Edelhardt Lake Fishing near Pontoon Beach, Illinois

• Overview

  Edelhardt Lake lies in Madison County, in Illinois. The setting is farm and woodlot. This is a pocket water of some 23 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Ground here is low by Illinois standards. For supplies, Pontoon Beach is 2.9 miles out. The nearest city of size is St. Louis, 9.3 miles away. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Edelhardt Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Fish documented in Madison County include common carp, bluegill and green sunfish. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. The shape of Edelhardt Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 78°F; by January the average is down near 29°F. Ice comes and goes from one year to the next. It is not guaranteed even in a cold spell, so check yourself. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Plan around that when you fish Edelhardt Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. The nearest alternative is McDonough Lake, 1.7 miles out. Check the position on Edelhardt Lake before loading the car.