ASK almost anyone for their description of a travel Utopia and you'll receive very diverse answers. If they're fishermen, obviously a major requirement is a terrific angling area with acclaimed reputation for great catches.

Boaters also want a wonderful water world, preferably with scenic wooded shoreline edged by hidden coves and inlets.

And on it continues through each individual's special interest list. For the golfer, it's a challenging course, while those intent on total unwinding require luxurious accommodations with a quiet deck or balcony overlooking a tranquil scene for reading and relaxation.

Unique shopping, exceptional sightseeing possibilities and gourmet dining in a stellar setting all figure into personal equations . . . tennis, horseback riding, even trap and clay shooting if that's your thing.

If you're lucky enough to discover them all in just one unusual location, it's not just a Utopia, but a super Utopia. And we've done just that!

Normally our weekly travels lead readers to far corners of the world . . . from ancient monasteries of Tibet to jungles of New Guinea and remote regions of Tasmania . . . with closer-in visits to Welsh castles, Outer Hebrides islands or South Africa's wonders.

This time, we're about to take readers on a very different kind of adventure where they'll encounter a surprising cast of characters . . . Beatle George Harrison camping in wooded wilderness . . . circuit- riding Abraham Lincoln carving out a future . . . a too-little publicised gang of outrageous outlaws that almost make Jesse James and John Dillinger look like Sunday school teachers in comparison. Plus true dyed-in-the-wool outdoorsmen.

Let's start with the outdoorsmen. Where are we? Deep in southern Illinois where the map shows you are farther south than Richmond, Virginia. You are also surrounded by what used to be coal-mining country, part of rich deposits making this state one of the most endowed with that mineral in all the world.

It's no accident we've intentionally come to Rend Lake Resort, rather than just wandering in off the highway, as readers know is often part of our travel discovery style. We'd been there years earlier for an outdoor writers' conference when the place was in its infancy and been impressed.

Now we'd heard expansion, enlargement and very creative development had enhanced it even more. And we'd also learned there was much of interest locally than deserved attention. Illinois and neighbouring Wisconsin are friendly competitors when it comes to tourism. Unfortunately, both annually promote opening of their outdoor season for press the same weekend . . . Wisconsin with a northwoods fishing opener attended by the state's governor and Illinois with an outdoor writers' conference sponsored by the Department of Natural Resources at which the governor, if he's an outdoor type, shows up. The current one isn't and didn't.

We used to fish with Wisconsin's Governor Warren Knowles and continued to attend Wisconsin's opener during Tommy Thompson's governorship (now he's US Secretary of Health and Human Services). Every year it's a challenging choice, but this time the words "Rend Lake Resort" made it "no contest".

the scene . . . a US Corps of Engineers' lake created over what were once coal mines. Not just any lake, but one covering 19,000 acres surrounded by 162 miles of scenic meandering wooded shoreline that seems totally removed from the chaotic clutter of modern civilisation.

Located at 3,300-acre Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park, it gives one the sense they've been dropped into a landscape totally unspoiled by development. It's named after the local legislator who worked hard for its creation in the early 1970s.

Spread along a section of shore with its own private bay for a front yard is Rend Lake Resort. Would that all developers would come here and take some lessons from super-planner John Reilly, who has developed this jewel of a property on a long-term lease from the state. When its brochure proclaims, "Awaken to a beautiful dream and come experience life the way it should it", that's no exaggeration.

First time there, we'd stayed in the resort's aptly named boatel, a two-storey accommodation with first-floor living room and bedroom upstairs. Balconies overlooking the lake literally at your feet made one feel they were on a ship. Some fishermen actually cast out from those balconies.

Very spacious and comfortable, we were definitely impressed.

This time, new units had been added and we settled into one of the stylishly decorated spa-jacuzzi suites. Complete with wet bar, coffee maker and refrigerator, there's a spacious sitting room with gas fireplace and television. The bedroom overlooks the lake, again only a few feet away, viewed through wall-to-wall sliding glass doors framing a balcony.

