Kinkaid Lake

Kinkaid Lake is a reservoir located in southwestern Illinois. Entirely within Jackson County, the lake is approximately northwest of Murphysboro and southeast of St. Louis.

History and ownership

Kinkaid Lake was built in 1968 with an average depth of , although the area near the dam (on the southernmost tip) is approximately deep. The lake encompasses of , which wind around the northwestern hills of Shawnee National Forest. The ownership of the surrounding land is divided among three entities; the Illinois Department of Natural Resources manages approximately , while an additional are managed by the U.S. Forest Service. Kinkaid-Reed's Creek Conservancy District oversees the remaining .

Features

Natural features

Topography varies, from sandstone bluff formations to rolling hills surrounding the lake. In the rolling hills, oak and hickory trees predominate. Numerous flat contours are planted with prairie grasses, cool-season grasses, and wildlife food plots.

Camping

Picnic tables, shelters, charcoal grills and restroom facilities are provided at both Johnson Creek Recreation Area and Paul Ice Recreation Area. The second rest area also has playground equipment. Camping is permitted by the U.S. Forest Service, with locations at the Kinkaid-Reed's Creek Conservancy District and the Johnson Creek Recreation Area at Kinkaid Village Marina. Kinkaid Village Marina has 28 shaded RV sites with a picnic table and BBQ grill. There is also water, electric, and sewer at each site. In addition, there is over 100 campsites that can be rented on an annual basis. The marina also offers many other conveniences including: a campers store, hot showers, restaurant, free boat docks, boat sales and boat service. Camping is not permitted on any property held by the Department of Natural Resources.

Fishing

Kinkaid Lake provides opportunities for those interested in fishing for largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, catfish, walleye and muskie types of fish. "Natural strain" muskellunges were first stocked at Kinkaid Lake in 1985, and the lake began producing fish up to 40 inches in length by 1990 (after only five years of growth).

In November 1998, construction of a spilling retention barrier was completed. This device was designed to keep the muskies in the lake (when the lake overflows into the spillway), but also offers the added benefit of keeping larger variants of walleye, bass, crappie, and striped bass from escaping.

The lake is the home of the Shawnee Chapter of Muskies Inc.

Hunting

Statewide regulations for the state of Illinois govern hunting at the Kinkaid Lake site. Within state regulations and seasons, species commonly available for hunting are deer, turkey, squirrel, quail, rabbit, dove, and waterfowl.

Boating

Four boat ramps are available to the public with a full-service marina also available. No horsepower restrictions apply at these areas, although numerous no-wake areas exist on the lake for safety and other reasons. The IDNR has recently added a speed limit during the daytime and speed limit at night.