Location: Crab Orchard Lake is a 6965-acre impoundment located in the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge between Marion and Carbondale in Williamson County Illinois.

Description: The Crab Orchard Lake fishery is cooperatively managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A user permit is required to access the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge. Information can be obtained by calling the refuge visitor center at 618-997-3344.

History and Status of the Sport Fishery: No sampling was conducted in 2021 because of a 4ft lake drawdown begun July 5th 2021 and maintained until early March 2022. This drawdown was necessary for much needed dam and boat ramp repairs. IDNR biologists and USFWS staff worked cooperatively to take advantage of this drawdown and conducted multiple habitat optimization projects beginning before the drawdown and continuing through till the lake was returned to normal pool. Beginning in late 2020, approximately 175 snagless fish attractors were sunk in optimal locations for boat and bank anglers. These structures were built from recycled HDPE fiber optic cable conduit donated by Clearwave communications. Before and during the drawdown nearly 500 large sycamore, maple, birch and sweet gum trees were dropped in areas with optimal spawning or year round use habitat. During the peak of the drawdown 1250 water willow plugs were planted in 7 sites in an attempt to reestablish the massive water willow beds the lake was once known for. These sites were selected for varying depth, substrates, and prevailing wind patterns to determine optimal planting parameters for future planting projects. Additionally, 80 Largemouth bass spawning bench structures were constructed in optimal LMB spawning habitat. The efficacy of these efforts will be assessed in the coming years and it is my intention to continue habitat and population mitigation efforts as Crab Orchard continues to age and available habitat degrades at an ever-expediting rate.
These efforts, in conjunction with sediment restabilization, and nutrient reallocation associated with a large scale/long term drawdown are likely to contribute to a mini “new lake effect” in Crab Orchard over the next few years. The additional benefits of forage species concentration are likely to lead to improved growth and condition in sportfish species. The resulting change in size structure of forage species, especially Gizzard shad, will hopefully lead to smaller individuals making up larger portions of these populations, thereby providing more forage of optimal size to a variety of important sportfish. IDNR/refuge staff are hopeful in the benefits and impacts this drawdown will have on such a storied, aging, and in some ways troubled fishery.

Additional Lake Information: A user permit is required to access the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge. Information can be obtained by calling the refuge visitor center at 618-997-3344.

Largemouth bass have a 16-inch minimum length limit and a 3-per-day creel limit. No other size or creel limits are in effect.

Contact Information:
Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge:
618-997-3344
IDNR Fisheries Biologist, Luke Nelson
618-985-1112