Lake Shelbyville Fishing
IDNR lists 11,100 acres of lake water in Moultrie and Shelby counties.
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Lake Shelbyville in brief
Lake Shelbyville is a lake of 11,100 acres in Moultrie and Shelby counties, going by the IDNR page. The IDNR description puts the deepest water at 65 feet. The closest town on the Census list is Findlay, near 5 miles away.
The IDNR fishing map plots 16 boat ramps on it. It has its own lines in the site-specific regulations. Corps forecast pages track its pool.
Acres as listed on the IDNR IFishIllinois page (printed only where the page text gives the same size); depth only where the IDNR text states a maximum depth. IDNR IFishIllinois waterbody page, ifishillinois.org, read November 4, 2026. Census 2023 places.
IDNR notes on Lake Shelbyville
- Location (IDNR)Lake Shelbyville is located in Shelby and Moultrie counties in east-central Illinois, with the dam situated on the Kaskaskia River, east of the City of Shelbyville, Illinois.
- Description (IDNR)This lake has a surface area of 11,100 acres (at normal summer pool), with a maximum depth of 65 feet, and an average depth of 18 feet. Numerous public boat launching facilities are available, with a fee assessed on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) developed access area boat ramps, and free access on state park or USACE gravel boat ramps. All tournaments must be scheduled through USACE (217-774-3951).
IDNR facility flags for Lake Shelbyville
- Family FriendlyYes
- Handicap AccessYes
- Boat FishingYes – Unrestricted
- Boat RampsYes
- Boat RentalsYes
- CampingYes
- PicnickingYes
- SkiingYes
- SwimmingYes
- Trout StockingNo
IDNR wrote these lines for Lake Shelbyville; nothing was reworded.
IDNR IFishIllinois waterbody page, ifishillinois.org, read November 4, 2026.
Species and ratings at Lake Shelbyville
| Species | IDNR rating | IDNR survey note |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Fair | Fishing is fair. Few fish exceed 7 inches. |
| Black Crappie | Very Good | Abundance has been decreasing slightly. Fish up to 11-12 inches can be found with the occasional larger fish. |
| Sauger | Very Good | Annual stocking began in 2020 (only periodic stocking before that) and the population is doing well with most fish in the 12-16 inch range. |
| Walleye | Very Good | In moderate abundance thanks to annual stockings. Walleye up to 8 lbs. have been collected, as well as good numbers of intermediate sized fish. |
| White Bass | Excellent | Numbers have recovered rapidly over the last several years after a die-off in the mid 2010’s. White Bass are abundant with 12-15 inch fish common. |
| Striped Bass | Poor | An attempt was made to develop a Striped Bass fishery in Lake Shelbyville from 2018-2025. Unfortunately survival of stocked Striped Bass was very low, therefore the stocking program was ended. |
| Smallmouth Bass | Poor | For multiple years brood stock were collected from the Kaskaskia River, transported to Jake Wolf Hatchery to spawn, and young were reared on-site at the Fin-and-Feather rearing pond. Unfortunately, survival of… |
| White Crappie | Excellent | Recruitment has been lower over the last several years, largely due to the lack of flooding that benefits young-of-year crappie. Catch rates and length distributions are still very good. Anglers can expect to find White… |
| Channel Catfish | Very Good | Are fairly abundant with 8+ pound fish present. Catfish spawning boxes have been placed in the lake in the hopes it will improve natural recruitment. |
| Flathead Catfish | Fair | Are low in abundance, but large fish are present. |
Top of the IDNR outlook at Lake Shelbyville: black crappie, rated very good.
An IDNR source backs every fish listed for Lake Shelbyville.
IDNR fishing outlook ratings and survey notes as printed on the IFishIllinois page, read November 4, 2026. IDNR fish stocking table on ifishillinois.org (year, water, species, size class and number as listed; no stocking dates published), read November 4, 2026; IDNR Illinois state record fish list (keeper: Illinois Department of Natural Resources; no angler names printed), read November 4, 2026.
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- IDNRThe fish population in Lake Shelbyville is surveyed annually. Lake Shelbyville is home to at least 32 species of fish. In addition to the lake, a popular fishery exists in the Kaskaskia River just below the spillway and in the West Okaw and Kaskaskia Rivers upstream of the lake. The USACE and IDNR manage two nursery ponds, 6.5 and 0.7 acres, which are currently used to raise Walleye and Sauger for the lake.
