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Rend Lake is a reservoir located in Illinois. At around 18,900 acres (about 30 square miles), it is a large waterbody. Sitting at around 405 feet of elevation, it drops to a maximum depth near 35 feet. Fish documented in the area include Channel Catfish, White Crappie, White Bass, and Largemouth Bass. LakeRadar pulls readings from a mapped water gauge, so current water data is shown when the station reports. Nearby alternatives include Carlyle Lake, Crab Orchard Lake, and Kinkaid Lake. For this location, LakeRadar tracks an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, water readings, fishing conditions, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. Use the conditions and forecast on this page to decide when to go boating, fishing, or paddling at Rend Lake.
Updated
Latest source update is older than expected. Use caution and check the official source.
The last automated check (Oct 9, 12:13 PM CDT) found no active alerts for this lake, but that check is older than LakeRadar's alert freshness window, so the current alert status could not be confirmed.
Confirm before heading out: official alerts for this area or weather.gov/alerts. LakeRadar scores summarize available conditions and are not a substitute for official warnings, local rules, or on-water judgment.
Overall Good (88/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Boating (94/100).
How the score is calculated →Best excellent fishing window, averaging 96/100 across these hours. Wind 6 mph from the southeast. Dusk hours (19:00 local). Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 80° | 81° | 81° | 83° | 83° | 82° | 80° | 75° | 72° | 70° | 69° | 69° | 69° | 68° | 67° | 66° | 66° | 65° | 65° | 64° | 63° | 65° | 67° | 69° |
| Wind (kts) | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Direction | SW | S | S | S | S | S | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | E | E | E | E | SE |
| Gusts (kts) | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 3% | 4% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 12 PM CDT | 80°F | 5 mph SW (225°) | 13 mph | 0% | 2% | Sunny |
| Fri, 1 PM CDT | 81°F | 7 mph S (180°) | 14 mph | 0% | 2% | Sunny |
| Fri, 2 PM CDT | 81°F | 9 mph SSE (158°) | 14 mph | 0% | 2% | Sunny |
| Fri, 3 PM CDT | 83°F | 9 mph SSE (158°) | 13 mph | 0% | 1% | Sunny |
| Fri, 4 PM CDT | 83°F | 9 mph SSE (158°) | 12 mph | 0% | 10% | Sunny |
| Fri, 5 PM CDT | 82°F | 7 mph SSE (158°) | 10 mph | 0% | 31% | Mostly Sunny |
| Fri, 6 PM CDT | 80°F | 6 mph SE (135°) | 8 mph | 0% | 29% | Partly Cloudy |
| Fri, 7 PM CDT | 75°F | 6 mph SE (135°) | 8 mph | 0% | 28% | Partly Cloudy |
| Fri, 8 PM CDT | 72°F | 6 mph ESE (113°) | 8 mph | 0% | 36% | Partly Cloudy |
| Fri, 9 PM CDT | 70°F | 6 mph ESE (113°) | 8 mph | 0% | 42% | Partly Cloudy |
| Fri, 10 PM CDT | 69°F | 7 mph ESE (113°) | 9 mph | 0% | 57% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 11 PM CDT | 69°F | 7 mph ESE (113°) | 9 mph | 0% | 62% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 12 AM CDT | 69°F | 7 mph SE (135°) | 9 mph | 0% | 54% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 1 AM CDT | 68°F | 7 mph SE (135°) | 9 mph | 0% | 59% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 2 AM CDT | 67°F | 6 mph ESE (113°) | 8 mph | 0% | 78% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 3 AM CDT | 66°F | 6 mph ESE (113°) | 8 mph | 1% | 74% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 4 AM CDT | 66°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 7 mph | 1% | 82% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 5 AM CDT | 65°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 7 mph | 1% | 78% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 6 AM CDT | 65°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 7 mph | 1% | 78% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 7 AM CDT | 64°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 7 mph | 1% | 83% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 8 AM CDT | 63°F | 6 mph E (90°) | 8 mph | 1% | 81% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 9 AM CDT | 65°F | 6 mph E (90°) | 9 mph | 2% | 91% | Cloudy |
| Sat, 10 AM CDT | 67°F | 6 mph E (90°) | 9 mph | 3% | 94% | Cloudy |
| Sat, 11 AM CDT | 69°F | 6 mph ESE (113°) | 10 mph | 4% | 93% | Cloudy |
| Sat, 12 PM CDT | 72°F | 6 mph ESE (113°) | 12 mph | 5% | 93% | Cloudy |
Official National Weather Service hourly forecast. Showing 10 of 25 hours. Wind arrows point the way the wind is blowing; the compass point and degrees show where it comes from.
