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Best largemouth bass lakes in Illinois

78 Illinois waters hold largemouth bass, 26 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — 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 Shelbyville — 65 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #1: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
2. Lake Springfield — 22 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 9 public access sites
3. Carlyle Lake — 35 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #3: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
4. Mississippi River Pool 19 (Keokuk) — 43 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, SaugerWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
5. Illinois River — 25 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, SaugerWhy #5: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 14 public access sites
6. Mississippi River Pool 13 (Clinton) — 53 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, SaugerWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
7. Rend Lake — 31 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
8. Lake Clinton — 45 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, CrappieWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
9. Sangamon River — 12 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Channel Catfish, Flathead CatfishWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
10. Lake Decatur — 28 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
11. Crab Orchard Lake — 25 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
12. Lake Glenn Shoals — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
13. Kinkaid Lake — 80 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
14. Sangchris Lake — 40 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
15. Lake Mattoon — 28 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Saugeye, CrappieWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
16. Anderson Lake — 10 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
17. Kaskaskia River — 15 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
18. Kankakee River — 12 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
19. Sara Lake — 48 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
20. Newton Lake — 40 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
21. Illinois Waterway — Dresden Island Pool — 31 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
22. Lake Lou Yaeger — 32 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #22: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
23. Des Plaines River — 12 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Channel CatfishWhy #23: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
24. Washington County Lake — 16 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
25. Devils Kitchen Lake — 90 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #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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