Beaver Lake - PRKFWA
Info / St. Clair County
Family Friendly
No
Handicap Access
No
Boat Fishing
Yes - 10 HP limit and no wake for motors over 10 horsepower
Boat Ramps
Yes
Boat Rentals
No
Camping
No
Picnicking
No
Skiing
No
Swimming
No
Trout Stocking
No
Zebra Mussels
None
Location 332 acres
Fishing Outlook
Sauger
Fair
Sauger have been stocked consistently the past 10 years in Beaver Lake however they rarely show up in our fish surveys. Anglers have reported catches of quality sized Sauger in Beaver Lake.
Crappie spp.
Good
Anglers report catching good numbers of crappie over of the 9-inch minimum length limit.
Largemouth Bass
Very Good
This lake has a very good bass population. We collected 100 Largemouth Bass per hour of electrofishing in 2024. This was great to see after previous surveys showed a declining trend in bass/hr numbers (51 in 2019, 47 in 2020, 45 in 2021, 37 in 2022, and 34 in 2023). The catch rate of 100 bass per hour is much higher than our goal of 60 fish per hour. The size structure of bass collected in the 2024 survey show positive results with 82% greater than 12 inches, 31% greater than 15 inches, and 4% greater than 18 inches. The largest bass collected in our 2024 survey was 21.2 inches long and weighed 6.4 pounds.
| 2026 | Sauger | Fingerling (1 - 3") | 19951 |
| 2025 | Channel Catfish | Advanced Fingerling (4 - 7") | 6640 |
| 2025 | Largemouth Bass | Fingerling (1 - 3") | 8341 |
| 2025 | Sauger | Fingerling (1 - 3") | 16359 |
| 2024 | Largemouth Bass | Fingerling (1 - 3") | 8424 |
Contact
IDNR Fisheries Biologist
3321 Highway 111 Granite City, IL 62040
Send Message
Office: (618) 931-0270; Work Cell: (217) 730-6968
10981 Conservation Road, Baldwin, IL
618-785-2555
Description
Some 1800 acres of the 2000-acre site of Peabody River King were donated to the IDNR by the Peabody Coal Company in 1994. Peabody Coal had mined the area from the late 1950s through the late 1980s. Beaver Lake is a 332-acre strip pit lake with maximum depths approaching 60-80 feet. This lake has many cuts and fingers that provide great habitat for sportfish along with quick drop-offs and shallow transition zones. The fishery of the lake is managed by IDNR. The shoreline of the lake includes steep rocky banks with some woody structure. There is one concrete boat ramp on the lake. Mowed bank-fishing access is located adjacent to, and across the lake from the boat ramp. Another mowed bank fishing area is located in a south arm of lake off the main road. There is a 10-horsepower limit for boats and a ‘NO WAKE’ limit for motors over 10 horsepower.Fishery History
The IDNR Division of Fisheries routinely monitors the status of the fishery of Beaver Lake. Currently fish electrofishing surveys are conducted every year to assess the fishery. Recent stockings include supplemental stocking of Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, and Sauger. Because of its close proximity to the Kaskaskia River, Beaver Lake can become connected with the river during high flood events. Because of this, some river fish are present in Beaver Lake such as buffalo, carp, and gar. Gizzard Shad are very abundant and are the main prey item for sportfish in Beaver Lake. Many small sunfish are also present in Beaver Lake and provide food for sportfish.
Other species and hybrid groups recently collected in surveys include Bigmouth Buffalo, Black Buffalo, Smallmouth Buffalo, Common Carp, Grass Carp, Silver Carp, Gizzard Shad, Green Sunfish, Redear Sunfish, Longear Sunfish, Yellow Bass, White Bass, Freshwater Drum, Flathead Catfish, Golden Shiner, Hybrid Sunfish, Yellow Bullhead, Bowfin, Shortnose Gar and Spotted Gar.
Site Regulations
Site-Specific Fishing Regulations:
- All Fish: 2 pole and line fishing only and each pole must not have more than 2 hooks or lures attached while fishing; bow fishing is allowed
- Channel Catfish: 6 Fish Daily Harvest Limit
- Large or Smallmouth Bass: 15 inch Minimum Length Limit; 3 Fish Daily Harvest Limit
- White, Black, or Hybrid Crappie: 9 inch Minimum Length Limit; 25 Fish Daily Harvest Limit