Campbell Lake near Royalton: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Campbell Lake is one of the Perry County listings for Illinois. It stands 377 feet above sea level. At 388 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. The margin runs to about 4.5 miles in total. It is the biggest water on our Perry County list. Royalton lies 5.3 miles from the water. The big place round here is St. Louis, 73 miles distant. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Campbell Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Survey and observation records for Perry County include bluegill, johnny darter, slough darter, largemouth bass and longear sunfish. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Fish Campbell Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 78°F at the top of summer and 30°F at the bottom of winter. The calendar is generous: something works in nearly every month. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. Anyone fishing Campbell Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Snider Lake at 2.7 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the current arrangement for Campbell Lake.