Best fishing lakes in Illinois: 12 lakes and what bites

The lakes at a glance

1. Lake Shelbyville

Lake Shelbyville covers 11,100 acres of water. Crappie, largemouth bass, walleye and white bass are the draw. The deepest water is around 67 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start.

Lake Shelbyville today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

2. Kinkaid Lake

Kinkaid Lake covers 2,750 acres of water. You will find it about 4.5 miles east of Murphysboro. It holds largemouth bass, spotted bass, bluegill and crappie. It goes down to about 80 ft. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work. Kinkaid Lake, formed by damming Kinkaid Creek in 1972, is the deepest lake in southern Illinois at about 80 feet.

Kinkaid Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

3. LaSalle Lake

At 2,060 acres of water, LaSalle Lake is small enough to learn in a few trips. You will find it within an easy drive of Joliet (about 33 miles). The fish here are walleye, muskie, white bass and striped bass. It goes down to about 70 ft. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and a sheltered cove worth a first look. LaSalle Lake is a cooling reservoir for the LaSalle County Nuclear Generating Station and is stocked with muskellunge and walleye.

LaSalle Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

4. Carlyle Lake

Carlyle Lake spreads over some 24,600 acres. It lies near Carlyle. It is the Kaskaskia River behind Carlyle Dam. It holds largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish. At about 35 ft at its deepest, it warms quickly in spring. The lake bed gives you two steep ledges and a sheltered cove to work. Carlyle Lake is the largest lake in Illinois, created in 1967 when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dammed the Kaskaskia River.

Carlyle Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

5. Rend Lake

Rend Lake spreads over 20,600 acres of water. You will find it right by Ina. Rend Lake Dam holds it on the Big Muddy River. The fish here are largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish. It goes down to about 35 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three steep ledges and an upper arm: good places to start. Rend Lake is the second-largest lake in Illinois, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir with 162 miles of shoreline.

Rend Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

6. Braidwood Lake

Braidwood Lake is a reservoir of 2,540 acres. You will find it within an easy drive of Joliet (about 20 miles). It holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, catfish and striped bass. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. Braidwood Lake is a 2,540-acre cooling pond built to supply condenser cooling water to the Braidwood nuclear power plant.

Braidwood Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

7. Crab Orchard Lake

Crab Orchard Lake is a reservoir of 6,960 acres of water. It lies near Crainville. It is the Crab Orchard Creek behind Crab Orchard Dam. The fish here are largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie and catfish. At about 25 ft at its deepest, it warms quickly in spring. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. Crab Orchard Lake lies within Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge in southern Illinois.

Crab Orchard Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

8. Baldwin Lake

Baldwin Lake is a reservoir of some 2,020 acres. The lake is within an easy drive of St. Louis (about 32 miles). The fish here are largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, bluegill and crappie. At about 50 ft at its deepest, it warms quickly in spring. Baldwin Lake is a 'perched' cooling lake held above the surrounding land by levees, built in 1969 to cool a coal-fired power plant.

Baldwin Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

9. Clinton Lake

At some 4,900 acres, Clinton Lake is a good-sized lake. The lake is about 3 miles northeast of Farmer City. Largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie and catfish are the draw. It goes down to about 60 ft. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves worth a first look. Clinton Lake was built in the 1970s on Salt Creek to supply cooling water to the Clinton Nuclear Power Station.

Clinton Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

10. Lake of Egypt

At some 2,300 acres, Lake of Egypt is small enough to learn in a few trips. The lake is near Goreville. Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie and bluegill are the draw. It goes down to about 52 ft. Lake of Egypt is a 2,300-acre reservoir in southern Illinois known for its largemouth bass fishing.

Lake of Egypt today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

11. Coffeen Lake

At 1,100 acres, Coffeen Lake is small enough to learn in a few trips. You will find it near Hillsboro. Largemouth bass, spotted bass, crappie and catfish are the draw. The deepest water is around 59 ft. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves worth a first look. Coffeen Lake is a man-made lake built in the 1960s that served as a cooling reservoir for a coal power plant until it closed in 2019.

Coffeen Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

12. Sangchris Lake

Sangchris Lake is a reservoir of 3,020 acres of water. You will find it about 13 miles northwest of Springfield. The fish here are largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish. The deepest water is around 38 ft. Sangchris Lake's name blends the Sangamon River and Christian County, and it was built as a cooling reservoir for a power plant.

Sangchris Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

Pick by species

Lakes listed for a fish are the ones on this page where it is on record or typical for the lake.

• Bass: Lake Shelbyville, Kinkaid Lake, LaSalle Lake and Carlyle Lake
• Walleye: Lake Shelbyville, Kinkaid Lake, LaSalle Lake and Braidwood Lake
• Crappie: Lake Shelbyville, Kinkaid Lake, LaSalle Lake and Carlyle Lake
• Pike and muskie: Kinkaid Lake, LaSalle Lake and Braidwood Lake
• Catfish: Kinkaid Lake, LaSalle Lake, Carlyle Lake and Rend Lake

Season by season

• Spring: walleye are usually at their best. Prime range. Low light is best, on reefs and weed edges.
• Summer: walleye are usually fair. Warm surface. They go deep in the day; try evenings.
• Fall: walleye are usually at their best. Prime range. Low light is best, on reefs and weed edges.
• Winter: walleye are usually fair. Cold. Slow jigs on deep structure.

Before you go

A Illinois fishing licence covers every lake here; the state fish and wildlife agency publishes the limits and any special rules lake by lake. Each lake page on LakeScope shows today's water temperature, the wind, the best bite times and a 3-D view of the bed, so check it the morning you go.