🐟 What fish can you catch in Carbondale?

Most commonly caught species around Carbondale , IL : Largemouth bass - 2,674 reported catches Channel catfish - 411 reported catches Bluegill - 366 reported catches White crappie - 253 reported catches Black crappie - 213 reported catches .

📢 What are the latest Carbondale fishing reports?

The latest Carbondale , IL fishing reports are: @chadkanadajr reported a nice Redear sunfish at Sweet Lake . @chadkanadajr reported a nice Largemouth bass at Sweet Lake . @prestondouglas2437 reported a nice Freshwater drum at Rend Lake . @Hilts reported a nice Black crappie at Crab Orchard Lake . @trevonmetcalf reported a nice Longnose gar at Crab Orchard Creek . .

Fishing in Carbondale, IL

Q: 🎣 Where to fish in Carbondale, Illinois?

Anglers in Carbondale , IL recommend these top fishing spots: Crab Orchard Lake , Campus Lake , Kinkaid Lake , Big Muddy River , Carbondale Reservoir .

Q: 📅 What is the best time to go fishing in Carbondale?

Download the Fishbrain app and see today's Fishing and Weather Forecast for Carbondale , IL . We give you weather trends and help you find the perfect window to catch your next personal best. With Fishbrain Pro , you will get the following capabilities: Plan smarter: Get hour-by-hour fishing weather conditions. Fish at peak times: Use BiteTime™ predictions to maximize catches. Stay ahead of the weather: Get hyper-local, real-time updates. .

Q: What's the biggest Bluegill caught in Carbondale?

The biggest Bluegill (by length) reported in Carbondale , IL was a 5 ft / 168 lbs caught by Fishbrain user @FishingSloth at Lake of Egypt on March 24, 2021 .

Illinois, United States

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Top fish species in Carbondale

Latest Carbondale fishing reports

Redear sunfish

Sweet Lake

length · weight

Largemouth bass

Sweet Lake

length · weight

Freshwater drum

Rend Lake

length · weight

Black crappie

Crab Orchard Lake

length · weight

Longnose gar

Crab Orchard Creek

24 in · 1 lb 5 oz

Freshwater drum

Crab Orchard Creek

13 in · 1 lb 2 oz

Largemouth bass

Pond 17

length · weight

Bluegill

Herrin Reservoir

length · weight

Largemouth bass

Pond 17

length · weight

Largemouth bass

Kinkaid Creek

14 in · 1 lb

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Fishing regulations in Carbondale

Disclaimer: Always check local fishing regulations, water access rights and land ownership before fishing, regardless of any catches logged in that area by the Fishbrain community. Fishbrain has mapped millions of acres of government-owned land across the USA to help you identify potential fishing access, but you are responsible for ensuring compliance with all legal requirements.

Fishing regulations in Illinois can change throughout the year. Make sure to check this page before fishing for the most up to date rules and regulations for the current season. Local regulations govern when you can fish, the max size of the fish you can keep, how many fish you can keep, and more.

Below you will see fishing regulations for catching Largemouth bass as of May 13th, 2026. To view regulations for a different fish species, please click on your preferred species in the drop-down.

Select species

Largemouth bass

Seasons

Open

Bag limit

Aggregate

There is no statewide size limit. Daily harvest limit is 6 Bass, either singly or in the aggregate, except as specified under Site-Specific Regulations. Only statewide regulations are shown herein, but you can access Site-Specific Regulations online.

Very good Catch, Clean, Cook Largemouth Bass by BlueGabe

Micropterus nigricans

Regulations for

37°43′19.6″N 89°13′25.7″W

Regulations in the map

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FAQ about Carbondale fishing

Anglers in Carbondale, IL recommend these top fishing spots: Crab Orchard Lake, Campus Lake, Kinkaid Lake, Big Muddy River, and Carbondale Reservoir.

Most commonly caught species around Carbondale, IL:

Largemouth bass - 2,674 reported catches
Channel catfish - 411 reported catches
Bluegill - 366 reported catches
White crappie - 253 reported catches
Black crappie - 213 reported catches

The latest Carbondale, IL fishing reports are:

@chadkanadajr reported a nice Redear sunfish at Sweet Lake.
@chadkanadajr reported a nice Largemouth bass at Sweet Lake.
@prestondouglas2437 reported a nice Freshwater drum at Rend Lake.
@Hilts reported a nice Black crappie at Crab Orchard Lake.
@trevonmetcalf reported a nice Longnose gar at Crab Orchard Creek.

Download the and see today's Fishing and Weather Forecast for Carbondale, IL. We give you weather trends and help you find the perfect window to catch your next personal best. With Fishbrain Pro, you will get the following capabilities:

Plan smarter: Get hour-by-hour fishing weather conditions.
Fish at peak times: Use BiteTime™ predictions to maximize catches.
Stay ahead of the weather: Get hyper-local, real-time updates.

The biggest Largemouth bass (by length) reported in Carbondale, IL was a 5 ft / 1.1 lbs caught by Fishbrain user @raymond.nelson at Lake Hamilton on March 26, 2021.

The biggest Channel catfish (by length) reported in Carbondale, IL was a 5 ft / 20.4 lbs caught by Fishbrain user @wbeatty1882 at Rend Lake on July 5, 2021.

The biggest Bluegill (by length) reported in Carbondale, IL was a 5 ft / 168 lbs caught by Fishbrain user @FishingSloth at Lake of Egypt on March 24, 2021.