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  1. #1
    Member illinifish's Avatar
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    Power plants shutting down update ?

    Anyone have an update on the earlier reports that several power plants that have have cooling lakes are shutting down. Coffen for example.
    Enjoying life in Southern Illinois

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    #2
    Coffeen shut down 2 or 3 weeks ago.

  3. Member copperhead's Avatar
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    #3
    46-48° surface temp last weekend. Catch rates way down (at least in tournaments). No limits the last four tournaments. Saw a lot of 1-2" shad dying off down lake.
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    #4
    A lot of the bass that's always lived in the warm water arm might not make it thru the first ice over . Going to be a shock to what they are used too .

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    #5
    As said above coffeen has been down for a little while now . The first week or two it seemed like it got a little better. Now with the plummeting air temps the water has followed with it . The last several tournament results are all the worst I have ever seen for that lake . They are worse now than when there was a fish kill . I don't think that is what has happened now . It must be like when people go through a natural disaster of some kind and everyone thinks what the hell just happened . The fish think the world as they know it is coming to an end .

  6. Member illinifish's Avatar
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    #6
    have any winter tournaments been cancelled due to the plant closing?
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    #7
    Duck Creek , Havana, Coffeen, Hennepin, are on the Illinois WARN site for plant closing layoff notices. Complete layoff and closure on these.

    Will duck Creek open to fishing?
    Please release me,let me go.

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    #8
    Quote Originally Posted by illinifish View Post
    have any winter tournaments been cancelled due to the plant closing?
    I'm not aware of any tournaments cancelled.... yet. When the lake freezes over, which it will, decisions will have to be made. There are so many tournaments on Coffeen, it will be hard to come up with new dates for all of them. Apparently the DNR is on top of the situation. I'm pretty sure that in years past, they did not allow tournaments June through August. I just checked their site and there is already 9 scheduled during that time period. No idea whether those are re-scheduled winter tournaments or just fresh ones.

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    #9
    Is coffee like Newton as far as its involvement with maintenance etc or are they going to completely shut lake down and chain it.

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    #10
    As far as I know the plant is shut down completely for coal . In an article I read about the closing it said that the site could be turned into a solar power plant . I don't know anything about solar power and how those plants operate . If they make enough heat during that process then maybe the lake would become heated again but who knows . Right now the plant has been off for a month and the lake has been open the whole time . I think there is still a gun deer season this weekend .

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    #11
    Solar power requires no cooling. DNR has the lake leased until 2021, but that ends if the owners the decide to sell it. I have heard they are looking to sell, basically the lake and all the land that is currently huntable to limit liabilities, to private investors or developers. The land that you can't hunt on now is all they want for solar. Best case scenario is the state takes it over and it just becomes a normal state fish and wildlife area, but it sounds like vistra is goin to squeeze every penny they can out of the property

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    #12
    state of billunoy is so far in hock they cant staff the existing parks. Kickapoo toilets had staff bringing toilet paper from home for crappers. If this was in cook county or close maybe but downstate slim to no chance. Vistra profits from closing plants , then not taking responsibility for what they create and leave behind. I'm afraid Newton will be next.

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    #13
    They won't stop closing them till they get them all now.

  14. Member Dennis1's Avatar
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    #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Outdoorsman76 View Post
    They won't stop closing them till they get them all now.
    At least the ducks wont sit on them hot water lakes all winter!
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    #15
    I saw Clinton is the place to go. Lot and lots of tournaments scheduled there. I think it is becoming the new Coffeen.

    I did see Coffeen has tournaments scheduled all winter, I am sure they will cancel when the lake freezes over. I heard 1 fish won the USA basin tournament recently on Coffeen.

  16. Member copperhead's Avatar
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    #16
    Two circuits just cancelled this last weekend.
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  17. Member illinifish's Avatar
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    #17
    Quote Originally Posted by copperhead View Post
    Two circuits just cancelled this last weekend.
    I just checked and only 4 boats fished it.
    Springfield, newton and Egypt may have more traffic this winter when guys get cabin fever
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