Lake Carroll (Illinois)
General data
- Name: Lake Carroll (Illinois)
- Water system: Mississippi River
- Water type: Artificial lake
- Progression: Mississippi River -> Gulf of Mexico -> Atlantic Ocean -> Planet Earth
- Climates: Subtropical, Temperate
- Continents: North America
- Countries: United States of America
Lake Carroll is a private man-made recreational lake located in Carroll County, Illinois. It was formed in 1974 by the damming of the east fork of the Plum River near the town of Lanark, Illinois. The earthen dam[2] is owned and operated by the Lake Carroll Association. It is the largest private lake in the state of Illinois. Access to the lake is permitted only to members of the Lake Carroll Association, which is composed of the owners of property both on and off the lake.
Lake Carroll has a wide range of Illinois species: sunfish (bluegill, redear, pumpkinseed), yellow perch, black and white crappie, walleye, bass (smallmouth, largemouth, & white), muskie, northern pike, catfish (channel and flathead), and carp. Lake Carroll maintains its own fish hatchery for walleyes and restocks the lake each fall. Currently, there are private bass tournaments held spring through fall. Weight limits are for a 5-fish creel, and tournament weights are consistently over 18 pounds, with winning weights commonly over 20 pounds. To help grow the fishery, all smallmouth and largemouth bass are catch-and-release.
