Lake Owen Recreation Area is a great fishing spot in Illinois, USA. Some of the prevalent fish species in the lake include largemouth bass, bluegill, black crappie, and channel catfish.

Apart from fishing, visitors to the Recreation Area can also enjoy hiking, camping, and picnicking.

For successful fishing in Lake Owen, it's recommended to use live bait, such as worms or minnows, and fish near underwater structures.

The best time of year to visit Lake Owen for fishing is from late spring to early fall when the water temperatures are warmer. The average temperature in the summer months of June, July, and August is around 75°F (24°C).

Overall, Lake Owen Recreation Area is a great spot for fishing and outdoor recreation enthusiasts in Illinois.

Featured Fish - Black Crappie

It is an abundant species and is important both commercially and as a sport fish. Black crappies are easily caught, often as fast as the hook can be rebaited. The following are fishing methods used to catch this fish: Though they show a definite family resemblance, they are distinctive enough that they shouldn’t be confused with any other species. The black crappie and the white crappie are most often confused with each other. Despite their common names, both species are the same color (dark olive or black dorsally with silvery sides) and both have spots on the sides. However, the pattern of the spotting is distinctly different. In the black crappie the spots are more or less irregular and scattered while in the white crappie the spots may be more vague and are clearly arranged into 7-9 vertical bars on the sides. Another distinction; the black crappie has 7-8 dorsal spines while the white crappie has only 6, the same number as in its anal fin. In body shape the black crappie’s is somewhat deeper than the white crappie.