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4,015-acre reservoir near Springfield. The lake tops out around 22 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
On the chart, Lake Springfield draws 3,959 acres inside 54.6 miles of shoreline — 2 islands included. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 6.2) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. About 72% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. End to end it runs roughly 7.3 mi, about 4.3 mi across. You'll find it in Sangamon County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Sangchris Lake, 11 mi southeast of here.
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 7 to 22 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 2 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 (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (14 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (6 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 7 to 22 ft | midday | Sharp break (14 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 7 to 22 ft before dropping to 7 to 22 ft for winter. The spot to know is Sharp break, a drop-off in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Gravel shoal (3 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 7 to 22 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (14 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 7 to 22 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (6 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 7 to 22 ft | midday | Sharp break (14 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 7 to 22 ft, and by winter most fish are in 7 to 22 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Sugar Creek inflow: an inflow / creek mouth around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Keep a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Sugar Creek inflow (6 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 7 to 22 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (14 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 7 to 22 ft | dusk & night | Sharp break (14 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 7 to 22 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (21 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring saugeye on Lake Springfield hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 8 to 22 ft in summer and finish the year down in 7 to 22 ft. Put Sugar Creek inflow first on the milk run — an inflow / creek mouth near 6 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a crawler harness (shallow) or a jig + crawler.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk & dawn | Sugar Creek inflow (6 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + twister tail, Blade bait |
| Summer | 8 to 22 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (14 ft) | Crawler harness (shallow), Jig + crawler |
| Fall | 6 to 22 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (14 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging rap |
| Winter | 7 to 22 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (21 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Blade bait |
Early season sauger use the shallows, holding in 4 to 18 ft. Expect a summer slide to 7 to 22 ft, then a winter hold in 7 to 22 ft. Put Sugar Creek inflow first on the milk run — an inflow / creek mouth near 6 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a bottom bouncer + crawler or a 3-way rig with stickbait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Sugar Creek inflow (6 ft) | 3/8 oz jig + ringworm, Hair jig + minnow |
| Summer | 7 to 22 ft | dawn & dusk | Old creek channel (9 ft) | Bottom bouncer + crawler, 3-way rig with stickbait |
| Fall | 7 to 22 ft | dusk & dawn | Old creek channel (9 ft) | Jig + big minnow, Blade bait |
| Winter | 7 to 22 ft | dusk | Deep basin (21 ft) | Heavy jigging spoon, Jig + minnow (vertical) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (14 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (14 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Secondary point (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Lake Springfield also holds crappie (7 to 22 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), channel catfish (7 to 22 ft in summer), flathead catfish (6 to 22 ft in summer), muskellunge (7 to 22 ft in summer), striped bass (7 to 22 ft in summer), white bass (7 to 22 ft in summer), white bass & hybrids (7 to 22 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
26 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 21 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Lake Springfield specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Illinois fishing regulations →
Lake Springfield is about 22 ft (7 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, saugeye, sauger, northern pike, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, flathead catfish, muskellunge, striped bass, white bass, white bass & hybrids, common carp on Lake Springfield.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For largemouth 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 Lake Springfield 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.
Sangchris Lake 11 mi · Sangamon River 17 mi · Sunset Lake 22 mi · Otter Lake 24 mi · Taylorville Lake 25 mi · Lake Jacksonville 30 mi · Mauvaise Terre Lake 30 mi · Lake Lou Yaeger 34 mi · Carlinville Lake 35 mi · Lake Glenn Shoals 36 mi · Greenfield Lake 39 mi · Lake Decatur 41 mi
See how Lake Springfield stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Illinois · best smallmouth bass lakes in Illinois · best walleye lakes in Illinois · best white bass lakes in Illinois
Browse all Illinois fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.