing for 15 minutes. A total of 174 fish were collected comprised of 7 species. The sample was dominated by bluegill (66%) and largemouth bass (24%). Green sunfish, white crappie, white sucker, and yellow bullhead were also collected in low numbers. The lake is managed for largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, and channel catfish.

• Tipton Park Lake 2007 Fish Survey

White Oak Park Lake

White Oak Lake is an old gravel pit that is approximately 32 acres and has a maximum depth of 18 feet. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has been managing the fisheries in White Oak Lake since 1995. Every 3 to 4 years the IDNR conducts fish surveys to determine the quality of the fish community. White Oak Park Lake

Species collected from the lake include: largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, gizzard shad, yellow perch, golden shiner, bluegill x redear sunfish hybrid, black crappie, white crappie, redear sunfish, yellow bass, and green sunfish.

The lake is managed for largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, channel catfish, and crappie.

• White Oak Park Lake 2010 Fish Survey

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