Sam Dale Lake

Wayne County, Illinois

Sam Dale Lake is a 194-acre lake in Wayne County. It is known for largemouth bass, channel catfish and redear sunfish.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Surface area194 acres

Max depth—

Shoreline—

Boat motors10 horsepower limit

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Largemouth Bass●●●●○

Bass up to 7 pounds seen most years per IDNR

Channel Catfish●●●●○

Stocked yearly; 7 to 8 pound fish are common

Redear Sunfish●●●○○

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

Crappie●●●○○

White crappie, quality population

Bluegill●●●○○

Mostly small to medium

Muskellunge●●○○○

Stocked in past years

Boat launches

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

South shore launchRamp
Public ramp midway along the south shore; rental boats availableDirections ↗
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 Sam Dale 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 Sam Dale Lake ↗

Local tips

Nearly all the gently sloping shoreline is open to bank anglers.
Rental boats are available if you do not have one.
Bowfishing for carp is encouraged.

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.