Carlyle Lake

Clinton, Fayette & Bond Counties, Illinois

The largest man-made lake in Illinois, east of St. Louis. It's known for crappie, white bass, catfish and wipers.

Air temp in Keyesport, IL Loading current temperature…

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Surface area26,000 acres

Max depth35 ft

Shoreline85 mi

Boat motorsCheck local rules

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Brush piles, docks and standing timber. Minnows or small jigs.

Schools chasing shad in open water, and spring river runs.

Cut bait and nightcrawlers on flats and creek mouths in the evening.

Hybrid striped bass. Chase surface-feeding schools and points with wind.

Weeds, docks and wood in the shallows.

Month-by-month activity for each target species.

SlowFairGoodHot

1 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.

More public accessPublic
See the IDNR or lake website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗

Special rules for this lake, confirmed from official state regulations. Minimum size and daily limit.

Species	Min size	Daily limit
Largemouth Bass	14 in	6 / day combined
Smallmouth Bass	14 in	6 / day combined
Crappie White, black or hybrid	10 in	15 / day

Other species in this lake: look up the limits at Illinois Department of Natural Resources ↗

Verified October 2026. Rules change, so confirm current limits with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources before you fish.

Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.

Water temp, what's biting, and anything else other anglers should know about Carlyle Lake.

Loading reports...

Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches; blue pins are bait shops nearby.