Fishing at Crawdad Lake, Knox County, Illinois

• Overview

  In Illinois, Crawdad Lake falls inside Knox County. This is mixed forest country. About 4 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Most waters listed here for Knox County are larger. For supplies, Knoxville is 11 miles out. North Peoria is the closest city, 32 miles away. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Crawdad Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Public occurrence data for Knox County names johnny darter, largemouth bass and white sucker. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. The near bank of Crawdad Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 22°F and July at about 75°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Once it clears, about mid March, the fishing comes on quickly. Ice clears near mid March and comes back about mid December in a typical year. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Crawdad Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. There is a launch about half a mile from the bank. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. If the gate is shut, Long Lake at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. Nothing on Crawdad Lake should be assumed from this page alone.