T_boy
04-09-2010, 01:16 PM
Baldwin Lake - Smallmouth are rated excellent on shallow-running crank baits. There have been several reports of 4- and 5-pound fish being caught. Largemouth also earn an excellent rating on crank baits or spinner baits. Bluegill fair on crickets and wax worms. Anglers are reporting good-sized blue cats being caught on cat bait.
Carlyle Lake - Crappie remain good in the main lake despite dropping water. Anglers should experiment with depth. Minnows and tube jigs have been effective. Bluegill are fair fishing the bottoms in shallow coves. White bass remain spotty while catfish are fair on night crawlers and cut bait.
Crab Orchard - Crappie action remains steady. Fish have moved into shallow areas and can be caught around any structure on minnows or jigs. Catfish are rated fair. The fish that are being caught are being caught on night crawlers. Bluegill action is also rated fair. Wax worms are the best bet. Bass action has been spotty.
Horseshoe Lake - Crappie anglers are reporting good success despite heavy wins early in the week. Most fish are being caught in about 18 inches of water on the east side of the north end of the lake. Minnows and jigs have both been effective. A lot of fish in the 10-14-inch range are being caught. Catfish action remains steady. Anglers are drift-fishing night crawlers just off the bottom in the middle of the lake. Bass and bluegill action has been slow.
Kaskaskia River (New Athens) - River levels are up, but not flooded. Bass action is fair on a variety of baits. Catfish are being caught on shad, night crawlers and chicken liver.
Kinkaid Lake - Before the cold front moving through crappie fishing was improving. Fish had been moving into shallow areas. Anglers were not taking great numbers of fish, but most were quality fish. Minnows and jigs have both been effective. Walleye anglers have been picking up a few fish by trolling crank baits. Muskie have been quite slow. Bass action remains steady. Catfish and bluegill have been slow.
Lake Murphysboro - Crappie action had been improving, although fishing remains spotty. Fish are still being found at varied depths. Minnows have been the primary bait. Bass action has been steady on spinner baits. However, anglers haven't reported any big fish. Bluegill action has improved on wax worms. Bluegill are still holding in 6-8 feet of water. Catfish remain slow.
Lake of Egypt - Heavy winds early in the week kept fishing traffic to a minimum. Crappie action remains good. Crappie are starting to move into shallow areas in the weed beds. Bigger fish are still holding in deeper brush piles. Minnows and jigs are both effective. Bass are being caught in good numbers on spinner baits, Rat-L-Traps and soft plastics. Fish are being found in water just a few inches deep to about 10 feet. Catfish and bluegill action is slow.
Mermet Lake - Good sized catfish are being caught on the southwest side of the lake on cut bait. Crappie and bluegill action has been excellent. Jigs are the primary bait, some combination of red and chartreuse and black and chartreuse. The best panfish action has been around the rip rap. Bluegill size has been excellent. Bass action is slow.
Ohio River-Smithland Pool - Fishing traffic has been light. Anglers are taking some bluegill on worms in the marina and in the creeks. The river is back to normal pool and clearing. The creeks are also clearing.
Rend Lake - The lake is about 18 inches above normal pool and water temperature is up to 56 degrees. With the warmer water, crappie fishing is now rated good. Crappie anglers are reporting good success in 12 to 14 feet of water. Good numbers of fish are being caught under bridges and some around the Bonnie and Waltonville dams. The best action has been on chartreuse jigs and minnows. Catfish are also rated good on cut shad and worms. Most catfish are being caught around the mouths of creeks and in shallow necks. Bass are fair to slow with some fish being caught on soft plastics, Rat-L-Traps and jigs. Anglers are working rip rap weed beds and lay downs. Some white bass are being caught on minnows and small spinners around bridges. Bluegill are slow.
Carlyle Lake - Crappie remain good in the main lake despite dropping water. Anglers should experiment with depth. Minnows and tube jigs have been effective. Bluegill are fair fishing the bottoms in shallow coves. White bass remain spotty while catfish are fair on night crawlers and cut bait.
Crab Orchard - Crappie action remains steady. Fish have moved into shallow areas and can be caught around any structure on minnows or jigs. Catfish are rated fair. The fish that are being caught are being caught on night crawlers. Bluegill action is also rated fair. Wax worms are the best bet. Bass action has been spotty.
Horseshoe Lake - Crappie anglers are reporting good success despite heavy wins early in the week. Most fish are being caught in about 18 inches of water on the east side of the north end of the lake. Minnows and jigs have both been effective. A lot of fish in the 10-14-inch range are being caught. Catfish action remains steady. Anglers are drift-fishing night crawlers just off the bottom in the middle of the lake. Bass and bluegill action has been slow.
Kaskaskia River (New Athens) - River levels are up, but not flooded. Bass action is fair on a variety of baits. Catfish are being caught on shad, night crawlers and chicken liver.
Kinkaid Lake - Before the cold front moving through crappie fishing was improving. Fish had been moving into shallow areas. Anglers were not taking great numbers of fish, but most were quality fish. Minnows and jigs have both been effective. Walleye anglers have been picking up a few fish by trolling crank baits. Muskie have been quite slow. Bass action remains steady. Catfish and bluegill have been slow.
Lake Murphysboro - Crappie action had been improving, although fishing remains spotty. Fish are still being found at varied depths. Minnows have been the primary bait. Bass action has been steady on spinner baits. However, anglers haven't reported any big fish. Bluegill action has improved on wax worms. Bluegill are still holding in 6-8 feet of water. Catfish remain slow.
Lake of Egypt - Heavy winds early in the week kept fishing traffic to a minimum. Crappie action remains good. Crappie are starting to move into shallow areas in the weed beds. Bigger fish are still holding in deeper brush piles. Minnows and jigs are both effective. Bass are being caught in good numbers on spinner baits, Rat-L-Traps and soft plastics. Fish are being found in water just a few inches deep to about 10 feet. Catfish and bluegill action is slow.
Mermet Lake - Good sized catfish are being caught on the southwest side of the lake on cut bait. Crappie and bluegill action has been excellent. Jigs are the primary bait, some combination of red and chartreuse and black and chartreuse. The best panfish action has been around the rip rap. Bluegill size has been excellent. Bass action is slow.
Ohio River-Smithland Pool - Fishing traffic has been light. Anglers are taking some bluegill on worms in the marina and in the creeks. The river is back to normal pool and clearing. The creeks are also clearing.
Rend Lake - The lake is about 18 inches above normal pool and water temperature is up to 56 degrees. With the warmer water, crappie fishing is now rated good. Crappie anglers are reporting good success in 12 to 14 feet of water. Good numbers of fish are being caught under bridges and some around the Bonnie and Waltonville dams. The best action has been on chartreuse jigs and minnows. Catfish are also rated good on cut shad and worms. Most catfish are being caught around the mouths of creeks and in shallow necks. Bass are fair to slow with some fish being caught on soft plastics, Rat-L-Traps and jigs. Anglers are working rip rap weed beds and lay downs. Some white bass are being caught on minnows and small spinners around bridges. Bluegill are slow.