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Looking for lake(s) in southern Illinois for some good bluegill fishing. I've been looking at surveys of lakes that I've fished in the past, and it seems like the quality has been diminishing on them. Any suggestions on lakes to try. I have a 15' jon boat with a 10 HP motor so I can get on the smaller lakes as well. Bluegill spawn is just around the corner, I hope...
Did you look at Red Hills? Sam Parr?
I have not been to either lake. Are they quality bluegill? Looking for some +8 inchers.
the quality of the bluegills at redhill has declined rapidly in last 3 to 4 yrs. fished too hard. i havent caught a nice one in a couple yrs. i dont know about sam parr. i never bluegill fished there before. i fish for crappie there. devils kitchen down by carbondale use to be a good gill fishery.
Devils kitchen, now a 8 inch limit
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Jaytmann,
You mighy want to do some research on Lincoln Trail State Park in Marshall, IL. The lake has a 10 HP limit with camping also. I have never fished there but I have heard good reports on Bluegill and Redear from some of my friends. The IDNR website also has a favorable fishing report for the lake. Hope this helps!
Its been 2 years since I've fished Devils Kitchen lengthy but underweight fish in my opinion. The limit hurt growth rates there. Maybe Pyramid State Park new section heard they got some whopper redear.
Crab Orchard 2 years ago was on fire for 7-8 inch bluegills during the spawn, last year seemed to slow down a little, but I still caught quite a few nice ones. I was catching them on roadrunner jigs tipped with wax worms casting into the beds, or with a bobber/worm combo along weed edges. Devils Kitchen and Little Grassy are both usually pretty decent as well. Redears are good on Devils Kitchen.
Ramsey Lake has some really nice ones. The redear get really big. Good for crappie too. Lincoln Trail in Marshall is good. I've taken some nice ones at Hillsboro lake as well.
When we fished Crab Orchard on April 24-26th, we caught quite a few gills while crappie
fishing. At that time, they seem to be associated with the weed lines or mixed in with
the crappie on lay downs. Water temp at that time was 60-61 in the AM and reached
66 in the late afternoon.