Fishing at Green Lake, DuPage County, Illinois

• Overview

  This water sits in DuPage County, Illinois. It lies 653 feet above sea level. At roughly 9 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. The nearest place of any size is Addison, 1.4 miles away. Then Elmhurst, 2 miles, and Villa Park, 2.1 miles. Water in the same corner: Stonewort Pond 0.4 miles away, Riverbend Pond within 0.5 miles, Sunfish Pond 4.6 miles away, Rush Lake within 4.6 miles and Lake Kadijah 4.9 miles away. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Green Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. DuPage County records list bluegill, green sunfish, common carp and white sucker among the fish reported. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Fish Green Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 74°F; the cold one sits at 22°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Winter locks it down, and mid March brings it back. Break-up near mid March, freeze-up near mid December: that is the shape of an average year. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. That is the shape of the year on Green Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Parking within half a mile means no long carry with tackle. There is a jetty half a mile off, worth knowing on a busy day. This sits inside Cricket Creek County Forest Preserve, so read the reserve notices first. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Stonewort Pond, 0.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. What applies at Green Lake may have changed since it was mapped.