It reminded me of a gorgeous stateroom I once enjoyed onboard Celebrity's cruise ship, which had floor-to-ceiling windows. You fell asleep gazing at the moon glistening on the water and woke up to sun reflected off the waves. Fantastic and so is this.

There are also exceptionally comfortable cottages with great water views in several directions through picture windows. We inspected one and found its two-room layout of living room and bedroom really super. These cottages have two units and it would be ideal for a family to rent both since a connecting door turns it into the ultimate beach house. They have decks, wet bar, refrigerator, but are not set up for cooking.

See travel factfile below for bargain resort prices, a mere fraction of what you'd pay for comparable Bermuda accommodations. It's hard to decide between the three possibilities. All are exceptional . . . perhaps next time we'll try a cottage since we've not yet experienced them. Everything here is nicely spaced, adding to the very conservation-minded, ecologically developed mood of the place. John Malkovich takes his family every summer and it's popular with Chicago Cubs and Chicago Bears.

Actually there's also a fourth option. The sparkling new conference centre with its impressive ceiling-high stone fireplace and massive timbered Great Hall also has spacious rooms in its sprawling two-storey facility. Some very official-looking Rotary International members were checking out when we arrived . . . but certainly more relaxed after their wise choice of location. The conference centre can easily handle group meetings from 25 to 400.

and also rating star acclaim is Windows, an aptly-named mostly glass waterside dining room which again makes diners feel as though on a cruise ship looking out at a tranquil water view. This is place where area locals come to celebrate special occasions because master chef Jim Halpin has created an imaginative menu to match the dramatic setting. It was prom night our first evening there and tuxedoed and glamour-gowned high school students looked awed by the setting.

There's also outdoor dining on an adjoining deck, and pub food and lots of lively atmosphere in Reilly's, the imaginatively decorated pub just beside it. Both owner John Reilly and gourmet-minded chef Jim are well travelled and their ideas encountered around the world have been put to good use here.

Jim owned a very popular restaurant on Hawaii's Big Island until a volcanic eruption sent a lava flow right through it, prompting him to relocate to a less fiery location. But that past accounts for presence of home-made potato chips here like the ones vacationers have enjoyed so much in Hawaii.

What to do? So much you'll have a hard time fitting it all in. First afternoon, one of those bright golden spring days, we relaxed on a lake cruise via luxury super comfortable pontoon boat. Our guide was a former mining engineer who opened Rend Lake marina when mines closed. His pontoon boats rent for $125 daily, $150 on weekends.

One could happily laze around on one, sightsee, fish, party, whatever for a couple of days. His marina offers all kinds of boat rental possibilities, bait and tackle, guide and tour services. Prices must be right, because one outdoor journalist on our pontoon stopped to look at a bass "john boat", asked its price, carefully examined it and said: "I'll be over to try it tomorrow ? if it meets my requirements, I'll buy it." And he did, for $7,676.

Boat rentals of many kinds are also available at the resort. A 16-foot fishing boat costs $45 for half a day and $75 for a full day. Pontoon boats are $100 for four hours, $175 up to eight hours. Paddle boat and aqua cycles are $6 per hour.

, much of this area was settled by pioneers from Kentucky and Tennessee who crossed the Cumberland Gap. In fact, the state came within a hair's breadth of being part of the Confederacy, a vote narrowly defeated. But because of its coal mining industry, it attracted a very diverse population from mining areas in Italy, the Ukraine, Croatia, Cornwall and so on. The Rend Lake Marina owner's family came from Italy to work the mines.

In fact, that's how George Harrison's sister, Louise, arrived, as wife of a Scots-born mining engineer. But more about George's affection for this area and time he spent here next week.

What awaits the fishermen? Rend Lake is noted for white bass, largemouth bass and channel catfish. It's also site of some of the state's largest fishing tournaments. Illinois Department of Natural Resources' aggressive fisheries management programme includes annual stocking of sports species.

In fact, that's one of the reasons 45 outdoor writers and broadcasters are here . . . to learn about current fish management policies, US Corps of Engineer projects, bass fishing tactics, conservancy efforts, etc. It's a workshop to bring journalists up to speed on what's happening.

