Keith Lusher 06.23.26
Fishermen planning a trip to one of Northern Illinois’ most popular fishing destinations may need to adjust their schedules next week.
Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) announced this Morrison-Rockwood State Park Whiteside County will be closed to the public June 23-24 while crews conduct aquatic herbicide treatments on Lake Carlton.
According to park officials, the project aims to control invasive lotus vegetation, which has increasingly taken over parts of the lake, making shore fishing, boating and kayaking more difficult.
“Lotus vegetation has outgrown the native vegetation and has made fishing, boating and kayaking on the coast difficult,” park officials said in a recent notice.
Lake Carlton serves as the centerpiece of Morrison-Rockwood State Park and is a popular destination for fishermen targeting largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, channel catfish and other warmwater species. The stream-based reservoir attracts thousands of visitors each year and is considered one of the park’s primary recreational attractions.
IDNR says the treatment will improve fish habitat by reducing large monocultures of invasive vegetation and allow a wide variety of native aquatic plants to return. Officials also hope the project will increase access for bank fishermen, one of the park’s most popular activities.
This year’s treatment will also use drone technology to more efficiently apply herbicides to affected areas of the lake. Park managers say drones allow staff to cover more water in less time while reducing treatment costs.
By instituting an annual spraying program, officials hope to keep invasive lotus growth under control before it spreads into deeper parts of the reservoir.
During the closure, the entire state park will be inaccessible to visitors. Camping will not be available, and all public access to the lake and surrounding recreational areas will be restricted.
The temporary shutdown comes as wildlife and parks agencies across the country grapple with aquatic vegetation issues, algae blooms and water quality concerns that have plagued popular recreation areas this summer. However, unlike closures due to contamination or harmful algae, the Morrison-Rockwood closure is a planned habitat management effort intended to improve fishing and boating opportunities in the long term.
Located near the city of Morrison, the park attracts more than 400,000 visitors annually for fishing, boating, hiking, hunting, horseback riding and wildlife viewing.
Officials encourage visitors to plan accordingly and wait until the treatment period is over before returning to the lake.
For additional information, visitors can contact the Morrison-Rockwood State Park office at 815-772-4708.
keith lusher
Keith Lusher is an award-winning outdoor journalist who lives in Covington, Louisiana. He owns and operates NorthShoreFishingReport.com and writes a weekly outdoors column for the Slidell Independent Newspaper. He also writes for the St. Tammany Parish Tourism Commission’s VisitTheNorthshree.com. He is the former host of The Northshore Fishing Report radio show and is on the board of the Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association. Keith contributes to numerous publications both online and in print and is proud to promote the unique fisheries of South Louisiana. To contact Keith email: keithlusherjr@gmail.com
