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Fishing report

Thursday, July 17, 2008 10:18 PM CDT

Crab Orchard - Crappie have moved into deeper water, but fishing remains good. Fish are holding over cover in 8 to 12 feet of water. Minnows and jigs are equally effective. Catfish also remain steady. Fish are being caught throughout the lake on stink baits, leeches, cut bait and minnows. Bluegill are still active around the rip rap and weed beds on wax worms and crickets. Bass are spotty with most fish still holding over shallow cover early in the mornings and late in the evenings.

Horseshoe Lake - Channel cat action is fair. Anglers are drift fishing night crawlers and minnows in the middle of the lake. Fishing has been good even in the heat of the day. Other species are all slow.

Kaskaskia River - The river has been re-opened to boat traffic. In the meantime, anglers are taking good numbers of largemouth and smallmouth bass at Baldwin Lake on jigs and crank baits. Catfishing at Baldwin remains fair on shad and other live baits.

Kinkaid Lake - Anglers are still taking some nice crappie. Fish are holding over cover at 12 feet or deeper. Minnows and jigs are both producing good catches of fish. Bluegill also remain steady. Anglers are using additional weights to get the bait to drop quickly below the smaller fish. The larger bluegill are at 7 to 8 feet. Meal worms, wax worms, crickets and red wigglers are all productive. Catfish are also rated good, particularly early in the mornings and late in the evening. Most catfish are being caught in 6 to 10 feet of water on a variety of natural baits. Bass action is spotty. Anglers are chasing walleye, but action is fair to slow. Most walleye are being caught around drop-offs.

Lake Murphysboro - Bluegill anglers are taking good fish in 6 to 9 feet of water. Like Kinkaid, the trick is getting the bait below the smaller fish holding near the surface. Wax worms, meal worms, crickets and red wigglers are all effective. Catfish have been good throughout the lake on night crawlers, chicken liver and stink baits. Bass and crappie action has been spotty.

Lake of Egypt - Crappie and bass remain slow. Crappie have migrated into water 18 feet or deeper. Some fish are being caught on minnows or jigs. Bass action has also been slow. Anglers are moving to Carolina rigs fished off the ends of weed beds. Catfish action is also slow.

Little Grassy - Bluegill anglers are reporting good success. Fish are being caught just off the beds. Most bluegill are being caught on crickets. Catfish action remains steady throughout the lake. Night crawlers are the favored bait. Bass are also rated good. Most bass are being caught in shallow areas.

Mermet Lake - Fishing traffic has been light. Catfish action is fair. The best catfish action has been with cut bait fished in the lily pads. Anglers are taking nice redear. Most redear are being caught along the rip rap on chunks of night crawler. Bass and crappie are slow.

Ohio River-Smithland Pool - The river is slightly below pool and clear. The creeks are also clear. Bass action has been good, although fish are running small. It took just 12.5 pounds to win a weekend tournament. Spinner baits have been effective. Grand Pierre and Lusk have been the favorite creeks for bass anglers. Catfish is good in the river on stink baits and cut shad. Crappie and bluegill action has slowed.

Rend Lake - The lake is clear, but still nearly two feet above normal pool. Water temperature is holding at 70 degrees. Bluegill, catfish and white bass are all rated good. Catfish are being caught by anglers drift fishing in the Gun Creek area. Other anglers are reporting success around rip rap and shallow areas. Catfish are biting on chicken liver, night crawlers, shiners, stink baits, leeches and shrimp. White bass anglers are concentrating on shallow areas using slab spoons, Little Georges and curly tails. Some stripers are being caught below the spillway. Bluegill are rated good on wax worms, meal worms, red wigglers and crickets fished over cover in shallow covers. Crappie earn a fair rating on minnows, chartreuse, white or pink and green jigs. Crappie are being found at varied depths over Christmas tree sets, bridge pillars and at the sailboat harbor wall. Bass action is fair on black buzz baits and spinner baits fished around Jackie Branch, Gun Creek and the Route 154 rip rap.

- Compiled by Les Winkeler