Brush Creek Fishing Guide, Coles County, Illinois

• Overview

  The Coles County end of Illinois holds Brush Creek. It sits at 630 feet above sea level. Neoga lies 3.4 miles from the water. Then Mattoon, 8.9 miles, and Windsor, 9.3 miles. Within a short drive: Lake Mattoon within 1.4 miles, Lake Matton at 3 miles, Lake Windermere within 11 miles, Woodbury Lake at 14 miles and Lake Shelbyville within 14 miles. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Brush Creek

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. The outside of each bend cuts deepest and holds the better fish. Log jams gather bait and everything that eats it. Fish documented in Coles County include longear sunfish, bluegill and johnny darter. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Brush Creek a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 76°F in July and bottoms out near 26°F in January. The season stretches long at both ends here. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. That is the shape of the year on Brush Creek.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. There is somewhere to leave the car, half a mile off. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. If the gate is shut, Lake Mattoon at 1.4 miles is the nearest alternative. For Brush Creek, the notice at the access point is the final word.