Powerton Lake
Info / Tazewell County
Family Friendly
No
Handicap Access
No
Boat Fishing
Yes - Unrestricted
Boat Ramps
Yes
Boat Rentals
No
Camping
No
Picnicking
No
Skiing
No
Swimming
No
Trout Stocking
No
Zebra Mussels
None
Location 1426 acres
Fishing Outlook
Blue Catfish
Excellent
An initial stocking of Blue Catfish (35,000) was made in October of 1999 from stocks received from Arkansas and reared at the Little Grassy Hatchery to 4.5 inches in length. We have stocked a total of over 100,000 Blue Catfish in the past 5 years. This stocking program has created a sport fishery that anglers enjoy for both harvest and trophy size fish. Shoreline fishing in the warmwater discharge area is a prime destination at the start of January. The 2024 fall electrofishing survey collected 17 Blue Catfish. These fish ranged in size from 22 to 36 inches in length. The body condition has been exceptionally good for these fish in Powerton. The population indices showed 29.4 percent of the fish were over 25 inches and 5.9 percent were over 33 inches in length.
Smallmouth Bass
Improving
In 2024, IDNR stocked 84,967 Smallmouth Bass from 1.2 – 4.5 inches. It is hoped that these fish will recruit and provide a shot in the arm for the Smallmouth Bass fishery at Powerton Lake in the coming years. The 2024 fall electrofishing survey collected 34 Smallmouth Bass ranging from 4 to 19 inches in length. The body condition was good at a value of 92.
Gar spp.
Developing
On 8/5/2024, 3 Alligator Gar were collected by IDNR Fisheries from the intake canal at Powerton Lake. The fish ranged from 54 – 63 inches in length and up to 60.6lbs
Largemouth Bass
Fair
The 2024 fall electrofishing survey collected 18 Largemouth Bass. These fish ranged from 7 to 19 inches in length. The average body condition was excellent at a 114 value.
Channel Catfish
Good
The 2024 survey collected 6 Channel Catfish ranging from 11 to 17 inches with a body condition of 96. Historically it has been a high-density population of fish under 16 inches in length in average to poor body condition. A PCB advisory for Channel Catfish was lifted in 2012 as three years of testing resulted in levels below the action limit.
Striped Bass x White Bass (Wiper)
Very Good
The 2024 fall electrofishing survey collected 48 hybrid striped bass. These fish ranged from 4 to 25 inches in length and had a body condition value of 83.
| 2025 | Black Crappie | Advanced Fingerling (4 - 7") | 15377 |
| 2025 | Black Crappie | Fingerling (1 - 3") | 67795 |
| 2025 | Blue Catfish | Advanced Fingerling (4 - 7") | 22000 |
| 2025 | Largemouth Bass | Adult | 285 |
| 2025 | Smallmouth Bass | Adult | 540 |
Contact
Description
Powerton Lake was constructed and filled in 1971 by Commonwealth Edison Company. Its purpose was to provide cooling water for a fossil fuel fired electric generation facility. Powerton Station was constructed in the 1930s, but greatly expanded in 1971. Water quality law made it necessary for the plant to construct a cooling lake, rather than using the Illinois River for cooling the heat exchanger. Powerton Lake was built in a drainage district adjacent to the Illinois and Mackinaw rivers and encompasses 1,426 acres of water. The lake was built in the shape of an extended rectangle and has very little structure. The maximum depth is 18 feet with an average depth of about 8 feet. Water flow is from the plant discharge on the lake's east side and flow is directed toward the west by a series of baffles. Water turn-over is about every 48 hours through the plant intake at maximum cooling flow capacity. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources signed a Cooperative Management Agreement with Commonwealth Edison Company in 1984 to open Powerton for fishing and waterfowl hunting. That lease was renewed in 2010 to extend another 10 years. There is a double concrete ramp and parking for 90 cars at the access, which is located along the Manito Blacktop on the south side of the lake.Fishery History
In 2001, Blue Catfish stocks were obtained from Arkansas and stocked into Powerton Lake with the hope that it would create an excellent trophy fishery. The catfish grew quickly in the warm water of the lake and had attained a size of 50 pounds by 2011. The lake has been stocked annually with this species and will be evaluated for natural reproduction. Hybrid Striped Bass have been stocked in Powerton to provide an open water predator on Gizzard Shad and Threadfin Shad. The success of these stockings is currently being evaluated. Alligator Gar were obtained from the federal hatchery system and stocked into Powerton Lake in 2011. The purpose of this stocking was to re-establish this rare fish in Illinois waters. Since the initial stocking, Alligator Gar have been collected up to 60 inches long and 65 pounds. In 2015, we stocked a total of 221,193 Smallmouth Bass 0.5 to 1.3 inches in length in order to re-establish a good breeding population of these fish in coming years. Because of difficulties in recruitment of Smallmouth Bass due to warm water in mid-summer, it is hoped that these hatchery fish will recruit and establish a very large year-class of bass. A total of 38,631 Blue Catfish were reared at Little Grassy Hatchery and stocked into Powerton Lake as 4.1 inches long in 2015. These fish should be able to maintain an excellent catfish fishery for the next few years. We were able to collect a total of 16 species of fish in our fall of 2018 fish sample. Sampled species included: Gizzard Shad, Threadfin Shad, Bigmouth Buffalo, Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, Common Carp, Smallmouth Buffalo, Freshwater Drum, Brook Silversides, Silver Carp, and Green Sunfish. Not collected were: Pirate Perch, Shortnose Gar, Alligator Gar, and Bighead Carp. Powerton Lake's fish population is influenced greatly by the elevated temperature of the water. Fish growth is very fast but reproduction is negatively affected. The power plant was off line in November and December of 2015 and water temperatures were much cooler at that time.Site Regulations
Summer Hours (May 1 - Sept. 30): 6 a.m. – 8 p.m. Winter Hours (Oct 1 - April 30): 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Powerton Lake is closed to boat traffic except for legal waterfowl hunters from 1 week prior to regular waterfowl season to February 15 and closed to all unauthorized entry during regular Canada goose and duck season. There is no horsepower restriction on boating. No swimming or wading is allowed.
Additional boating regulations include:
- Boat use is restricted to fishing and/or waterfowl hunting only; no recreational boating, sailing, kayaks or canoes allowed
- All boats must be powered by a gasoline engine
Site-Specific Fishing Regulations:
- Recreational Use Restriction: Waterfowl Refuge or Hunting Area (see above and below)
- All Fish: 2 pole and line fishing only and each pole must not have more than 2 hooks or lures attached while fishing
- Blue, Channel, or Flathead Catfish: 6 Fish Daily Harvest Limit with no more than 1 fish greater than or equal to 35 inches
- Large or Smallmouth Bass: 18 inch Minimum Length Limit; 1 Fish Daily Harvest Limit
- Striped, White, or Hybrid Striped Bass: 10 Fish Daily Harvest Limit with no more than 3 fish greater than or equal to 17 inches
- Walleye, Sauger, or Hybrid Walleye: 18 inch Minimum Length Limit; 3 Fish Daily Harvest Limit
Additional Information
2025 FALL FISHING CLOSURES:
- October 19 closed to boats
- Bank only October 19-24
- All fishing closes October 24
- Bank fishing reopens December 22
- Boat fishing reopens February 15, 2026
Planning to eat your catch? Fish Consumption Advisory information can be found here: Fish Consumption Advisory Page
Bath Map
