| There is certainly no shortage of good Illinois | | | | fishermen go home with their 25-fish limit for the |
| crappie fishing locations, especially in the spring. | | | | day with no hassle whatsoever. Try fishing the |
| The state is littered with lakes and rivers where | | | | coves of the lake, with jigs and minnows being |
| bites are frequent and slabs are quite large. No | | | | the number one baits of choice. |
| matter where in the state you live or are | | | | While not producing such high quantities, Illinois |
| traveling, you are within a few miles of great | | | | crappie fishing at Sangchris Lake does yield some |
| crappie fishing. Beginning in late February and | | | | of the largest sunfish in the state, averaging 12-15 |
| continuing through spring and summer, you'll find | | | | inches in length. There is a nursery pond onsite |
| the peak of Illinois crappie fishing season. | | | | where around 70,000 fish are bred and stocked |
| Start with the Mazonia State Fish and Wildlife | | | | annually that boosts the population for a good |
| Area, where there are over 250 lakes ranging in | | | | catch. Take advantage of the large slabs in |
| size from an acre to about 50 acres. Here, you'll | | | | February, March, and April, when crappie are |
| find some average sized crappie of about 8-9 | | | | easily found in shallow cover and are prone to |
| inches in length. The best part of the season in | | | | staying in shallow environments for spawning. |
| these lakes is generally between March and May, | | | | Minnows work well here, as do jigs, but keep in |
| concentrating strongly on shoreline areas covered | | | | mind that Sangchris enforces a 10-inch minimum |
| in grass, beaver lodges, and fallen trees that | | | | size and 10-fish per day limit on your catch. |
| create cover for the crappie. If you visit the | | | | Illinois crappie fishing is at its best in Carlyle Lake, |
| "back lakes" of the area that must be accessed | | | | with its extensive 26,000 acres, in spring. Carlyle |
| by foot, you could be rewarded with 14-16-inch | | | | maintains a 10-inch minimum for your catch, and |
| crappie. | | | | you'll find no shortage of keepers, with regular |
| Another viable option for Illinois crappie fishing is | | | | anglers claiming about 80% of the catch being of |
| Evergreen Lake, a full 886 acres just north of | | | | retainable size. The Allen Branch of the lake is full |
| Bloomington in central Illinois. Some avid anglers | | | | of stumps and good cover for crappie, making it |
| claim that fishing in this lake regularly yields | | | | a choice location for Illinois crappie fishing, though |
| 10-12-inch crappie and up to 40 or more black | | | | Coles Creek and the West Access area are also |
| crappie per hour, as well as 55 white crappie per | | | | popular. |
| hour. At these excellent fishing odds, most | | | | |