It’s a fishing day

Carlyle Lake fishing conditions · Illinois

Tomorrow, 12 pm–2 pmLargemouth bass

The bite peaks at 68.

Log a trip here
Right now: 58 for largemouth bass, marginalTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Largemouth bass, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 582 am
  2. 58
  3. 58
  4. 585 am
  5. 58
  6. 58
  7. 588 am
  8. 58
  9. 58
  10. 6011 am
  11. 60
  12. 68
  13. 602 pm
  14. 60
  15. 60
  16. 585 pm
  17. 58
  18. 58
  19. 588 pm
  20. 58
  21. 58
  22. 5811 pm
  23. 58Tue
  24. 58
  25. 582 am
  26. 58
  27. 58
  28. 585 am
  29. 58
  30. 58
  31. 588 am
  32. 58
  33. 58
  34. 6011 am
  35. 68
  36. 68
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
No reading

Largemouth bass range 55–85°

Wind
1 mph

From the west

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:17 am

Sky
Partly Cloudy

No rain expected

Air
54°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Steady

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Illinois regulations for these waters.

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

68MarginalTomorrow, 12 pm–2 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Largemouth bass bite in 55–85° water, best near 72°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

6 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Illinois: 6 black bass a day combined, no statewide size limit. Carlyle and Rend lakes are 14"; the Mississippi between Illinois and Missouri is 12".

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Illinois

Season here: Mar–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on largemouth bass

Walleye

Walleye

Sander vitreus

68MarginalTomorrow, 12 pm–2 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Walleye bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 6 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Illinois: 14" minimum, 6 walleye, sauger and saugeye a day combined. No minimum on the Mississippi and Wabash rivers.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Illinois

Season here: Feb–May, Oct–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on walleye

Crappie

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

68MarginalTomorrow, 12 pm–2 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Crappie bite in 50–80° water, best near 65°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Illinois: no statewide daily or size limit on crappie; many lakes set their own.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Illinois

Season here: Mar–May, Oct–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on crappie

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

68MarginalTomorrow, 12 pm–2 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Channel catfish bite in 60–85° water, best near 75°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Illinois: no statewide daily or size limit on blue, channel or flathead catfish; some waters set their own.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Illinois

Season here: Apr–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on channel catfish

White Bass

White bass

Morone chrysops

68MarginalTomorrow, 12 pm–2 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. White bass bite in 55–80° water, best near 68°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 4–30 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Illinois: no limit on white, yellow, striped and hybrid bass under 17"; only 3 a day 17" or longer.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Illinois

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on white bass

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

68MarginalTomorrow, 12 pm–2 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Illinois sets no statewide harvest or size limit on common carp; the digest lists "Common Carp – no harvest limit." Bighead, silver, black and grass carp may not be possessed alive.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Illinois

Last checked 8 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer30.35 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:17 am
  • Sunset today6:04 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 7:20 am–8:20 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:00 pm–2:00 pm
  • Minor solunarToday 5:40 pm–6:40 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Illinois DNR has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: Illinois DNR · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

The largest lake in Illinois — a 26,000-acre Kaskaskia River reservoir an hour east of St. Louis. A wind-swept walleye, white bass, and crappie fishery with largemouth bass in the timber and abundant channel catfish. Corps of Engineers ramps and miles of public shoreline ring the lake.

Carlyle: bass 14" minimum, 6/day; walleye/sauger 14" minimum, 6/day; crappie 10" minimum, 15/day.

Nearby

The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Rend Lake45 mi · IllinoisBest now until tomorrow 2 pm
60Marginal
Mississippi River (Grafton)63 mi · IllinoisBest today 11 am–8 pm
74Worth the trip
Lake Barkley140 mi · KentuckyBest now until tomorrow 2 pm
58Marginal
Kentucky Lake143 mi · KentuckyBest now until tomorrow 2 pm
64Marginal
Lake Monroe160 mi · IndianaBest now until tomorrow 3 pm
58Marginal
Lake of the Ozarks182 mi · MissouriBest tomorrow 1 pm–2 pm
74Worth the trip

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Carlyle Lake?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Carlyle Lake you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Carlyle Lake?

Carlyle Lake is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Channel Catfish, and 2 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Carlyle Lake?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Carlyle Lake against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Carlyle Lake have?

Carlyle Lake has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Carlyle: bass 14" minimum, 6/day; walleye/sauger 14" minimum, 6/day; crappie 10" minimum, 15/day.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Carlyle Lake?

state agency regulations apply at Carlyle Lake. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Carlyle Lake tidal water?

No. Carlyle Lake is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.