Cranberry Lake, Illinois: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  You will find Cranberry Lake in Lake County, Illinois. The water sits 771 feet up. About 18 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Lake County. Round Lake Park is the closest town at 0.4 miles. It is 24 miles to Elgin, the nearest city. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Cranberry Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Records held for Lake County cover bluegill, common carp, green sunfish and pumpkinseed. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Cranberry Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 72°F and January at 20°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. The lid usually goes in late March, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Open water usually runs from late March until about mid December. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. It holds true on Cranberry Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. You can leave the car about half a mile from the water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Should this one be busy, Highland Lake is 0.7 miles off. Check the current arrangement for Cranberry Lake.