Buck Lake, Illinois: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Buck Lake lies in DeKalb County, Illinois. The water sits 659 feet up. At 9 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. The nearest town is Somonauk, 1.5 miles away. It is 19 miles to Aurora, the nearest city. Others close at hand: Lake Holiday out at 2.2 miles, 5.3 miles out stands Milhurst Lake, Loon Lake out at 7.1 miles, 7.1 miles out stands Beaver Lake and Lake Plano out at 8 miles. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Buck Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Public occurrence data for DeKalb County names johnny darter, bluegill, orangethroat darter and green sunfish. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. On Buck Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 73°F on average, January about 20°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Look for the thaw near late March; the fishing lifts straight after. Ice clears near late March and comes back about mid December in a typical year. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Buck Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. The spot is marked as a fishing site on the map, 0.9 miles from our point. Picnic facilities are recorded some half a mile out. A toilet block sits half a mile away. The water borders Sannauk Forest Preserve, so expect the reserve rules to apply. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Should this one be busy, Lake Holiday is 2.2 miles off. Signs at Buck Lake carry more weight than any list.