Lakes within 4 hour drive of St. Louis MO/Springfield IL?
 

Here's my dilemma... I'm off work Tuesday-Thursday this week and was planning on towing to LOTO to put some hours on my boat. Unfortunately, rain is forecasted at LOTO all three days. Any suggestions of other nice lakes I can pull to in hopes of dodging a rainy forecast? I would really like some suggestions as its my last chance to boat til early May.

Kentucky lake?

Not sure where Sunny Acres, IL is located but if your near the middle of the state its 4.5 hours to Kentucky Lake. Its a large lake and you can run pretty much anywhere without fear plus the marina resturants are open. Problem is the forecast looks the same for those days. if you go and venture over to Lake Barkley via the barge canel near the dam just stay in the channel on Barkley if you dont know the lake.

I was at LOTO all week last week. There was chance of rain in the forecast most of the week. Ended up in the 80s all week and sunny every day - not a drop of rain. I'd probably go with LOTO since there is so much to do there even if you do get a little rain.

Litchfield / Lake Yeager near you
Shellbyville near Effingham, IL.
Kincaid Lake south of Nashville, IL.
Carlyle Lake, IL.

Really just depends on lake levels, size of your boat and what you hope to accomplish. Kinciad is usually pretty deep and its clean.

Hope that helps!!

You can go to shelbyville, up in illinois. Nice lake, they call it the "mini loto". Went there for july 4th last year. It was a very nice lake, gotta watch shallow spots in some areas though..

Kincaid Lake south of Nashville, IL.

Clinton Lake is pretty decent. I always have fun there.

Thanks for all the replies guys :drink:

We normally boat Shelbyville or Carlyle three "weekends" a month and LOTO once a month. I'll be checking the forecast/radar where you guys suggested in hopes I can avoid the rain headed this way...
http://images.intellicast.com/WxImages/Radar/usa.gif

Water temp up to 77 already under the first bridge.

That close to pool 26 and still wanting to drive hours to a lake?? Lots of boats runnin the river last weekend.

I catch **** from the local guys a lot about that. The reason is that I had two gouges in the bottom of my old Outlaw due to hitting sticks at 60+mph on the Alton pool of the Mississippi. You know how I keep my stuff flawless and I swore I wouldn't go again.

Now if the Alton pool was as nice as your Quad Cities pool on the Mississippi, I'd do it in a heartbeat. The water up there is clearer than at the Ozarks. Down here its muddy as hell from the Illinois/Missouri rivers dumping into it.

That's not mud from the IL river.....lol

Cant imagine what floats down after the White Trash Bash..:eekdrop:

A lot of women's morals

A lot of people's dignity and morals.

Mine included.

LOL.

GODDAMN IT BDUBS. You ninja'd me by 4 minutes.

:lolhit: I wish I could have made it up for WTB last year. Where's all the "good" pics at?

On my camera :)

Some guys at work who fish a lot at shelbyville say the water level is really low, but I cant confirm.

It is. I saw a picture a few days ago of where I ramp at and the courtesy docks are on the dry lake bottom. Carlyle is up and all the docks are in.

Yea, it's the worst I've seen in in seven years...

Have you tried Rend Lake south of Mt. Vernon, pretty nice lake, one restaurant & bar on the lake, water level is good.

Hey 253 where do you live in Southern IL. I live in Zeigler and we boat a lot on Kincaid and Kentucky Lake. We also head to LOTO when we can.

I must have missed this post...

I've been to Rend Lake once in my last boat and had a great time. I heard it can get shallow though in some spots. I'm planning on a trip to Shelbyville soon since it has come up enough now. I'm headed to LOTO tomorrow and should be bringing my boat home Thursday after my upgrades are finished.

I am west of Mt. Vernon, we go to Rend Lake & Ky. Lake , have not been to Kincaid for 10 years, water level on Rend Lake is good, just stay 200 ft. from the shorelines , you will be ok., ,We got the Fountain out Sunday for 1st. time this year on Rend & she ran real good, a lot of boats were running.,a nice hot day.

I've never been to Rend. Some friends started going down there 2 years ago and they say they love it. Others I have spoken to say they hate it. I would like to try Rend this year, but it is a little too far for me to drive (from alton) for a 1 day trip.

Rend Lake Resort has Condo's and Cabins to rent, on the lake , they are very nice, call ahead as they sell out fast.

I used the ramp across the lake from the beach and had no problems. I was told by my local friends to stay out of the upper part of the lake though.
You've probably seen my boat before.

I live about 20 miles NE of you and have done Rend lake on a 1 day trip. It's not bad at all as long as you leave early. But then again, I don't mind a 1 1/2hr pull one way for a day trip or the 4hr pull one way to LOTO for a weekend trip.