Reservoir · Williamson, Illinois
Crab Orchard Lake
Crab Orchard Lake
Reservoir · Illinois
Information Only
StrikeTracks does not currently provide a live condition rating for this destination. Destination and fishery information is still available.
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Fishery Profile
Documented species you may encounter at Crab Orchard Lake.
Species images are AI-generated illustrations for visual reference and may simplify natural variation. Fishery records are based on the cited agency sources. About fish illustrations
Fishery overview
Crab Orchard Lake is the 6,965-acre USFWS / IDNR co-managed reservoir on Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge between Marion and Carbondale. StrikeTracks publishes complete static Fishery with catalog-visible Unavailable conditions because no same-lake live USGS 00010 exists. Crab Orchard Creek 05597500 is not this lake. This is not Rend Lake and not Kinkaid Lake.
Target species
Largemouth Bass
Micropterus nigricans
- Expectation
- Primary
- Population
- Stocked
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
Crab Orchard Lake largemouth bass with 16-inch / 3-fish site rule. Not Rend Lake.
Source: Illinois Department of Natural Resources Division of Fisheries
White Bass
Morone chrysops
- Expectation
- Primary
- Population
- Established
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
Crab Orchard Lake white bass. IDNR 2022 survey catch rates were excellent.
Source: Illinois Department of Natural Resources Division of Fisheries
Black Crappie
Pomoxis nigromaculatus
- Expectation
- Common
- Population
- Established
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
Crab Orchard Lake black crappie.
Source: Illinois Department of Natural Resources Division of Fisheries
Channel Catfish
Ictalurus punctatus
- Expectation
- Common
- Population
- Established
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
Crab Orchard Lake channel catfish.
Source: Illinois Department of Natural Resources Division of Fisheries
White Crappie
Pomoxis annularis
- Expectation
- Common
- Population
- Established
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
Crab Orchard Lake white crappie.
Source: Illinois Department of Natural Resources Division of Fisheries
Bluegill
Lepomis macrochirus
- Expectation
- Present
- Population
- Established
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
Crab Orchard Lake bluegill.
Source: Illinois Department of Natural Resources Division of Fisheries
Fishery characteristics
- Composition
- Mixed wild and stocked
Large shallow refuge impoundment in Williamson County with fish-attractor and vegetation projects. Distinct from Rend Lake on the Big Muddy and from Kinkaid Lake northwest of Murphysboro.
Best seasons
- Spring
- Summer
- Fall
Common techniques
- Boat fishing
- Shore fishing
- Spinning
- Trolling
Access and Public Fishing Rights
Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge documents public ramps; a refuge user permit is required. Catalog coordinates are the mid-lake point, not USGS 05597500.
Stocking information
IDNR stocks largemouth bass. Confirm current official iFishIllinois and USFWS stocking records.
- Stocked
Largemouth Bass
Stocked · Illinois Department of Natural Resources Division of Fisheries
Official sources
Illinois inland and Crab Orchard site-specific regulations apply. A USFWS refuge permit is required. Do not treat Rend or Kinkaid rules as this destination. Confirm current IDNR and refuge regulations.
conditionPublicationPolicy=static-value-structural-unavailable. Crab Orchard Lake is the 6,965-acre USFWS Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge impoundment co-managed with IDNR, with public ramps (refuge permit required) and an independently documented bass, white bass, crappie, and catfish fishery between Marion and Carbondale. inlandHasCompleteStaticFisheryValue passes. USGS 05597500 Crab Orchard Creek near Marion is the creek, not Crab Orchard pool 00010; using it would be a nearby-river-to-lake remap. HIGH plus PATH B does not auto-approve; public Unavailable is approved because this is a destination-specific southern-Illinois refuge reservoir whose honest Unavailable plus complete static Fishery is useful independently of Rend Lake, Kinkaid Lake, or Lake of Egypt. This justification is Crab Orchard-specific and does not copy Rend or Kinkaid prose.
Location and Access
Cataloged lake location
Williamson, Illinois
The map marker represents the cataloged waterbody or monitoring location and may not indicate legal parking or public access. Confirm access through the official information before visiting.
Lake Details
County
Williamson
Management Category
USFWS / Illinois DNR refuge reservoir
Regulation Scope
Crab Orchard Lake
Regulation Summary
Crab Orchard Lake: Illinois inland fishing regulations on Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge. Confirm current official regulations.
Target Species
Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Channel Catfish, White Crappie, Bluegill
Public Access
Public
Boat Launch
Available
Shore Fishing
Available
Description
Crab Orchard Lake, Williamson County, Illinois. About 6,965-acre USFWS refuge impoundment. Catalog-visible Unavailable: no same-lake live USGS water temperature (00010). Crab Orchard Creek near Marion 05597500 is the creek, not pool thermal. Not Rend Lake and not Kinkaid Lake.
