Power-plant cooling lake

LaSalle Lake

LaSalle County, Illinois

LaSalle Lake is a 2,058-acre cooling reservoir for the LaSalle Power Station, located 8 miles southeast of Marseilles in LaSalle County. Average depth is 15 feet with excavated areas up to 70 feet, and the entire shoreline is rip-rapped rock dikes.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Surface area2,050 acres

Max depth70 ft

Shoreline—

Boat motorsUnlimited horsepower (40 mph max speed except no-wake areas)

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Blue Catfish●●●●○

12-30 in common; trophy potential

Bluegill●●●●○

Weed beds and shallow flats in late spring.

Wiper●●●○○

2-8 lb fish reported

Largemouth Bass●●●○○

Weeds, docks and wood in the shallows.

Channel Catfish●●●○○

Cut bait and nightcrawlers on flats and creek mouths in the evening.

Smallmouth Bass●●○○○

Stocked annually

Boat launches

2 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.

LaSalle Lake boat launchRamp
Three-lane concrete ramp, ADA accessible, southwestern corner of lakeDirections ↗
More public accessPublic
See the IDNR or lake website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗

Size & creel limits

Special rules for this lake, confirmed from official state regulations. Minimum size and daily limit.

Species	Min size	Daily limit
Largemouth/Smallmouth Bass	18 in	1 / day
Striped, White or Hybrid Striped Bass No more than 3 fish 17 in or longer		10 / day

Other species in this lake: look up the limits at Illinois Department of Natural Resources ↗

Verified October 2026. Rules change, so confirm current limits with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources before you fish.

Bait & tackle nearby

Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.

Applebee's Bait ShopNearby
2956 N Rt 178, Utica(815) 667-7036 Directions ↗

Search more bait shops near LaSalle Lake ↗

Local tips

Call (815) 357-1608 before launching; access depends on weather conditions updated daily at 6 a.m.
Lake is open to fishing March 15 to October 15 only; hours are 6 a.m. to sunset.
Winds can make the lake rough and the shoreline is rip-rap with no beaching areas; boaters need time to reach the ramp from the north end.

View on interactive map

Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches.

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Always wear a life jacket and check your state's current regulations before you fish.