IDNR fishery history text, ifishillinois.org, read November 4, 2026.
Ramps around Lake Shelbyville
- Eden Street Boat Ramp on Lake Shelbyvillelaunch
- Lake Shelbyville Bethany Boat Ramplaunch
- Lake Shelbyville Bo Woods Boat Rampfee noted, Fee required to launch
- Lake Shelbyville Coal Shaft Boat Ramplaunch
- Lake Shelbyville Coon Creek Boat Rampfee noted, Fee required to launch
- Lake Shelbyville Eagle Creek Boat Ramplaunch
- Lake Shelbyville Findlay Marina Boat Ramplaunch
- Lake Shelbyville Johnson's Bluff Boat Ramplaunch
- Lake Shelbyville Lithia Springs Boat Rampfee noted, Fee required to launch
- Lake Shelbyville Lone Point Boat Rampfee noted, Fee required to launch
- Lake Shelbyville Opossum Creek Boat Rampfee noted, Fee required to launch
- Lake Shelbyville Sullivan Marina Boat Ramplaunch
- Lake Shelbyville West Dam Boat Rampfee noted, Fee required to launch
- Lake Shelbyville Whitley Creek Boat Rampfee noted, Fee required to launch
- Lake Shelbyville Wilborn Creek Boat Rampfee noted, Fee required to launch
- Lake Shelbyville Wolf Creek Boat Rampconcrete ramp
Launches one bay over from Lake Shelbyville
- Lake Shelbyville Strickland Boat Ramp on Woods LakeWoods Lake, 5 miles northeast
- Paradise Lake Boat RampLake Paradise, 14 miles southeast
IDNR IFishIllinois map, boat ramp and launch layer of October 2025 (KML; name, waterbody and notes as printed), read November 5, 2026.
Boat docks IDNR inventoried at Lake Shelbyville
- High Water Dockboat dock, near Wolf Creek
- Wolf Creek Fish Cleaning Stationfish cleaning station
- Eagle Creek Fish Cleaning Stationfish cleaning station
Docks and cleaning stations at Lake Shelbyville come from the 2019 IDNR lands asset inventory; it lists no hours.
IDNR lands asset inventory, 2019 (boating and fishing assets layer), read November 4, 2026.
Reading the bottom of Lake Shelbyville
- Shelbyville Coal Shaft BridgeIDNR depth map
- Shelbyville Coon CreekIDNR depth map
- Shelbyville DamIDNR depth map
- Shelbyville Eagle CreekIDNR depth map
- Shelbyville Findlay RoadIDNR depth map
- Shelbyville Kaskaskia River AccessIDNR depth map
- Shelbyville Lithia SpringsIDNR depth map
- Shelbyville Lone PointIDNR depth map
- Shelbyville Oppossum CreekIDNR depth map
- Shelbyville Whitley CreekIDNR depth map
- Shelbyville Wilborn CreekIDNR depth map
- Shelbyville Wolf CreekIDNR depth map
12 depth maps for Lake Shelbyville sit on the IDNR page.
IDNR depth map list, ifishillinois.org, read November 4, 2026.
Corps pool figures for Lake Shelbyville
The Corps forecast page of Wednesday, 04 November 2026 08:37 gave Lake Shelbyville a pool of 599.28 feet.
USACE St. Louis District forecast page, report issued Wednesday, 04 November 2026 08:37 (one dated reading, not live; feet as printed, datum not printed; DSF = day-second-feet).
IDNR stocking rows for Lake Shelbyville
| Year | Species as listed | Number | Size class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Muskellunge | 737 | Adult |
| 2026 | Sauger | 73,858 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
| 2026 | Walleye | 227,379 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
| 2025 | Muskellunge | 10,367 | Adult |
| 2025 | Sauger | 54,896 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
Year, species, size class and count for Lake Shelbyville, as IDNR lists them.
IDNR fish stocking table on ifishillinois.org (year, water, species, size class and number as listed; no stocking dates published), read November 4, 2026.