| Period | This Afternoon October 9, 2026 | Tonight October 9, 2026 | Saturday October 10, 2026 | Saturday Night October 10, 2026 | Sunday October 11, 2026 | Sunday Night October 11, 2026 | Columbus Day October 12, 2026 | Monday Night October 12, 2026 | Tuesday October 13, 2026 | Tuesday Night October 13, 2026 | Wednesday October 14, 2026 | Wednesday Night October 14, 2026 | Thursday October 15, 2026 | Thursday Night October 15, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 84° | 63° | 75° | 63° | 77° | 63° | 85° | 70° | 84° | 67° | 81° | 67° | 80° | 64° |
| Wind | S 5 to 9 mph | SE 7 mph | E 5 to 17 mph | NE 10 to 20 mph | NNW 6 to 10 mph | SW 0 to 5 mph | SW 3 to 13 mph | SSW 10 to 14 mph | SW 9 to 13 mph | SSE 12 mph | SE 8 to 12 mph | SSE 13 mph | SSW 13 to 16 mph | WSW 14 mph |
| Gusts | 14 mph | 9 mph | 20 mph | 22 mph | 14 mph | 7 mph | 17 mph | 16 mph | 16 mph | 15 mph | 15 mph | 15 mph | 20 mph | 16 mph |
| Precip % | 0% | 1% | 51% | 72% | 42% | 3% | 0% | 0% | 5% | 7% | 25% | 25% | 35% | 35% |
| Forecast |
No active USGS or USACE telemetry gauge is currently mapped to Rend Lake. Not available from a verified source for this lake.
Good for fishing (85/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the southwest. 0% chance of precipitation. Not available from a verified source for this lake: pressure trend, water temperature. Confidence is moderate (74%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Excellent for boating (94/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the southwest. No active official alerts for this lake. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility and conditions, verified water access. Confidence is moderate (84%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Good for sailing (80/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. Gusts exceed sustained wind by 8 mph, making the breeze puffy. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Excellent for kayaking (94/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the southwest. Gusts to 13 mph. Confidence is high (90%).
Water temperature is not available from a verified source for this lake. No swimming score is shown without it.
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Individual boat ramp GPS coordinates are maintained under the jurisdiction of IL Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Set against IL's varied geography, Rend Lake is a prime destination for outdoor enthusiasts seeking quality fishing and open-water boating. The lake provides access via public ramps and developed parklands around its perimeter. Follow all state watercraft registration and mandatory life jacket laws during your outing.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is required for anglers age 16+. Digital license on mobile is accepted.
Current motorized watercraft registration mandatory. Practice Clean, Drain & Dry protocols: drain all livewells and inspect props before launching. Life jackets required for all passengers.
Public shoreline and boating access managed by State & Local Authorities. Verify seasonal gate hours, launch fees, and parking rules before travel.
High-speed motorboating, pontoon cruising, wakeboarding, and water skiing across main channels. Target gamefish include Channel Catfish, White Crappie, White Bass, Largemouth Bass. Morning hours typically provide optimal glassy conditions for kayak and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) touring.
Warm water temperatures, peak swimming, active watersports, and open full-service campgrounds. Highest weekly attendance; plan early arrivals on summer weekends.
Spring pre-spawn and fall feeding transitions create prime trophy angling conditions. Cooler air, lower boat traffic, and vibrant seasonal shoreline foliage.
Mild year-round outdoor climate. Uncrowded waters, active winter bass and crappie fishing, and open year-round boat launch access.
No external source rows are cited by the data currently shown on this page.
Updated
Scores are heuristics, not safety guarantees. LakeRadar scores summarize available conditions and are not a substitute for official warnings, local rules, or on-water judgment.
All telemetry for Rend Lake is synchronized directly from authorized federal and state monitoring networks (USGS, NWS, NOAA, and state environmental authorities). Observations are strictly instrumented readings — unmonitored sensors are transparently disclosed rather than synthetic estimates.
Last source audit: Oct 9, 12:39 PM CDT