Belly Deep Slough Fishing in Cook County, Illinois

• Overview

  Belly Deep Slough belongs to Cook County, Illinois. The water sits 663 feet up. At roughly 14 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Hickory Hills lies 1.7 miles from the water. The nearest city of size is Chicago, 14 miles away. Others close at hand: Cranberry Slough 0.4 miles, Red Wing Slough a touch under 0.4 miles, Suttonbush Slough 0.5 miles, Hidden Pond Slough a touch under 0.8 miles and Pollywog Slough 1 mile. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Belly Deep Slough

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Cook County records list common carp, bluegill, green sunfish, gizzard shad and goldfish among the fish reported. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Fish Belly Deep Slough to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 74°F and January at 22°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid March. Ice clears near mid March and comes back about mid December in a typical year. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Belly Deep Slough.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Belly Deep Slough offers parking about half a mile from the water. Mapping shows a picnic spot within half a mile. There are toilets half a mile off. White Oak Woods runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Cranberry Slough, 0.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Treat Belly Deep Slough as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.