Fairwood Lake Fishing Guide, Saint Clair County, Illinois

• Overview

  Fairwood Lake sits in Saint Clair County, out in Illinois. The ground around here is open valley. Surface area runs to about 16 acres — small enough to read in one session. On our Saint Clair County list it sits near the top for size. The closest town, O'Fallon, is 0.8 miles away. Shiloh lies 3 miles off, Fairview Heights another 4.6 miles. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Fairwood Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Open biodiversity records for Saint Clair County list bluegill, green sunfish and largemouth bass. The county list is broader than any single water. Fish Fairwood Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 28°F and July at about 78°F, the water has a wide range to work through. In milder years the surface never sets. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. Anyone fishing Fairwood Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. The closest car park is half a mile away, so pack accordingly. There is a toilet block some half a mile out. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. If the gate is shut, Lake Suzanne at 2.5 miles is the nearest alternative. Where Fairwood Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.