Looking for info on Crab Orchard

Hey Illinois members, does anyone have any information about Crab Orchard?
I would like to take a run down there on Tuesday and maybe spend a couple of
days learning more about this body of water. If anybody has info regarding a
place to stay that will allow us to hook up our boat, I'd be interested in hearing
from you. Since this is a last minute trip, I'm not into finding a bunch of fish,
but rather, learning about the lake itself, like ramps around the lake that are
best for launching that won't be affected by the wind, bottom structure and a
other information that maybe I can post about if someone else is seeking that
kind of information. So with that, I'll say a great BIG THANK YOU!

In my opinion the nicest launch is the launch off of Spillway road in the northwest of the lake. It is a solid concrete launch with two docks, plenty of parking, and in a cove so wind doesn't effect it too much. If you need bait Cookseys off of Route 148 has a nice selection of bait, and it's right down the road from the Refuge Center where you get your access pass and decal. Don't forget to get your access pass you will get ticketed without it.

As for places to stay, someone else will have to give you that info. I stay at my buddy's apartment building he rents out and haven't had to stay anywhere else in over 20 years. Only place I for sure know of that allows hook up is the Kinkaid Lake Sportsman's Lodge, but that's 20 miles down the road from Crab Orchard. Might be worth it if you plan on trying out Kinkaid while you're down there. Devil's Kitchen Cabin's might be worth a call as well, but I am not familiar with that place. There are tons of hotels and motels in both Marion and Carbondale.

As for tips, I'd say Crappie should be really starting to head shallow for the next couple weeks. I'd focus on tree laydowns along the shore. The deeper the better. Since Crab Orchard only has mostly gradual dropoffs finding the jackpot spot might take some time, but once you do you are on. There are lots of brush piles and structure scattered throughout the main basin that you can easily find with side scan.

I went last Saturday. The males were on the banks and the females were in about 4-7' of water. several people fish the bridge peers, and lay overs on the bank. There is a marina on the NW side of the lake that gets a lot of action. I like the ramp on the spillway rd. There is another big ramp off greenbriar rd. north central of the lake. I did good trolling the flats. Don't forget to get your pass at the refuge HQ

Greenbrier ramp is great. The Baymont Inn in Marion is only 15 minuets away and has free breakfast. Last week fishing was very good shallow, jigs under a cork around two feet deep.
Good luck and remember “only a jerk doesn’t jerk “

THANK YOU ALL! That''s a good deal of information to digest and put to work. We drove down here
this AM and my fishing buddies went out for a couple of hours fishing this afternoon. Right now it''s
very cloudy and the temp outdoors is about 64! I'll see if they had any luck and make another post later on this evening and maybe again tomorrow. Pics will have to wait until we get home. Thank you guys again and good fishing to you all!

I catch them better on minnows around those tree tops