Lake Shelbyville has been stocked with Smallmouth Bass and after reading the fishing report below you may feel it's a waste of time fishing for hard fighting Bronzebacks. However, Smallmouth Bass have been known to congregate in tight traveling schools and stay deep in lakes where there are Muskie. Traditional Smallmouth methods do not work. Our guests do run into these schools from time to time but we feel the main population of Smallmouth Bass are down 20 to 30 feet deep. If you pick up a school of fish with your depth finder and they are right on bottom try sinking a worm and a hook to see what happens. Deep Water Tips for Smallmouth Bass.

Lake Shelbyville has no cottages or resorts on its shores. Robin Hood Woods is only 2.5 miles from Shelbyville Lake and its multiple boat-launches.

Smallmouth Bass - poor - There has been a recent attempt to establish a foundling population of smallmouth bass in Lake Shelbyville through stockings in falls 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2010. Approximately 200 fingerling smallmouth, averaging 6.5", were stocked in 2006, 279 averaging 7.1" were stocked in 2007, 366 averaging 6.4" were stocked in 2008, and only 94 averaging 4 inches were stocked in 2010. No smallmouth bass were stocked in 2009 due to the inability to collect broodstock from the Kaskaskia River due to high flows. All smallmouth bass were stocked into the lower part of the lake. 1,435 smallmouth bass averaging 4.4" were stocked into the Kaskaskia River just above Lake Shelbyville in 2008 as well.

No smallmouth bass were collected in fall fish population surveys. A few reports from fishermen catches indicate that the initially stocked fish are doing well. There has been no evidence of spawning success as of yet. Tournament fishermen are asked to release all smallmouth bass where they are caught and are not allowed to weigh them in tournaments on Lake Shelbyville. Fish fishing prospects for smallmouth bass are poor due to low stocking densities and no evidence of natural recruitment.