Cross Lake Fishing near Danvers, Illinois

• Overview

  Out in McLean County, Illinois, sits Cross Lake. The surface lies 755 feet up. 4.5 miles away sits Danvers, the nearest town. Heritage Lake follows at 4.5 miles, then Mackinaw at 6.3 miles. Others worth noting: Posey Ridge Lakes after 1.1 miles, Spin Lake 1.2 miles off, Maraldo Lake after 5 miles, Mitchell Lake 6.6 miles off and Barwell Lake after 6.7 miles. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Cross Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Records held for McLean County cover johnny darter, white sucker and bluegill. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Treat Cross Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 22°F in January and 74°F in July. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid March. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid March and starts locking again about late December. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. It sets the rhythm of the year at Cross Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Posey Ridge Lakes at 1.1 miles is the sensible second choice. Confirm before you fish Cross Lake.