It’s a fishing day

Carlyle Lake fishing conditions · Illinois

Now until 7 pmWalleye

The bite peaks at 84.

Log a trip here
Right now: 80 for walleye, worth the trip · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Walleye, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 803 pm
  2. 84
  3. 80
  4. 806 pm
  5. 66
  6. 66
  7. 669 pm
  8. 70
  9. 70
  10. 66Sun
  11. 66
  12. 66
  13. 663 am
  14. 66
  15. 66
  16. 706 am
  17. 68
  18. 76
  19. 769 am
  20. 76
  21. 80
  22. 8012 pm
  23. 76
  24. 76
  25. 763 pm
  26. 80
  27. 76
  28. 686 pm
  29. 66
  30. 66
  31. 669 pm
  32. 66
  33. 70
  34. 70Mon
  35. 66
  36. 66
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
No reading

Walleye range 50–72°

Wind
2 mph

From the northwest

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:51 pm

Sky
Mostly Sunny

No rain expected

Air
54°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Illinois regulations for these waters.

Walleye

Walleye

Sander vitreus

84Worth the tripNow until 7 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Walleye bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Walleye feeds aggressively in low light. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 6 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Illinois: 14" minimum, 6 walleye, sauger and saugeye a day combined. No minimum on the Mississippi and Wabash rivers.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Illinois

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Feb–May, Oct–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on walleye

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

72Worth the tripNow until 7 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Largemouth bass bite in 55–85° water, best near 72°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 6 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 14" minimum for largemouth and smallmouth; 6 a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Carlyle and Rend lakes

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on largemouth bass

Crappie

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

72Worth the tripNow until 7 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Crappie bite in 50–80° water, best near 65°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

10" minimum · 15 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 10" minimum, 15 crappie a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Carlyle Lake

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–May, Oct–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on crappie

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

72Worth the tripNow until 7 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Channel catfish bite in 60–85° water, best near 75°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Illinois: no statewide daily or size limit on blue, channel or flathead catfish; some waters set their own.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Illinois

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on channel catfish

White Bass

White bass

Morone chrysops

37Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. White bass bite in 55–80° water, best near 68°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. White bass is here Apr–Oct. Holds 4–30 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Illinois: no limit on white, yellow, striped and hybrid bass under 17"; only 3 a day 17" or longer.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Illinois

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on white bass

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

37Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Common carp is here Apr–Oct. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Illinois sets no statewide harvest or size limit on common carp; the digest lists "Common Carp – no harvest limit." Bighead, silver, black and grass carp may not be possessed alive.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Illinois

Last checked 20 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer30.20 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:51 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:31 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:20 pm–4:20 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 9:50 pm–11:50 pm
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 5:40 am–6:40 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Illinois DNR has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: Illinois DNR · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

The largest lake in Illinois — a 26,000-acre Kaskaskia River reservoir an hour east of St. Louis. A wind-swept walleye, white bass, and crappie fishery with largemouth bass in the timber and abundant channel catfish. Corps of Engineers ramps and miles of public shoreline ring the lake.

Carlyle: bass 14" minimum, 6/day; walleye/sauger 14" minimum, 6/day; crappie 10" minimum, 15/day.

Nearby

The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Mississippi River (Grafton)63 mi · IllinoisBest now until 5 pm
92Go
Lake Monroe160 mi · IndianaBest now until 7 pm
94Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Carlyle Lake?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Carlyle Lake you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Carlyle Lake?

Carlyle Lake is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Channel Catfish, and 2 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Carlyle Lake?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Carlyle Lake against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Carlyle Lake have?

Carlyle Lake has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Carlyle: bass 14" minimum, 6/day; walleye/sauger 14" minimum, 6/day; crappie 10" minimum, 15/day.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Carlyle Lake?

state agency regulations apply at Carlyle Lake. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Carlyle Lake tidal water?

No. Carlyle Lake is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.