Fishing Crab Orchard Lake

AKA: Crab Orchard Reservoir

Popular Fish Species
Crab Orchard Lake Fishing Video
Available Fish Species
Amenities
Today's Weather & Forecast
Fishing Boat Rentals
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Crab Orchard Lake, IL

Popular Fish Species Crab Orchard Lake, IL

Crab Orchard Lake Popular Fish - Crappie

Crappie Fishing

Black and white crappie both reside in Crab Orchard Lake, known to locals as "slabs". Generally the black crappie out weigh white crappie, but they do school together so when you find them you may catch both species. Crappie fishing is on the rise and they can be found in sizeable schools. Crappie always like cover and structure, so locate brush and vegetation. Using a fish finder can help locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover. Live bait and small jigs are the most common method for crappie here. In spring and fall focus on the 8 to 12 foot range. As the crappie move deep in summer and winter, follow points out deep, as well as find ledges near channels in deeper water.

Crab Orchard Lake Popular Fish - Largemouth Bass

Largemouth Bass Fishing

Crab Orchard Lake offers consistent fishing for largemouth bass. Recently, the fishing for bass has been impressing locals. Some big bass roam Crab Orchard Lake, thanks to excellent fisheries management by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, as well as the availability of extensive cover for both baitfish and bass. When the bite is good, bass typically move shallow and are quite aggressive. If you find them shallow and they are not tempted to bite, slow down and use smaller, lighter baits. Fishing for largemouth bass is good virtually any time they are shallow - in spring, mornings in summer, and during warm Fall afternoons. Use shallow crankbaits around rip rap. Around grass use worms, jigs, topwater and spinnerbaits. In deeper water, big worms, jigs and spoons are three good weapons. In winter, spend your time fishing Crab Orchard Lake on deeper structure where the bass spend much of their time.

Crab Orchard Lake Popular Fish - Channel Catfish

Channel Catfish Fishing

This year a healthy population of channel catfish populate the waters of Crab Orchard Lake. They can be found pretty much all around the lake. In Spring channel cats migrate toward incoming water, so stay up river away from the main lake. Night fishing for channel catfish often delivers better results than fishing during the day. In early summer look for rocky banks, the bigger the rocks the better. In summer and winter deeper structure is where to look. The river end of the lake is often the area where the bigger catfish are caught. Fishing for channel catfish is often productive around any kind of structure in the area. Road beds, creek channels and rocky points are all good places to begin. Use a slip sinker or Carolina rig with popular catfish baits.

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, channel catfish, black crappie, white crappie, bluegill and white bass at Crab Orchard Lake in Illinois.

Crab Orchard Lake Fishing Video

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, channel catfish, black crappie, white crappie, bluegill and white bass at Crab Orchard Lake in Illinois.

At over 6,900 surface acres, with a wide variety of fish species to pursue, Crab Orchard Lake is an anglers paradise. It is located in southern Illinois a few miles east of Carbondale. If you like fishing around rocky shorelines with trees and brush, the lake has plenty.

There are opportunities for shoreline fishing - some with easy access and some may take a bit of walking. The most efficient way to fish this waterway is by boat. Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge Campground offers camping and RV spaces, some right on the water.

Primary fish species residing in Crab Orchard Lake

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Crab Orchard Lake Amenities

Marina: YES
Boat Rental: YES
Boat Launch Ramp: YES
Campgrounds: YES
RV Hookups: YES
Lodging: NEARBY
Convenience Store: NEARBY
Bait & Tackle: NEARBY
Restaurant: NEARBY

Today's Weather & Forecast

Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

Crab Orchard Campground East Boat Launch Ramp
Located mid lake, on the north side of the lake, off Campground Drive, this is a two-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and gravel parking.

Crab Orchard Campground West Boat Launch Ramp
Located mid lake, on the north side of the lake, off Campground Drive, this is a one-lane, concrete ramp with gravel parking.

Crab Orchard - Northwest Boat Ramp And Parking
Located in the northwest corner of the lake, off Spillway Road, this is a three-lane, concrete ramp with docks and paved parking.

Broken Handle Boat Launch Ramp
Located mid lake, on the south side of the lake, off Broken Handle Lane, this is a one-lane, concrete ramp with limited, gravel parking.

Foreville Road Boat Launch Ramp
Located mid lake, on the north side of the lake, off Foreville Road, this is a one-lane, concrete ramp with docks and paved parking.

Highway 13 Boat Launch Ramp
Located mid lake, on the north side of the lake, at the east end of the Highway 13 Bridge, this is a two-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and plenty of paved parking.

Old Route 13 Boat Launch Ramp
Located mid lake, on the north side of the lake, off Old Route 13, this is a one-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and gravel parking.

Refuge Road Boat Launch Ramp
Located in the northeast section of the lake, at the north end of the Refuge Road Bridge, this is a one-lane, gravel ramp with a gravel parking.

Spillway Boat Launch Ramp
Located in the southwest section of the lake, off Spillway Road, this is a one-lane, concrete ramp with limited, gravel parking.