Fishing Cross Slough in Mason County, Illinois

• Overview

  Mason County in Illinois is where Cross Slough sits. The water sits 430 feet up. Around 4.3 sq miles of open water: conditions change from one end to the other. Nothing else we list in Mason County covers more water. The nearest town is Astoria, 8.9 miles away. Further out sit Beardstown (11 miles) and Virginia (12 miles). Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Cross Slough

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Species logged across Mason County include common carp, goldfish, white perch and channel catfish. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. The near bank of Cross Slough is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 76°F, while January sits near 25°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early March. Average temperatures cross freezing around early March in spring and again near late December in autumn. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. On Cross Slough that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. The nearest alternative is Ingram Lake, 0.7 miles out. Confirm access to Cross Slough locally before you travel.