Frye Lake Fishing near Orion, Illinois

• Overview

  Illinois holds Frye Lake, in Mercer County. Beyond the shoreline you have pine and birch. Around 119 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. Some 3.1 miles of bank gives room to move when the wind turns. Of the waters listed here in Mercer County, this is the largest. You are 6.9 miles from Orion. Further out sit Coal Valley (9.2 miles) and Milan (12 miles). You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Frye Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Mercer County records list channel catfish, johnny darter and green sunfish among the fish reported. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Fish Frye Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 74°F in July and bottom out at 21°F in January. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid March. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid March and starts locking again about mid December. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Plan around that when you fish Frye Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. The closest car park is half a mile away, so pack accordingly. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. For a change of water, Karl Lake is 1.1 miles distant. Signs at Frye Lake carry more weight than any list.