🐟 What fish can you catch in Charleston?

Most commonly caught species around Charleston , IL : Largemouth bass - 1,381 reported catches Channel catfish - 438 reported catches White crappie - 268 reported catches Bluegill - 227 reported catches Black crappie - 172 reported catches .

📢 What are the latest Charleston fishing reports?

The latest Charleston , IL fishing reports are: @timothyvandeursen reported a nice Channel catfish at Lake Shelbyville . @Jrohlf reported a nice Walleye at Lake Shelbyville . @EverythingButCarp reported a nice Freshwater drum at Lake Charleston . @matbaird reported a nice White crappie at Lake Charleston . @landon.badstibner reported a nice Channel catfish at Lake Charleston . .

Fishing in Charleston, IL

Q: 🎣 Where to fish in Charleston, Illinois?

Anglers in Charleston , IL recommend these top fishing spots: Kaskaskia River , Lake Charleston , Embarras River .

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

Download the Fishbrain app and see today's Fishing and Weather Forecast for Charleston , 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. .

Illinois, United States

Want trophy-size catches? These Charleston spots deliver

Scan the QR code to download the app!

Top fish species in Charleston

Latest Charleston fishing reports

Channel catfish

Lake Shelbyville

length · weight

Walleye

Lake Shelbyville

23 in · 5 lb

Freshwater drum

Lake Charleston

10 in · 1 lb

White crappie

Lake Charleston

length · weight

Channel catfish

Lake Charleston

29 in · 10 lb 2 oz

White crappie

Lake Charleston

length · weight

Green sunfish

Lake Shelbyville

length · weight

Freshwater drum

Lake Charleston

length · weight

Freshwater drum

Lake Charleston

length · weight

Striped shiner

Embarras River

length · weight

More catches in the app...

Continue browsing catches and catch locations in the Fishbrain app

Scan the QR code to download the app!

Fishing regulations in Charleston

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 April 2nd, 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

39°29′3.1″N 88°10′41.2″W

Regulations in the map

Download Fishbrain and fish smarter

Unlimited access to the best fishing spot finder in the game. Get all the fishing intel you need to start catching more, and bigger, fish.

Free trial available

FAQ about Charleston fishing

Anglers in Charleston, IL recommend these top fishing spots: Kaskaskia River, Lake Charleston, and Embarras River.

Most commonly caught species around Charleston, IL:

Largemouth bass - 1,381 reported catches
Channel catfish - 438 reported catches
White crappie - 268 reported catches
Bluegill - 227 reported catches
Black crappie - 172 reported catches

The latest Charleston, IL fishing reports are:

@timothyvandeursen reported a nice Channel catfish at Lake Shelbyville.
@Jrohlf reported a nice Walleye at Lake Shelbyville.
@EverythingButCarp reported a nice Freshwater drum at Lake Charleston.
@matbaird reported a nice White crappie at Lake Charleston.
@landon.badstibner reported a nice Channel catfish at Lake Charleston.

Download the and see today's Fishing and Weather Forecast for Charleston, 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: