Best largemouth bass lakes in Illinois
32 Illinois waters hold largemouth bass, 22 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.
- Lake Springfield — 22 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
- Illinois River — 25 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Sauger
- Sangamon River — 12 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish
- Des Plaines River — 12 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Channel Catfish
- Lake Glenn Shoals — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, Crappie
- Mississippi River Pool 19 (Keokuk) — 30 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Sauger
- Anderson Lake — 10 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Kaskaskia River — 15 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Channel Catfish
- Kankakee River — 12 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Mississippi River Pool 13 (Clinton) — 25 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Sauger
- Sara Lake — 48 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Washington County Lake — 16 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Lake Mattoon — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie
- Shabbona Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
- Charleston Lake — 14 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Saugeye, Crappie
- Homer Lake — 16 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Lincoln Trail State Park Lake — 38 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Sauger
- Dawson Lake — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, Channel Catfish
- Otter Lake — 51 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Siloam Springs Lake — 38 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Walnut Point Lake — 28 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Kickapoo State Park Lake — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Carthage Reservoir — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Vermont Lake — 10 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Greenfield Lake — 22 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
…plus 7 more Illinois waters holding largemouth bass.
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 white bass & hybrids lakes · best flathead catfish lakes · best freshwater drum lakes · best common carp lakes
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