33 public waters in the Central Illinois region — 3 lakes/reservoirs and 30 rivers. Every one is public water fishable on an Illinois licence.
See every public fishing venue in Illinois on the map, with boat ramps, camping, parking and full rules for each one.
Lake Shelbyville (11,100 ac) on the Kaskaskia — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, a strong white-bass and Crappie fishery, Muskellunge, Walleye, Bluegill, and channel and Flathead Catfish. Clear, deep, heavily wooded shoreline.
Lake Mattoon, a 908-acre lake in Cumberland, Shelby and Coles Counties, Illinois, managed by Illinois Department of Natural Resources: An IDNR-managed lake on a state fish and wildlife area (Sam Parr, Ramsey, Johnson Sauk Trail, Argyle, Sangchris, Forbes, Dolan, Mermet) — Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, Crappie and Channel Catfish, with Muskellunge or Walleye stocked in several. Managed for quality with length limits and boat-motor restrictions on many.
Lake Pana sprawls across 147 acres in Shelby County's Southern Illinois landscape, hosting a robust warmwater fishery centered on largemouth bass, crappie, and bluegill. Channel catfish, flathead catfish, and common carp provide excellent bottom-fishing opportunities, while muskellunge offer a trophy incentive for patient pike-family hunters.
In Fayette, Clinton, Shelby and 3 more counties in Illinois, Kaskaskia River is a 500 km river or creek. The Kaskaskia or Big Muddy River in southern Illinois — largemouth and Spotted Bass, White Bass, channel, flathead and Blue Catfish, Crappie, Bluegill and Drum in slow, tree-lined, southern-Illinois bottomland rivers.
White, Clay, Wayne and 3 more counties in Illinois — Little Wabash River is a 364 km stream: The Wabash River on the Illinois-Indiana line — Smallmouth Bass through the upper and middle reaches, Sauger and Walleye, White Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, and Drum. A genuinely good, underrated river.
Flat Branch (45 km) flows through Christian and Shelby Counties, Illinois. A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
In Fayette, Montgomery, Christian and 1 more county in Illinois, Ramsey Creek is a 39 km river or creek. A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Richland Creek (33 km) flows through Shelby County, Illinois. A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Robinson Creek (33 km) flows through Shelby County, Illinois. A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Becks Creek (32 km) flows through Shelby, Fayette and Christian Counties, Illinois. A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
West Okaw River runs 31 km through Moultrie and Shelby Counties, Illinois: A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Wolf Creek (29 km) flows through Effingham, Shelby and Fayette Counties, Illinois. A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Shelby and Fayette Counties, Illinois — Mitchell Creek is a 26 km stream: A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
In Macon and Shelby Counties, Illinois, Finley Creek is a 22 km river or creek. A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
In Shelby and Moultrie Counties, Illinois, Sand Creek is a 19 km river or creek. A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
West Branch Little Wabash River flows through Shelby County, Illinois. The Wabash River on the Illinois-Indiana line — Smallmouth Bass through the upper and middle reaches, Sauger and Walleye, White Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, and Drum. A genuinely good, underrated river.
Wilborn Creek runs 18 km through Shelby and Moultrie Counties, Illinois: A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Opossum Creek runs 18 km through Shelby and Christian Counties, Illinois: A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Ash Creek runs 16 km through Fayette, Shelby and Montgomery Counties, Illinois: A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Green Creek (15 km) flows through Shelby and Effingham Counties, Illinois. A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Sexson Branch runs 14 km through Shelby County, Illinois: A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Long Grove Creek runs 12 km through Macon, Shelby and Christian Counties, Illinois: A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Lynn Creek runs 9 km through Moultrie and Shelby Counties, Illinois: A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
In Effingham, Cumberland and Shelby Counties, Illinois, East Branch Green Creek is a 11 km river or creek. A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
In Shelby and Fayette Counties, Illinois, Section Creek is a 10 km river or creek. A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Shelby County, Illinois — Skull Creek is a 10 km stream: A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Shelby, Effingham and Cumberland Counties, Illinois — Henry Creek is a 11 km stream: A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Rocky Branch runs 8 km through Shelby County, Illinois: A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Bills Creek runs 10 km through Shelby County, Illinois: A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Sorghum Branch (10 km) flows through Shelby and Christian Counties, Illinois. A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Swafford Branch runs 7 km through Shelby County, Illinois: A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Shelby County, Illinois — Drake Creek is a 8 km stream: A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Matney Branch runs 7 km through Shelby County, Illinois: A warmwater Illinois river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Carp and Drum. Wade or paddle; access at IDNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Across its mapped waters, Shelby County holds 20 species on PiscaMaps, including Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Smallmouth Bass, Freshwater Drum, Common Carp and Rock Bass.
Ramps, put-ins and species for every water — plus the carp layer no other US app has.
Open the Illinois map Join PiscaMapsOne Illinois Department of Natural Resources fishing licence covers every public water in the state, the Corps and IDNR reservoirs included — resident annual about $16, non-resident annual about $32, with non-resident 1-day and 5-day options. Illinois has no trout stamp requirement for the great majority of its water. Illinois residents 65 and older, and anyone under 16, need no licence. Buy at dnr.illinois.gov.