Normally my brother Jim and I would be out fishing, but with only a two-day meeting, there's too much to see and do to allow ourselves that luxury. In fact, we've come a day early and added another at the end to cover it all.

Even Winchester Ammunition is on hand, involved in trap and skeet shooting competitions being held for our group at one of the Midwest's premier state-of-the-art shooting complexes. It's set in 400 acres of timber, hedge rows and prairie and we found it an impressive site. It features ten pits with fully automated all new traps, 38-station sporting clay range complete with towers, ponds, water shots and elevated stands. That's just for starters, there's much more here plus a hunting reserve. Tel: (618) 629-2368. To give you some idea of price, both trap and skeet shooting 25 targets costs $3.50; sporting clays 50 targets cost $15, 100 targets $25. Shotguns can be rented.

Perhaps you'd like to exercise off calories acquired from a too-tempting Windows restaurant menu. Mountain bike rentals at the resort cost $10 per day, $5 for half day, with ten miles of trails around the lake area. There are tennis courts (rent a racket at the resort for $5 an hour) or try the outdoor swimming pool, perhaps some birdwatching, all at the spread-out resort property.

In fact, that's a great part of its charm . . . low-rise, with facilities just far enough apart to let you stretch your legs. Our jacuzzi suite was an easy walk from the conference centre across a fishing bridge down to the lakeshore.

-seven-hole Rend Lake golf course has been acclaimed as a four-and-a-half-star facility by "Places To Play". Rates are seasonal. From May-September 18 holes with cart costs $39 on Monday through Thursday and $43 Friday-Sunday and holidays. Monday senior special for 55 and older costs $29 and there's a $16.50 nine-hole twilight rate from Monday to Thursday after 4 p.m. from May to September.

All kinds of other specials are available. This is just a sample. More information is available at www.rendlake.org-golf!rendlake.org. (618) 629-2353.

There are adjoining accommodations, but Rend Lake Resort is such a standout and offers very tempting golf packages from now through November that you'll want to consider them.

For example, a hotel room with two queen-size beds, dinner for two at water's edge Windows Restaurant and 18 holes of golf for two with one golf cart is $188.40 plus tax weekdays, $196.40 weekends. Its slightly more for cabins, boatel and spa suites. Guided trail and pony rides are available in Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park for $18 an hour.

Of course, by now you're ready for a shopping fix and a very unusual distinctively different one is close by. Southern Illinois Artisans Shop and Visitors Centre is just down the road. It features more than 25 categories of juried arts and crafts featuring work of hundreds of Illinois artisans, all displayed in a bright 15,000-square-foot park-like facility.

art gallery is maintained by the Illinois State Museum and features changing exhibits. During our visit it was historic antique quilts, one more spectacular than the next. They're on display for some months, then go back into museum storage "to rest" while others are brought out. Some eye-opening quilts were also on sale in the shop area. It's a unique concept, one that will send you home ready to pursue a craft yourself. It's open daily April through December. (618) 629-2220.

Travel factfile: Rend Lake is 300 miles south of Chicago via interstate 57, about a six-hour drive. It's also accessible by Amtrak which stops at Du Quoin 20 miles west (once famous for the Hambletonian Harness races now moved east). Or you can fly into St. Louis 98 miles west, as George Harrison did, and rent a car there.

Rates at Rend Lake Resort are a pleasant surprise. Remember that although very popular with fishermen, this is definitely no rustic fishing camp! Expect a high level of comfort. Rates March 1-November 15 for boatel lofts are $97. New "Flagship" jacuzzi rooms like ours are $125 with two queen-sized beds. Cabins with queen-size bed in private bedroom and trundle in sitting area are $93. All plus tax. Hotel complex ranges from two bedded queens at $88 to $103 for a jacuzzi suite. Two- night minimum stay weekends, three on holidays. (800) 633-3341, fax (618) 629-2584. www.rendlakeresort.net. One-hundred and five total rooms and cabins. Ask about special packages for hunting, fishing and golf.

Four-day fishing licence for out-of-state residents is $10, one day licence is $4.

4 From Beatles to the Birger Gang