Ridge Lake Biological Station
17211 Ridge Lake Road
Charleston, IL
61920
217-345-6490
Fishing Creel
Ridge Lake is home to one of the
longest running fishing creels in the world! Anglers are welcome to participate
in the creel by fishing at the lake during open times each summer. All fish
caught are measured and weighed by Illinois Natural History Staff and read for
tags. This data is part of numerous ongoing studies on bluegill, largemouth
bass, and muskie populations.
Ridge Lake is open to the public for fishing each year from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Anglers are provided with rowboats free of charge. Boats are available by reservation. Drop ins are welcome and are subject to availability. Hours of operation are Thursday through Sunday of each week from 2 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Ridge Lake has fishing for largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, muskie and walleye, and anglers are allowed to keep fish that are legal size. Regulations are a 14-inch minimum size limit for bass, walleye, and catfish, and an 8-inch size limit, ten fish bag limit for bluegill. Muskie were recently stocked and are small in size and fishing is catch and release. Ridge Lake is located inside Fox Ridge State park off IL 130 south of Charleston. For more information, or to make reservations, contact the lake during open hours at 217-345-6490 or email Matt Diana at mattd@illinois.edu.
Staff
Matt Diana - Fisheries Biologist /
Assistant Director
Matt's Homepage
Dan Oele - Resident Technician
(and Rugby the Dog) 
Summer Interns are responsible for running the creel in the
summer.
If interested in employment opportunities, please contact Matt Diana
at 217-728-4851 during the work week.
History
On April 17, 1941, the valve was
closed at Ridge Lake making it the first state managed water with the ability to
control water level and drain that was dedicated to research. The land was
donated to the Illinois Natural History Survey as a land gift to the state from
Charleston citizens. The original director was Dr. George W. Bennett who used
the lake to perform research on species stocking combinations. Initially the
lake was stocked with 100 LMB adults that spawned 38 broods for an estimated
76,000 total fry. It was stocked again with 335 yearling LMB June 18, 1941 to
prey on fry and add to spawning crop following year. Ridge Lake was opened for
fishing June 17 1942 (through Oct 30). The lake became a two species fishery
when 136 bluegill were added on June 27 and July13, 1944. The fishing creel has
run continuous since its opening in 1942 and has been the location of numerous
studies on fish ecology.
