Lake Shelbyville is one of the most popular lakes in Illinois. It has 11,000 acres of water with an average depth of 16 feet and a maximum depth of 67 feet. There are 250 miles of shoreline with many creek arms that provide excellent cover for a variety of fish.
This lake is known for producing trophy largemouth bass. Lake Shelbyville is a popular lake for bass fishing tournaments and many bass are caught in the 4 to 7 pound range every year. There are also plenty of other fish to catch such as crappie, catfish, white bass, walleye, northern pike, muskie and bluegill. Anglers report catches of muskie over 40 inches and catfish over 10 pounds to go along with stringers full of crappie and white bass. Lake Shelbyville is a big lake and it may take some time to learn it, but the fishing can be incredible once you know some of the better spots to fish.
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Bluegill & Other Sunfish
The bluegill fishery is solid on Lake Shelbyville and many anglers do target them when they are in the shallows to spawn in the spring or early summer. Fish around all types of shallow water cover in May and early June and you should do well for bluegill. The summer bite is tougher, but if you search for them on the drop-offs and around some of the spots that hold deeper water cover and structure, you can still catch plenty of bluegill. The fall bite picks up again as many fish move back into the bays and creeks.
Catfish
Catfish are here in good numbers and many anglers do target them here. Channel catfish are more abundant than flathead catfish, but there is a fishable population of flathead catfish here too. Target the creeks and bays in the spring and early summer and then fish the main lake from summer through the fall. Many anglers do well for catfish by the tailwater areas below the dam. This is a good spot to catch channel catfish and flathead catfish. It’s known as a big fish spot too with some huge catfish just living below the dam gorging on shad.
Crappie
The crappie fishery is good on Lake Shelbyville. Most anglers target them in the spring when they are all over the bays and creek arms throughout the lake. Find timber in the 3 to 8 foot depth range and you should be able to find some crappie. The summer brings tougher fishing, but the deeper bays and main lake structure will hold schools of crappie, so if you can find them, you can still catch them. In the fall, the fishing usually picks up again in the shallower bays and creeks.
Largemouth Bass
This lake is a good largemouth bass lake. Anglers have been doing well on Lake Shelbyville for years and it holds many bass fishing tournaments here every year too. The spring and fall are the best times to fish for bass here as many bass will move into the many smaller bays and creek arms throughout the lake. Hit the spawn just right and you can do very well fishing 3 to 8 feet of water in the all creek arms here. Find some wood and hard bottom and you’ll most likely find some largemouth bass. The summer fishing is tougher. Some anglers fish at night, while other will just go deeper and fish the main lake structure. Big bass are here with fish up to and above 7 pounds possible.
Muskie
Lake Shelbyville is home to some good muskie fishing. They may not be easy to find on this lake, but they are here and there are some big fish here too. Anglers have success targeting muskie along the creek channels and mouths of all the bays and creeks arms here. The main lake deep water bite can be good too, but there is a lot of water here for them to roam, so the mid summer bite won’t be easy. The most successful muskie anglers will usually fish the tailwaters below the dam. You may not catch anything, but this is the area where reports come in of multiple muskie in a day and 50 inch fish are possible. Many muskie fall down the dam into the tailwaters and instead of going down the river, many of these fish just stay here and live below the dam. There is plenty of oxygen, cooler water and plenty of shad to eat, so it makes sense why they would stay in this area compared to going down river.
Northern Pike
There are some northern pike in Lake Shelbyville, but they are here in low numbers. Most people don’t come to the lake to fish for pike, but anglers to catch them here.
Walleye
Walleye have been stocked in this lake and they seem to have taken well to this massive Lake. Bass are king here and muskie get a lot of attention below the spillway, however, anglers do come here for the walleye too. Anglers catch them on the lake and below the dam. For many anglers, it’s easier to catch walleye below the dam than on the main lake, but if you know how to target walleye, you can catch some fish here. There are some very big fish here too with fish over 10 pounds present in the lake. Below the dam, saugers are very popular, especially in the spring and fall.
White Bass
White bass are here in good numbers and are usually a bonus fish for most anglers. Spring and fall produce good fishing, but if you happen to run into a school of them in the summer, you may find the fishing fast and furious as they gorge on huge schools of shad. Use spinners, crankbaits and other minnow type lures and you will most likely run into some white bass while also catching largemouth bass too.
