Kaskaskia River Fishing Spot

• Elevation: 683'
• Last Modified By: vinny60 on 09/09/09 07:50 PM
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The Kaskaskia River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 320 mi (515 km) long, in central and southern Illinois in the United States. The second largest river system within Illinois, it drains a rural area of farms, as well as rolling hills along river bottoms of hardwood forests in its lower reaches. The Kaskaskia rises in east central Illinois in several farm ditches along the west side of Champaign. The official origin of the River is just north of Interstate 74, where it is marked with a sign. The River flows south across rural Champaign and Douglas counties, then southwest across southern Illinois, past Vandalia. It joins the Mississippi from the north approximately 10 mi (16 km) northwest of Chester and 40 mi SSE of St. Louis, Missouri. The watershed of the river encompasses approximately 5,746 square miles (14,950 km²), approximately 10.2% of the entire state of Illinois. Concrete launch ramps are provided on the Kaskaskia River at Fayetteville, New Athens, on Highway 154 west of Baldwin, and at Evansville. "No-wake" zones exist near the ramps and industrial sites. Also, all of the oxbows have been designated as "no-wake" zones and boaters must operate their watercraft accordingly in these areas. The Kaskaskia River State Fish & Wildlife Area (KRFWA) is one of the largest state-owned and managed sites in Illinois. Located 35 miles southeast of St. Louis, Missouri, the area comprises more than 20,000 acres and extends along the Kaskaskia River from Fayetteville to the Mississippi River in St. Clair, Monroe, and Randolph counties. The Illinois Department of Transportation owns the land along the river and leases most of the land to the Department of Natural Resources to manage for fish, wildlife, and other recreational activities. There are a few areas which are managed by the Kaskaskia River Port District for industrial use and are unavailable for public use. Fishing is the most popular activity on the Kaskaskia River. The area contains 36 miles of channelized river, plus additional oxbows, creeks, and river bottom lakes for the angler to enjoy. Fishing for channel catfish and flathead catfish is especially popular at this site and offers both day and night fishing opportunities. Other species include largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, carp, and freshwater drum. All exist in good numbers and provide excellent fishing throughout the year.

The Kaskaskia River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 320 miles (515 km) long, in central and southern Illinois in the United States. The second largest river system within Illinois, it drains a rural area of farms, as well as rolling hills along river bottoms of hardwood forests in its lower reaches.