The Best Fishing Lakes In Illinois

By Author: Keith Raven
Total Articles: 3764
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Nowhere is the walleye fishing booming more than Illinois. If you want to catch a walleye this fishing season then you need to visit Illinois. There are three lakes in the south of the state that actually have trophy walleyes over ten pounds. Next time you leave for a fishing trip consider the following top lakes in Illinois.

First up is Pittsfield City Lake located in western Illinois. This lake is better known for deer hunting than big fish, especially if you are talking about trophy walleyes. However, this lake features the highest density of walleyes over the weight of five pounds. In fact a few fishermen have caught walleyes over twelve pounds in these waters. The only two restrictions to this lake are that it is isolated and there is a horsepower limit that is enforced.

Next is East Fork Lake which is found in southeastern Illinois. The lake is about 672 acres and has been stocked with walleye for about ten years with most of them being over eighteen inches in length. This is a city-managed lake so there will be special regulations such as the need to have a ten-dollar city access sticker before ...
... you can launch your boat.

Third up is Evergreen Lake which is likely to produce record breaking fish. This lake is popular for those who want to catch muskies, bass and crappies on a 686 acre lake. This lake has a woody structure which provides plenty of forage base for walleyes to feed on.

Then there is Kinkaid Lake which is located in Jackson County. This lake is over two thousand acres and the stock of walleye has always been ongoing. This lake presents a real challenge for fishermen, so if you want something to test your skills then visit this lake. While walleye have consistently been stocked in this lake nobody has found a way to consistently catch walleye fish from this lake.

Fifth on the list is Shabbona Lake which is over three hundred acres in De Kalb County. This lake is surrounded by a state park that sees many visitors each year. The walleyes in this lake have been at or near the state record for awhile now and you will find a lot of ten pound or more walleyes in this lake. There is a horsepower limit that you will have to obey in order to fish on this lake.

Also there is Pierce Lake which is just over one hundred acres, making in one of the smaller lakes. You will find it on the north side of metro Rockford and surrounded by a state park. This lake doesn't have regular stocking so your chances of getting a walleye are less guaranteed. However, if you want a challenging then this lake is your best choice.

Lastly one of the most heavily popular walleye lakes is the Fox Chain-O-Lakes which has nearly fifteen lakes located in the northeast part of the state. Here there is a limit that you can't keep any walleye under eighteen inches. These fifteen lakes total over seven thousand acres and no matter where you go you are sure to catch a walleye or two.