Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass & Spotted Bass Fishing in Illinois.

Bass are one of the most sought after of all the game fish. Its appeal spans cultures, age groups and genders to tap on the heart strings of anglers everywhere. Join us in our endeavor to offer information about bass fishing on your favorite bass lake in the Illinois area.

Bass Fishing Lakes In Illinois

There are bass in ponds, creeks, rivers, streams, small lakes and large impoundments in Illinois. Some of the larger lakes with healthy populations of bass include Carlyle Lake, Cedar Lake, Crab Orchard Lake, Fox Lake, Heidecke Lake, Kinkaid Lake, Lake Clinton, Lake Lou Yeager, Lake Of Egypt, Lake Michigan, Lake Shelbyville, Lake Springfield, Lake Taylorville, Newton Lake, Rend Lake and Sangchris Lake.

The Illinois state record bass was caught from Stone Quarry Lake and the state record smallmouth came from Strip Mine Lake.

Bass are aggressive feeders and agile enough to chase down and catch most of their favorite foods. They are most easily caught during a feeding spree but can be enticed into striking an anglers bait for reasons other than hunger. They are predatory by nature and at times will strike at anything that enters their world. They are also territorial and at times strike anything that ventures into their domain. If it moves and they can get it into their large mouth, bass will attempt to eat it.

Spotted Bass
Micropterus punctulatus
World Record: 9.5 lbs
Easily identified by the dominate, spots along the lateral lines, they are found primarily in the southeastern states. Spotted bass are often called Kentucky bass, Kentucky spotted bass, Alabama spotted bass and Kentucky spots. It prefers warmer water temperatures from 70 to 78 degrees. They have a smaller mouth than the largemouth so use lure sizes similar to smallmouth tackle. They feed on smaller fish as well as insects, crustaceans, frogs and worms.

Contribute Knowledge

The purpose of the page is to provide specific information about fishing for bass in Illinois. Find information on basic trends and seasonal patterns of bass here in the state of Illinois. Look here for tips, recommended tackle, techniques and more. We want to help you make your bass fishing trips in IL more successful.

If you have information, articles or photos relating to bass which you would like to see published here, please submit them for consideration. We will gladly give you credit for your contribution. If you have a fishing related business and would like to mention it within the context of the article, we will consider your request. For significant contributions we may offer complimentary display ads, please contact us if you are interested.

If you offer fishing guide services for bass in Illinois we would like to include you as a resource for our visitors. We offer a complimentary listing for your guide service on our Illinois Fishing Guides page or you can see other options to promote your bass fishing guide services in Illinois by visiting our Advertising opportunities section.

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Illinois fishing information.

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IL Bass Fishing - All About Fishing for Spotted, Smallmouth & Largemouth Bass in Illinois.

22 lbs - 4 oz

13 lbs - 1 oz

60 - 80 Degrees

Prefers slightly stained to murky water with cover and little or no current.

11 lbs - 15 oz

6 lbs - 7 oz

58 - 72 Degrees

Prefers clear to slightly stained water and is comfortable in mild current. Prefers gravel and rocky areas.