SO IL lakes

[saluki]

Thinking about heading down to Crab Orchard, Little Grassy, Devils Kitchen area in late April. Am I wasting my time? Should I make the extra drive and go to Ky Lake?

[Rattler]

Ky Lake can be great if you hit it right. A lot of water to look in if you don't know the lake or have a guide. Don't forget about Lake of Egypt. Great fishing, beautiful scenery, and easy to learn.

[saluki]

Ive fished Ky lake several times, I just wanted to stay a little closer to home (Edwardsville) plus my brother lives in Carbondale. Whats up with Egypt? I know its a power plant, so whats the usual (within a couple of weeks) time of the spawn? Is it about the same as other lakes, mid April or so? HP limit?

[Rattler]

As far as the spawn goes, I probably couldn't accuratelly answer that question. As long as the plant is running, you can actually catch fish close to it in 3-5ft. I have done most of my fishing there close to Egytian Hills Marina up at the other end. I have caught more fish in other area lakes but that is the best scenery in so.il as far as lakes go. You can also catch some darn nice size fish when you find them. The only limitations that I'm aware of are a 35mph speed limit. It's a great lake to try if you've never been there. I'm thinking about going down there in a couple of weeks when I get back from a coupld of bus. trips if your interested in a day trip.

[CarpPoop]

i was at Egypt last weekend and it was pretty crowded up on the warm water end. Water temp was anywhere from 51 to 54....i headed back to Egyptian Hills where it was 43-44. I didnt find them at all. A lot of guys sharing that warm water area this time of year. Going during the week would eliminate alot of traffic.

If you go in April you will are more likely to find shallow fish at Crab than anywhere else (excluding Egypt). It warms alot faster than the deeper waters of Little Grassy. They will be up in Cambria Neck or Long Neck along emerging shallow weedlines along the banks and also in grassy bay around the pad stems if we get some warm weather then. I love Little Grassy though, as pretty as it gets down there and very peaceful with the 10 HP limit. The biggest crappie (3 pounds, 4 ounces) and the biggest bass (8 pounds, 6 ounces) I have ever caught came from Grassy. More of an early May spawn there though....but who knows what the weather might do.

[saluki]

What kind of limits, size and creel, do they have at grassy? I cant seem to find much info on-line. Is a limit even a possibility there?

[CarpPoop]

No limit on Grassy for Crappie. If the fish have moved shallow you can catch a pretty good bunch of them. I would fish the back end of the lake where there is more timber and shallow structure. Beaver dams are very good when they are staging to spawn. Make sure and try them while you are there. ITs hard to beat the old slip bobber, shot, and minnow here. Just probe shoreline standing trees, laydowns, or beaver dams.

Grassy has changed some since i started fishing it back in the late 80s. It used to be loaded with standing timber in the back 3rd of the lake but alot of it has dissapeared. There is still plenty of shallow wood for spring fishing but now deep water fishing in the late spring and summer is harder because you have to take the time to graph stuff rather than just go from tree to tree like you could at one time.

The biggest crappie I ever caught came out of this lake. It was 18 inches long and weighed 3 pounds, 4 ounces. Caught it out of a tree with the last minnow in my bucket one evening back around 1990. The reason it was the last one was because it was about 3 inches long and i had avoided using that guy all day because it was the biggest minnow in the bucket. Guess there is some truth that bigger baits catch bigger fish!

[barrelslime]

Howdy neighbor. Greetings from Highland. Just moved here a couple years ago from SI. Crab Orchard has some good crappie. Fish the beaver damns, ripp raff, and the damn right now. Devils Kitchen and Grassy are deep lakes with timber. Very hit & miss. Some days wow and the next nothing. May of the strip pits near Harrisburg hold some whopper crappie. Might check that out. The old Herrin City lake holds a lot of crappie. It used to be one of my favorite spots. Good luck