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Charleston to Newton: one of Illinois' best spotted bass streams. The river tops out around 10 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Embarras River maps at 2,614 acres behind 103.4 miles of shoreline. With a shoreline index of 14.4, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. Every acre of it sits shallower than ~15 ft: one big littoral zone, cover and forage throughout. Figure 32.1 mi of water from one end to the other, 4.7 mi at the beam. Cumberland County claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Sam Parr Lake, is 15 mi to the south.
Spring puts spotted bass in skinny water — 3 to 10 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 3 to 10 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 10 ft. Riffle & run (mile 0.6) is the standout, a rock pile at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring spotted bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A drop shot over brush or an underspin + fluke (schoolers) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 0.6) (4 ft) | Ned rig on gravel points, Shaky head |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 12.4) (6 ft) | Drop shot over brush, Underspin + fluke (schoolers) |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 12.4) (6 ft) | Walking topwater, Underspin |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 12.4) (6 ft) | Damiki/hover rig, Jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, smallmouth bass slide up into 3 to 10 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 3 to 10 ft, winter 3 to 10 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Riffle & run (mile 0.6): a rock pile around 4 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 0.6) (4 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 0.6) (4 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 0.6) (4 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 12.4) (6 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Come spring, look for channel catfish tight to the bank in 3 to 10 ft. Through summer count on 3 to 10 ft; the winter hold is 3 to 10 ft. Start at Outside-bend hole (mile 3.4). It's a creek channel holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 6.8) (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 3.4) (8 ft) | |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 3.4) (8 ft) | |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 3.4) (8 ft) |
When the water first warms, flathead catfish slide up into 3 to 10 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 3 to 10 ft, winter 3 to 10 ft. Start at Greenup snag reach. It's a standing timber / brush holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | night & dusk | Greenup snag reach (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | night & dusk | Greenup snag reach (6 ft) | |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | night & dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 6.8) (6 ft) | |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Tailout eddy (mile 6.8) (6 ft) |
When the water first warms, longnose gar slide up into 2 to 10 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 1 to 10 ft, winter 3 to 10 ft. Start at Outside-bend hole (mile 3.4). It's a creek channel holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run midday and the evening. Keep a rope lure or a small white spinner rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday | Fox Ridge Lake Dam tailrace (9 ft) | Rope lure (hookless nylon), Inline spinner (slow) |
| Summer | 1 to 10 ft | midday & dusk | Greenup snag reach (6 ft) | Rope lure, Small white spinner |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 3.4) (8 ft) | Rope lure, Small jerkbait (pause-heavy) |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Tailout eddy (mile 6.8) (6 ft) |
Spring common carp on Embarras River hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 2 to 10 ft in summer, 3 to 10 ft once it turns cold. Put Tailout eddy (mile 6.8) first on the milk run — an eddy pocket near 6 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Fox Ridge Lake Dam tailrace (9 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Fox Ridge Lake Dam tailrace (9 ft) | |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 3.4) (8 ft) | |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Tailout eddy (mile 6.8) (6 ft) |
Structure-wise the chart holds 20 features, led in depth by Fox Ridge Lake Dam tailrace at roughly 9 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Illinois waters are set by the Illinois DNR — and special regulations can apply to Embarras River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Illinois fishing regulations →
Embarras River is about 10 ft (3 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 spotted bass, smallmouth bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, longnose gar, common carp on Embarras River.
Riffle & run (mile 0.6) is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For spotted bass, 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 Embarras River 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.
Sam Parr Lake 15 mi · Charleston Lake 17 mi · Lake Mattoon 17 mi · Lake Paradise 19 mi · Newton Lake 22 mi · Sara Lake 25 mi · Lincoln Trail State Park Lake 26 mi · Lake Altamont 31 mi · Lake Shelbyville 32 mi · East Fork Lake 33 mi · Walnut Point Lake 34 mi · Funk Lake 40 mi, IN
See how Embarras River stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Illinois · best channel catfish lakes in Illinois · best flathead catfish lakes in Illinois · best common carp 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.