Forest Lake Club Lake Fishing Guide, Macoupin County, Illinois

• Overview

  Forest Lake Club Lake is one of the Macoupin County listings for Illinois. Elevation runs to 597 feet. This is a pocket water of some 7 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is a small entry by Macoupin County standards. For supplies, Staunton is 1.3 miles out. For a city, St. Louis is 35 miles off. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Forest Lake Club Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Open biodiversity records for Macoupin County list green sunfish, bluegill and white sucker. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Forest Lake Club Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 77°F at the top of summer and 27°F at the bottom of winter. Conditions shift steadily rather than sharply. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. Forest Lake Club Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. The closest car park is half a mile away, so pack accordingly. 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. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Should this one be busy, Staunton Country Club Lake is 1.3 miles off. Signs at Forest Lake Club Lake carry more weight than any list.