Little Grassy Lake Fishing
Sized by IDNR at 1,000 acres, this lake lies in Williamson County.
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Little Grassy Lake, measured out for Illinois anglers
1,000 acres of lake water make up Little Grassy Lake, which IDNR places in Williamson County. Supplies are closest in Makanda, about 5 miles by straight line.
Read on for launches, ratings and what you may keep.
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 page details for Little Grassy Lake
- Location (IDNR)Little Grassy Lake was drawn down completely in 2025 for large scale dam repairs. As of yet there has been no timeline outlined for refilling the lake but United stated Fish and Wildlife Service, Army Corps of Engineers and IDNR staff are working diligently to provide new and exciting angling …
- Description (IDNR)The Little Grassy Lake fishery is cooperatively managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The lake is surrounded by forested land, has three boat ramps, and a marina.
Everything above is IDNR wording for Little Grassy Lake.
IDNR IFishIllinois waterbody page, ifishillinois.org, read November 4, 2026.
IDNR-rated fish swimming in Little Grassy Lake
IDNR sources tie these fish to Little Grassy Lake: outlook, stocking or a record.
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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Little Grassy Lake has no ramp on the IDNR layer; small craft may still launch where the owner allows.
Backup launches if the Little Grassy Lake lot is full
- Devils Kitchen Lake Main Boat RampDevils Kitchen Lake, 2 miles northeast
- Devils Kitchen Lake Line 13 Boat RampDevils Kitchen Lake, 3 miles east
- Devils Kitchen Lake Line 6 Boat RampDevils Kitchen Lake, 3 miles east
- Devils Kitchen Lake Kayak and Canoe LandingDevils Kitchen Lake, 4 miles east
- Crab Orchard Lake Spillway Road Boat RampCrab Orchard Lake, 6 miles north
- Crab Orchard Lake Wolf Creek Boat RampCrab Orchard Lake, 7 miles northeast
IDNR IFishIllinois map, boat ramp and launch layer of October 2025 (KML; name, waterbody and notes as printed), read November 5, 2026.
Lake elevation reported for Little Grassy Lake
| NWS gauge | Reading | Flow | Flood category | Time (UTC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Grassy Creek at Little Grassy Lake near Marion 13WSW | 447.32 ft | – | out of service | 2026-11-05 18:15:00 UTC |
NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge readings (water.noaa.gov), read November 5, 2026; dated readings, not live (kcfs = thousand cubic feet per second).
Stocking at Little Grassy Lake
| Year | Species as listed | Number | Size class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Channel Catfish | 866 | Advanced Fingerling (4 – 7") |
| 2023 | Smallmouth Bass | 11,600 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
| 2022 | Channel Catfish | 5,000 | Advanced Fingerling (4 – 7") |
IDNR lists these releases for Little Grassy Lake by year; it publishes no stocking dates.
IDNR fish stocking table on ifishillinois.org (year, water, species, size class and number as listed; no stocking dates published), read November 4, 2026.
Fish allowed in the cooler at Little Grassy Lake
| 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 |
Statewide limits hold on Little Grassy Lake except where its own entry differs.
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.
Illinois lakes clustered around Little Grassy Lake
For more room, Devils Kitchen Lake has 810 acres on its IDNR page.
| Lake | Distance | Acres (IDNR) | Max depth (ft) | Mapped ramps | First IDNR-rated fish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Grassy Lake | 1,000 | 0 | |||
| Allen Pond (Giant City State Park) | 3 miles southwest | not printed | 0 | Channel Catfish | |
| Eagle Pond (Giant City State Park) | 3 miles southwest | 2.5 | 0 | Redear Sunfish | |
| Piney Pond (Giant City State Park) | 3 miles southwest | 1.0 | 0 | Largemouth Bass | |
| Devils Kitchen Lake | 3 miles east | 810 | 4 | Largemouth Bass | |
| Deer Pond (Giant City State Park) | 3 miles southwest | 1.0 | 0 | Bluegill |
IDNR IFishIllinois pages (acres, depth text, outlook) and the IDNR boat ramp layer; read November 4, 2026.
Near Little Grassy Lake
A second lake for the day after Little Grassy Lake
- Allen Pond (Giant City State Park)3 miles southwest
- Eagle Pond (Giant City State Park)3 miles southwest
- Piney Pond (Giant City State Park)3 miles southwest
- Devils Kitchen Lake3 miles east
- Deer Pond (Giant City State Park)3 miles southwest
Stores with hooks and line around Little Grassy Lake
- Dick's Sporting Goods Carbondalesporting goods store, Carbondale, 8 miles
- Just Add Water Bait Tackle & Morebait and tackle shop, Marion, 11 miles
- Dunn's Sporting Goodsbait and tackle shop, Marion, 13 miles
- Egyptian Hills Marina Incmarina, Creal Springs, 14 miles
- Frank's Real Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Gorham, 20 miles
Free loaner rods within reach of Little Grassy Lake
- Little Grassy Campground and MarinaMakanda, 1 mile
- Little Grassy Fish HatcheryMakanda, 2 miles
- Giant City State ParkMakanda, 3 miles
- Carbondale Public LibraryCarbondale, 8 miles
Town bases for anglers near Little Grassy Lake
- Carbondale8 miles
- Cobden9 miles
- Crainville10 miles
Each county Little Grassy Lake touches, with links
- Williamson Countyseat: Marion
IDNR IFishIllinois map, tackle loaner site layer (KML), read November 5, 2026.
Piscifun reels to stow in the truck for Little Grassy Lake
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The ponds and rivers around Little Grassy Lake, photographed
Photo: USFWS Midwest Region, Public domain
Photo: Mark and Allegra Jaroski-Biava, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Aaron Lucas, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Curtis Abert, CC BY 2.0
Before the tackle box goes in the car for Little Grassy Lake
Where in Illinois is Little Grassy Lake?
Little Grassy Lake was drawn down completely in 2025 for large scale dam repairs. As of yet there has been no timeline outlined for refilling the lake but United stated Fish and Wildlife Service, Army Corps of Engineers and IDNR staff are working diligently to provide new and exciting angling … Head for Williamson County, about 5 miles from Makanda.
What size does IDNR list for Little Grassy Lake?
Its IDNR size is 1,000 acres.
Does Little Grassy Lake have a ramp on the IDNR layer?
Try Devils Kitchen Lake Main Boat Ramp, roughly 2 miles away.
How is the fishing at Little Grassy Lake?
IDNR sources name channel catfish and smallmouth bass.
What can I take home from Little Grassy Lake?
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.
Which IDNR license goes in my wallet at Little Grassy Lake?
Anglers 16 and older carry an Illinois fishing license ($15 a year for residents, $31.50 for nonresidents in 2026).
Did IDNR inventory a fishing pier at Little Grassy Lake?
IDNR lists no shore structure here.
Which counter near Little Grassy Lake keeps a minnow tank?
Head to Dick's Sporting Goods Carbondale, about 8 miles away,.
Does anyone measure the level of Little Grassy Lake?
Look for Little Grassy Creek at Little Grassy Lake near Marion 13WSW (NWS, dated reading) above.
Plan a morning on Little Grassy Lake
Know what goes in the cooler before you launch.