Murphysboro Lake

Jackson County, Illinois

Murphysboro Lake is a 145-acre lake in Lake Murphysboro State Park in Jackson County, Illinois. It is known for catfish, bass, crappie and sunfish.

Air temp Not available right now.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Current air temperature at Murphysboro Lake (National Weather Service) ↗

Surface area144 acres

Max depth—

Shoreline—

Boat motorsCheck local rules

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Largemouth Bass●●●○○

Weeds, docks and wood in the shallows.

Channel Catfish●●●○○

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

Crappie●●●○○

Brush piles, docks and standing timber. Minnows or small jigs.

Bluegill●●●○○

Weed beds and shallow flats in late spring.

Redear Sunfish●●●○○

Shellcracker. Beds in spring and deep shell bars in summer. Red worms on the bottom.

Boat launches

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

Lake Murphysboro boat rampRamp
Public boat ramp and water access at 921 Main Park Rd, MurphysboroDirections ↗
Accessible fishing pierPublic
Fishing pier in the state parkDirections ↗
More public accessPublic
See the IDNR or lake website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗

Size & creel limits

Minimum size and daily limit for each species in Murphysboro Lake are published by the state. Look up the current size and creel limits for this lake directly: Illinois Department of Natural Resources ↗

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

Bait & tackle nearby

No shops listed yet for this lake. Use the search link below.

Search more bait shops near Murphysboro Lake ↗

Local tips

Fish the shaded coves and brush for crappie and bluegill.
Try cut bait or worms on the bottom for channel catfish.
Call the park at 618-684-2867 for current boating rules.

View on interactive map

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

More Illinois lakes

Lake Shelbyville Fox Chain O'Lakes Crab Orchard Lake Clinton Lake Lake Springfield Lake Decatur Kinkaid Lake Horseshoe Lake (Madison County) All Illinois lakes →

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