Carter Pond Fishing Guide, DeWitt County, Illinois

• Overview

  Carter Pond is one of the DeWitt County waters in Illinois. Height above sea level is 748 feet. You can fish the entire water from one spot if you pick it well. Some 8.4 miles away sits Clinton, the nearest settlement. It is 52 miles to Springfield, the nearest city. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Carter Pond

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish documented in DeWitt County include golden redhorse, johnny darter, white sucker and shorthead redhorse. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Treat Carter Pond as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 75°F, with January the cold end at about 24°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid March. Expect the water usable from around mid March until roughly late December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Expect Carter Pond to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Catfish want bait on the bottom: cut bait or worms, a simple running rig, and patience after dark. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Clinton Lake Marina sits 4.3 miles off and takes the overflow. For Carter Pond, the notice at the access point is the final word.