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Best largemouth bass lakes in Illinois

78 Illinois waters list largemouth bass (official records or labelled estimates), 27 mapped with survey or official-chart depth data. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Ambush predator that relates to cover — weeds, timber, docks — and moves shallow to feed.

1. Lake Springfield — 22 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 9 public access sites
2. Mississippi River Pool 19 (Keokuk) — 43 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, SaugerWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
3. Illinois River — 25 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, SaugerWhy #3: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 14 public access sites
4. Mississippi River Pool 13 (Clinton) — 53 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, SaugerWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
5. Sangamon River — 12 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Channel Catfish, Flathead CatfishWhy #5: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
6. Lake Glenn Shoals — 24 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
7. Lake Mattoon — 28 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Saugeye, CrappieWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
8. Anderson Lake — 10 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
9. Kaskaskia River — 15 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
10. Kankakee River — 12 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
11. Sara Lake — 48 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
12. Illinois Waterway — Dresden Island Pool — 31 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
13. Des Plaines River — 12 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Channel CatfishWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
14. Washington County Lake — 16 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
15. Shabbona Lake — 40 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
16. Charleston Lake — 14 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Saugeye, CrappieWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
17. Homer Lake — 16 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
18. Lincoln Trail State Park Lake — 38 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, SaugerWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
19. Dawson Lake — 24 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
20. Lake Altamont — 31 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
21. Siloam Springs Lake — 38 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
22. Walnut Point Lake — 28 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
23. Kickapoo State Park Lake — 70 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
24. Carthage Reservoir — 18 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
25. Lake Jacksonville — 36 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #25: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached

…plus 53 more Illinois waters holding largemouth bass.

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When to fish largemouth bass in Illinois

• Spring 2–10 ft — Pre-spawn through spawn: target shallow flats, pockets and cover near deep access.
• Summer 8–20 ft — Fish the edges: weedlines, drop-offs, and deep cover close to shallow feeding areas.
• Fall 4–15 ft — Follow the baitfish: points and creek channels leading into pockets.
• Winter 15–35 ft — Slow and deep: steep drops and channel bends near wintering basins.

Also in Illinois: best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best white bass lakes · best saugeye lakes · best sauger lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best striped bass lakes · best white bass & hybrids lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best flathead catfish lakes · best blue catfish lakes · best freshwater drum lakes · best common carp lakes

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