Rend Lake
A large southern Illinois lake known for crappie, largemouth bass, white bass and catfish.
Species
Fishery rating out of 5.
Crappie
Brush piles, docks and standing timber. Minnows or small jigs.
Largemouth Bass
Weeds, docks and wood in the shallows.
White Bass
Schools chasing shad in open water, and spring river runs.
Channel Catfish
Cut bait and nightcrawlers on flats and creek mouths in the evening.
When they bite
Month-by-month activity for each target species.
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | ||||||||||||
| Largemouth Bass | ||||||||||||
| White Bass | ||||||||||||
| Channel Catfish |
Boat launches
1 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.
- More public accessPublicSee the IDNR or lake website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗
Size & creel limits
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 |
| White Bass No more than 3 may be 17 in or longer | See Illinois rules book ↗ | 20 / day |
| Wiper No more than 3 may be 17 in or longer | See Illinois rules book ↗ | 20 / day |
| Crappie No more than 10 may be 10 in or longer | See Illinois rules book ↗ | 25 / day |
Other species in this lake: look up the limits at Illinois Department of Natural Resources ↗
Bait & tackle nearby
Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.
- Blackout Bait and Tackle at Rend LakeNearby14711 IL-37, Whittington(618) 629-4103Directions ↗
Local tips
- Standing timber in the upper lake holds crappie.
- Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park has launches.
- Shallow flats get rough in wind.
Angler reports
Water temp, what's biting, and anything else other anglers should know about Rend Lake.
View on interactive map
Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches.