Allison Lake in Logan County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Logan County, Illinois, sits Allison Lake. The bank is 554 feet above sea level. Around 59 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. The edge runs 1.1 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Lincoln sits 2.6 miles from the bank. Springfield sits 28 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Allison Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Logan County records list common carp, golden redhorse and johnny darter among the fish reported. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Allison Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 76°F and January near 24°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid March. Break-up sits around mid March on average, with the water closing again about late December. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Time your trip to Allison Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Lincoln Lakes, 2.9 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Nothing on Allison Lake should be assumed from this page alone.