Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area in Wayne County, Illinois, is a protected tract of 1,302 acres centered on Sam Dale Lake, a 194-acre reservoir. The area is named for Sam Dale, who served in the Illinois State House and later as a superintendent. The lake reaches a maximum depth of 18 feet and normally sits at an elevation of 463 feet above sea level. Today, the site combines the lake and its surrounding protected lands under state management for fish and wildlife.