Crab Orchard Lake
Crab Orchard Lake is last in our catfish roundup. This Williamson County lake encompasses nearly 7,000 surface acres and is home to a good channel catfishery.

The smaller catfish in Crab Orchard are not as abundant as Newton Lake, and this leads to an average catch between 2 to 4 pounds. Larger fish are also caught.

The channel catfish at Crab Orchard do well with yearly spawning and receive no supplemental stocking. Creel and sampling surveys suggest that most of the fish caught are at least "eating size" and most anglers typically do well here.

There are a variety of good spots and habitats to fish on Crab. There are ample places for bank-fishing, but fishing from a boat is a better option. Some of the better areas for channel cats are Wolfe Creek, Grassy Bay and Cambria.

There are special regulations and fees involved with fishing on Crab. Call the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge at (618) 997-3344, or go online to www.fws.gov/midwest/CrabOrchard for more information. The Carbondale Convention & Tourism Bureau can be reached at 1-800-526-1500.

MORE KNOWLEDGE
Remember that these aren't the only channel catfish waters in Illinois, but a few of our best. You can research more waters at www.dnr.state.il.us.

We have tried to provide as much current information as possible on regulations, but they are subject to change -- especially those regarding Homeland Security around dams, and on lakes with nuclear power plants on them. Always check for specific site regulations before fishing these or any other locations in Illinois.

Find more about Illinois fishing and hunting at: IllinoisGameandFish.com