Where we are

Located near Rend Lake in Southern Illinois, The Boneyard is about an hour from St Louis and about 4 hours from Chicago. We are right in the middle of some of the best crappie fishing in the Midwest.

What to Expect

When you fish with The Boneyard Fishing Guide Service, you’re treated like family.
And in our family…we catch fish!

If you are planning to fish for 2 or more days, we can provide quality overnight accommodations in our Boneyard Lodge located just minutes from the lake. In fact we are one of the only fishing outfitters in Southern Illinois that offers onsite overnight accomodations in a private hunting and fishing lodge!

Your day will start by meeting you guide at the boat ramp of the lake you’ll be fishing. We will have the boat loaded with bait and gear, and the livewell ready to fill with fish.

It helps if you have your fishing license purchased ahead of time. If not there are several nearby places where you can buy your license. But if you have it, we can get on the water quicker.

We always recommend that our clients bring raingear, even if it looks sunny. Southern Illinois weather can change often, so it is better to be prepared.

Here are other items that you should bring:

• fishing license

• jacket

• sunglasses

• sunscreen

• snacks

When we are done fishing, your guide will fillet your catch and bag it for the trip home. So be sure to bring a small cooler.

Equipment and Gear

We will be fishing comfortably out a 21 foot X Series Triton with a 250HP Mercury. I update my boat and all electronics every two years to make sure that we have the latest technology to get clients on fish. I also use the finest fishing equipment and tackle that is available on the market to make sure we are successful on the water. We are going to make sure our guests have the best southern Illinois guided crappie fishing experience around, and in style and comfort.

Lodging

After a day in the field or on the water, kick back and relax in the Boneyard Lodge and swap stories with good friends and a cold beverage. As a true hunting and fishing lodge we like to give our clients an experience that can’t be found anywhere else in Southern Illinois.

For our hunting and fishing guests, we offer a few overnight lodging options.
We are currently working on constructing a new lodge just minutes from Rend Lake. We like to offer our hunters and fishermen and women some the most outstanding overnight accommodations in Southern Illinois.

The new lodge will have clean guest rooms, large bathrooms with private showers, a full service kitchen, dining room, big screen TV living room area, and a grilling patio to grill or fry fish. We added a Blackstone Flat iron to the grilling area!

Hunting

The Boneyard is also a hunting outfitter. There may be times of the year where you will share camp with some of our hunting clients. We have found that this just adds to the comaraderie that makes The Boneyard a truly special place to fish. We love to swap stories in one of Southern Illinois true hunting and fishing lodge.

Bonfires and Home Cooked Meals

We have a lot of repeat customers…and for good reason. As a full service guide and outfitter business, we have everything that outdoorsmen and women love. Home-cooked meals, bonfires in the evening, and a vibe that few places have. When you’re here, you are part of the Boneyard family. We love to share a great meal and tell stories. You will leave here with new friends.

Overnight Lodging

In addition to our guided fishing, we offer fantastic affordable lodging to the do-it-yourslef fishermen. If you are coming down to fish for a few days, give us a call and we can provide overnight accommodations in a true hunting and fishing lodge. And all the fish stories you want to hear!

Contact Us and Book
Jason Johns 618-927-3432

To learn more about the Boneyard experience, call Jason Johns at 618-927-3432