Lake Rinaker Fishing near Carlinville, Illinois

• Overview

  You will find Lake Rinaker in Macoupin County, Illinois. It lies 610 feet above sea level. It covers about 14 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Supplies mean a trip to Carlinville, 2.4 miles off. Gillespie is 9.8 miles away, with Benld at 12 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lake Rinaker

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Fish documented in Macoupin County include green sunfish, bluegill and white sucker. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Anyone new to Lake Rinaker should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 26°F to 77°F. Seasons here are moderate, and the fishing runs most of the year. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. The season on Lake Rinaker follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Lake Carlinville, 3.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Ask locally about Lake Rinaker if anything is unclear.