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162-acre reservoir near Carlinville. The lake tops out around 18 ft. The depth picture is modeled, anchored to the true shoreline and the water's published max depth — a scouting aid, never a chart to run a boat by. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Drawn out, this is 173 acres of water rimmed by 5.7 miles of bank. An index of 3.1 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 93% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. Call it 1.6 mi long by 0.5 mi wide at the broadest reach. You'll find it in Macoupin County. The nearest mapped water is Otter Lake, 13 mi to the north.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: crappie in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 18 ft before dropping to 5 to 18 ft for winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 15 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 5 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 18 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 18 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 5 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (8 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: channel catfish sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 18 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 18 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 15 ft range, prime in winter. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 5 to 18 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (15 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft | dusk | Deep basin (15 ft) | |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) |
Spring puts bluegill in skinny water — 1 to 6 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 18 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring bluegill. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (8 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
In spring, common carp run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 3 to 15 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 18 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring common carp. Time it for early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) |
Spring puts freshwater drum in skinny water — 5 to 18 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 5 to 18 ft, and winter fish hold in 5 to 18 ft. Winter freshwater drum concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 15 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening. A jig + crawler combo or a small crankbait (slow) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Jig + curly tail (bounced), Small blade bait |
| Summer | 5 to 18 ft | dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jig + crawler combo, Small crankbait (slow) |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Blade bait (vertical), Jigging spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Jigging spoon (slow) |
Structure-wise the chart holds 6 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 15 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Illinois waters are set by the Illinois DNR — and special regulations can apply to Carlinville Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Illinois fishing regulations →
Carlinville Lake is about 18 ft (5 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target crappie, largemouth bass, channel catfish, bluegill, common carp, freshwater drum on Carlinville Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 15 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in winter. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For crappie, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Carlinville Lake is regulated by the Illinois DNR. Check the official Illinois regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Otter Lake 13 mi · Lake Lou Yaeger 14 mi · Sunset Lake 14 mi · Greenfield Lake 20 mi · Lake Glenn Shoals 21 mi · Sangchris Lake 32 mi · Lake Springfield 35 mi · Lake Jacksonville 35 mi · Taylorville Lake 36 mi · Mauvaise Terre Lake 38 mi · Carlyle Lake 48 mi · Sangamon River 50 mi
See how Carlinville Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Illinois · best crappie lakes in Illinois · best bluegill lakes in Illinois · best channel catfish lakes in Illinois
Browse all Illinois fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.