Creel and length limits on Lake Shelbyville
| Species group | Daily limit | Statewide rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Alligator Gar | 1 per 24 hours | Harvest limit is 1 Alligator Gar per 24 hours. |
| Blue, Channel, and Flathead Catfish | no limit | There are no daily harvest or size limits, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations. |
| Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, Other Sunfish | no limit | There are no harvest or size limits, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations. |
| Crappie (White, Black or Hybrid Crappie) | no limit | There are no daily harvest or size limits, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations. |
| Lake Sturgeon | no possession | Protected; No possession. |
| Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass | 6 (combined) | Daily harvest limit is 6 Bass, either singly or in the aggregate, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations. In rivers and streams and their tributaries statewide, except for the Mississippi, Ohio (including Golconda Marina), and Wabash Rivers, the d |
| Muskellunge, Northern Pike, and their Hybrid | muskellunge 1, northern pike 3 | All Muskellunge and Muskellunge hybrids (Tiger Muskie) taken must be 36" in total length or longer, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations. No more than 1 Muskellunge or Muskellunge hybrid (Tiger Muskie) may be taken per day, except as specified u |
| Paddlefish | 2 | Daily harvest limit is 2 Paddlefish. Please refer to Site Specific Regulations for the Mississippi River between Illinois and Iowa and the Mississippi River between Illinois and Missouri. |
| Striped Bass (Ocean Rockfish), White Bass, Yellow Bass, and their Hybrids | no limit under 17 inches; 3 at 17 inches or longer | There are no daily harvest limits or minimum size limits for Striped Bass (Ocean Rockfish), White Bass, Yellow Bass, and their hybrids, which are less than 17" in total length, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations. For these fish 17" in total le |
| Trout and Salmon | 5 (combined) | Daily harvest limit is 5 trout or salmon, either singly or in the aggregate. |
| Walleye, Sauger, or their Hybrid | 6 (combined) | All Walleye, Sauger, or their hybrid (Saugeye) taken must be 14" in total length or longer, except in the Mississippi River, Wabash River, or except as specified under Site Specific Regulations. Daily harvest limit is 6 Walleye, Sauger, or their hybrid, either |
The 2026 statewide table is the default for Lake Shelbyville.
Special regulations IDNR lists for Lake Shelbyville
| Water as printed | Species | Rule as printed (code) |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Shelbyville | PARTS OF THE LAKE SHELBYVILLE STATE FISH AND WILDLIFE AREA, EXCEPT SEE PROJECT PONDS) Recreational Use Restrictions During the regular waterfowl season, no bank or boat fishing shall be permitted on the Kaskaskia River from the Strickland Boat Access north to the Illinois Central Railroad Bridge fro | |
| Lake Shelbyville | All Fish | All live bait greater than 8 inches must be rigged with a quick set rig (4) |
| Lake Shelbyville | Large or Smallmouth Bass | 14 inch Minimum Length Limit |
| Lake Shelbyville | Pure Muskellunge | 48 inch Minimum Length Limit (10) |
| Lake Shelbyville | Striped Bass | 32 inch Minimum Length Limit; 2 Fish Daily Harvest Limit |
| Lake Shelbyville | White, Black, or Hybrid Crappie | 15 Fish Daily Harvest Limit with no more than 10 Fish greater than or equal to 10 inches and 5 Fish less than 10 inches |
- Code 4When using live bait, all live bait in excess of 8" in total length shall be rigged with a quick set rig. The hook shall be immediately set upon the strike. A quick set rig is defined as follows: a live bait rig with up to 2 treble hooks attached …
- Code 10The 48 inch total length limit on pure muskellunge applies to that body of water listed as well as any tailwaters as defined below: Evergreen Lake (McLean County) – including the portion of Six Mile Creek below the Evergreen Lake Dam downstream to its …
Site-specific regulations as printed in the 2026 Illinois Fishing Information digest (IDNR) page 39, read November 4, 2026.
Anglers 16 and older carry an Illinois fishing license ($15 a year for residents, $31.50 for nonresidents in 2026).
IDNR 2026 Illinois Fishing Information digest (IDNR), read November 4, 2026. IDNR license fees (ifishillinois.org), read November 4, 2026.
Takeoffs and weigh-ins at Lake Shelbyville
Every sourced Lake Shelbyville event sits on its tournament page.
