[1] The state park is managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to concentrate on shoreline recreation, including boating, fishing, and picnicking.

Fitzgerrell had been one of the local leaders who had called for the damming of the Big Muddy River and creation of Rend Lake.

Wayne Fitzgerrell was originally dedicated as a state park but changed its name in the 1990s to reflect its identity as a space managed for sportsmen.

1,000 acres (4.0 km²) of the park is consciously managed for the hunting of deer, upland birds such as pheasants, and small game.

The park is a focus of public access to Rend Lake, which is managed for the fishing of largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, and crappie.