New guy here. Where should I go?

[STEVE81]

I just moved to Mascoutah (from Nebraska) a little over a week ago and am hoping to have the boat in the water Sunday for a solo bass fishing trip. Unsure where to go. I drove over to Carlyle a few days ago and it appeared to be high and muddy. Not even sure if it’s a decent bass lake. So what do you guys think? Anything within 1.5 hours or so is fine with me. Prefer it to be in state as I have never fished IL before.

Side question, I’m taking the wife and kids out on Sunday. Any place you guys recommend that is good for getting a lot of bites for some little kids?

[RGJ]

Never go to Carlye to bass fish maybe crappie in
few weeks. Kincaid , Egypt , Pyramid and Crab all pretty good.

[STEVE81]

Never go to Carlye to bass fish maybe crappie in
few weeks. Kincaid , Egypt , Pyramid and Crab all pretty good.

Haha! Carlyle that bad, huh?

[winner89]

Haha! Carlyle that bad, huh?

Yes, Carlyle is that bad. Go look at some of the tournament results there from the past couple years. Its rough. Newton Lake is a good one - about 2 hours from where you are at and plentiful with just about any fish you want to catch (powerplant lake and 25 HP max - would have to use the trolling motor to get around). I havent fished much over that way - been on Rend a couple times and it has its good days and bad days bass fishing but I think catfishing and crappie are both supposed to be decent there from what I have heard. Have fun!

[STEVE81]

Ok. Thanks guys! I’ll post back here with results when I go.

[illinifish]

Carlyle is known locally as the Dead Sea for bass. There are decent crappie and the white bass population is very good.
kaskaskia river is trashed by the Asian carp and all the tributaries to it and the Mississippi are the same.
need to know your motor HP as there are several HP limit lakes.
RGJ hit on the most popular ones. I will throw out Centralia( need a permit),Stephen Forbes and Pyramid state park.
if you have a 10 hp several strip pits and other lakes in southern IL to choose.
welcome to the area

[Rips LEGEND]

If your up for a long drive the Mississippi river starts getting good in this area. About a 5 hour drive.

[STEVE81]

Carlyle is known locally as the Dead Sea for bass. There are decent crappie and the white bass population is very good.
kaskaskia river is trashed by the Asian carp and all the tributaries to it and the Mississippi are the same.
need to know your motor HP as there are several HP limit lakes.
RGJ hit on the most popular ones. I will throw out Centralia( need a permit),Stephen Forbes and Pyramid state park.
if you have a 10 hp several strip pits and other lakes in southern IL to choose.
welcome to the area

Where do I find a list of lakes with hp limits? I looked through the fishing regs and didn’t see that. Granted, I was looking for actual fishing rules instead.

[STEVE81]

If your up for a long drive the Mississippi river starts getting good in this area. About a 5 hour drive.

Which part of the river? I’m pretty close to the river around St Louis. I’m assuming that area is not any good?

[STEVE81]

Actually, I think I found the HP limit list. Although I don’t see Crab Orchard or Lake of Egypt on there.

[Rips LEGEND]

I'm originally from O'Fallon Ill. The Mississippi in that area doesn't have the bass fishing like where I'm at now. From here going north up into Wisconsin we have some great backwater areas. Pool 13 is about an hour north of me. It almost always requires over 20lbs to even place in spring tournaments. The last 2 years I've taken guys new to the area out for the 1st outing of the year. One fish was caught each time by the new guy. 4.6lb last year and 5.03 caught by a 15yo 2 years ago.

[STEVE81]

I'm originally from O'Fallon Ill. The Mississippi in that area doesn't have the bass fishing like where I'm at now. From here going north up into Wisconsin we have some great backwater areas. Pool 13 is about an hour north of me. It almost always requires over 20lbs to even place in spring tournaments. The last 2 years I've taken guys new to the area out for the 1st outing of the year. One fish was caught each time by the new guy. 4.6lb last year and 5.03 caught by a 15yo 2 years ago.

Ah I see! I’ve been wanting to get to that stretch of river for some years now. A number of my Iowa friends (from living in Nebraska) would tell me about fishing the river. I’ve never made the trip myself though.

[Rips LEGEND]

Ah I see! I’ve been wanting to get to that stretch of river for some years now. A number of my Iowa friends (from living in Nebraska) would tell me about fishing the river. I’ve never made the trip myself though.

Let me know if you want to check it out!

[STEVE81]

Let me know if you want to check it out!

I sure will 👍

[illinifish]

Actually, I think I found the HP limit list. Although I don’t see Crab Orchard or Lake of Egypt on there.

Crab orchard no limit- it’s shallow run with caution
lake Egypt- has a lot of restrictions as it is privately owned and has active lake patrol. No HP limit but has a 35 mph speed limit. You can’t fish within 10 feet of docks, some coves are private, can’t pee on the lake. All the launches charge you. It does have a fantastic fishery but get pounded by tournaments

[STEVE81]

Crab orchard no limit- it’s shallow run with caution
lake Egypt- has a lot of restrictions as it is privately owned and has active lake patrol. No HP limit but has a 35 mph speed limit. You can’t fish within 10 feet of docks, some coves are private, can’t pee on the lake. All the launches charge you. It does have a fantastic fishery but get pounded by tournaments

Can’t fish around the docks? What in the world?

[Philly]

Can’t fish around the docks? What in the world?

Weird as heck, right?? Welcome to Illinois brother, lol. Lake Springfield has the same ridiculous "no dock" rule but It doesn't get enforced as strictly as is does at Egypt. Crab Orchard and Kinkaid would be my 2 pics for non-HP restricted lakes in n that part of the state.

[skennedy]

Starting in May . Check out Smithland pool on the Ohio River . 2 hours from Mascoutah . Put in at Galconda Ill. One of the best creeks to fish is right there at the mouth of the marina . Lusck creek. The river is not what it use to be do to Asian carp but still has some good bass fishing on it . There is about 20 some creeks to fish plus the main river in the summer time . Crappie fishing there is outstanding when you catch the timing right the river levels have most to do with that lots of 2-3 pounders in there . The river can get huge with a 20-30 mph south winds plus barge traffic . A lot of the big creeks have boat ramps . Just google them up on google maps . The big creeks you can go back for miles and miles

[STEVE81]

Sounds like I’m leaning more towards Crab Orchard for tomorrow then.

[Rips LEGEND]

Sounds like I’m leaning more towards Crab Orchard for tomorrow then.

I'm doing pool 13 tomorrow