Nearby lakes beside Lake Shelbyville in one table
Among the five nearest lake pages, Lake Paradise is the largest IDNR listing at 138 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres (IDNR) | Max depth (ft) | Mapped ramps | First IDNR-rated fish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Shelbyville | 11,100 | 65 | 16 | Bluegill | |
| Woods Lake | 2 miles east | 27 | 4 | ||
| Wyman Lake | 7 miles northeast | 5.0 | 7 | 0 | |
| Opossum Pond | 8 miles southwest | 0.3 | 10 | 0 | |
| Forest Park Lagoon | 10 miles southwest | 2.0 | 0 | ||
| Lake Paradise | 14 miles southeast | 138 | 16 | 1 | Channel Catfish |
IDNR IFishIllinois pages (acres, depth text, outlook) and the IDNR boat ramp layer; read November 4, 2026.
A few miles of blacktop from Lake Shelbyville
Other water a county or two from Lake Shelbyville
- Woods Lake2 miles east
- Wyman Lake7 miles northeast
- Opossum Pond8 miles southwest
- Forest Park Lagoon10 miles southwest
- Lake Paradise14 miles southeast
Where to buy crawlers and minnows near Lake Shelbyville
- Leprechaun Landingbait and tackle shop, Windsor, 3 miles
- Findlay Marinamarina, Findlay, 3 miles
- Sullivan Marina & Campgroundmarina, Sullivan, 3 miles
- Lithia Springs Marinamarina, Shelbyville, 8 miles
- Spillway Motel & Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Shelbyville, 10 miles
- Craigs Sporting Goods And Family Fun Ctrsporting goods store, Shelbyville, 11 miles
Fishing guides who run Lake Shelbyville
- Don & Barb Satterfield's Fishingfishing guide, Shelbyville, (217) 774-2419
Loaner rod and reel stops near Lake Shelbyville
- Wolf Creek State ParkWindsor, 3 miles
- Elizabeth Titus Memorial LibrarySullivan, 6 miles
Towns with motels by Lake Shelbyville
- Sullivan6 miles
- Windsor7 miles
- Bethany10 miles
The counties Lake Shelbyville runs through
- Moultrie Countyseat: Sullivan
- Shelby Countyseat: Shelbyville
IDNR IFishIllinois map, tackle loaner site layer (KML), read November 5, 2026.
Piscifun tackle to load up before Lake Shelbyville
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Fish to recognise on sight at Lake Shelbyville
Photo: Alabama Extension, CC0 1.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: Argyleist, CC BY 2.0
The bait shop questions about Lake Shelbyville
Which Illinois town sits nearest Lake Shelbyville?
Lake Shelbyville is located in Shelby and Moultrie counties in east-central Illinois, with the dam situated on the Kaskaskia River, east of the City of Shelbyville, Illinois. IDNR places it in Moultrie and Shelby counties, about 5 miles from Findlay.
What size does the IFishIllinois page give Lake Shelbyville?
About 11,100 acres on the IDNR page, and the IDNR text gives a 65 foot maximum depth.
Where does IDNR map a launch on Lake Shelbyville?
Try Eden Street Boat Ramp on Lake Shelbyville, one of 16 boat ramps.
Which species does IDNR rate at Lake Shelbyville?
IDNR calls bluegill fair here and lists black crappie, sauger, walleye, white bass and striped bass as well.
Which Illinois rules apply on Lake Shelbyville?
Statewide digest row for Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass: Daily harvest limit is 6 Bass, either singly or in the aggregate, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations. The same row adds a separate rule for rivers and streams, quoted in the limits band. This water also has a site-specific entry, shown in the limits band.
What does an Illinois license cost for Lake Shelbyville?
Anglers 16 and older carry an Illinois fishing license ($15 a year for residents, $31.50 for nonresidents in 2026).
Is Lake Shelbyville good for anglers without a boat?
IDNR lists no pier, but its facility flags read: Family Friendly Yes; Handicap Access Yes.
Which store outfits a trip to Lake Shelbyville?
Stop at Leprechaun Landing, about 3 miles away,.
What pool did the Corps print for Lake Shelbyville?
Our latest Corps figure is 599.28 feet, from the report of Wednesday, 04 November 2026 08:37.
Tow the rig down to Lake Shelbyville at dawn
Check the limits, then pick a ramp near your spot.