Goose Lake Fishing near Barrington Hills, Illinois

• Overview

  Goose Lake is set in Cook County, Illinois. It sits in lake country bush country. This is a pocket water of some 24 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. About 0.9 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Illinois listings. 1.6 miles away sits Barrington Hills, the nearest town. Further out sit Barrington (2.7 miles) and Cuba (3.3 miles). The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Goose Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Fish documented in Cook County include common carp, bluegill, green sunfish, gizzard shad and goldfish. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Fish Goose Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 72°F, while January sits near 20°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. After late March the shallows warm and the fish move up. The season between ice runs from about late March to mid December. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. That shapes the year on Goose Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Parking is not close: half a mile from the bank, and no nearer option is mapped. There are toilets half a mile off. Horizon Farm takes in this water; protected-area rules will apply. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Should this one be busy, Spring Lake is 1.7 miles off. Treat access at Goose Lake as something to verify.