Fishing at Brushy Lake, Monroe County, Illinois

• Overview

  Look for Brushy Lake in Monroe County, Illinois. The surface lies 387 feet up. With some 27 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. It is low-lying compared with other Illinois water we list. You are 4.7 miles from New Athens. The nearest city of size is St. Louis, 29 miles away. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Brushy Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Records held for Monroe County cover bluegill, green sunfish, gizzard shad and orangethroat darter. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Read Brushy Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 78°F and January near 30°F. Seasons here are moderate, and the fishing runs most of the year. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. It holds true on Brushy Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. A boat ramp sits half a mile away, so trailered boats can get on. Mapping shows a jetty some half a mile off. Catfish want bait on the bottom: cut bait or worms, a simple running rig, and patience after dark. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Failing this one, try Hentzels Lake, 0.6 miles away. Signs at Brushy Lake carry more weight than any list.