Honey Lake Fishing near North Barrington, Illinois

• Overview

  Honey Lake falls in Lake County, part of Illinois. It lies 784 feet above sea level. It runs to roughly 65 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Bank access stretches around 1.1 miles in total. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Illinois listings. Supplies mean a trip to North Barrington, 0.7 miles off. Lake Barrington lies 1.4 miles off, Lake Zurich another 1.9 miles. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Honey Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name bluegill, common carp, green sunfish and pumpkinseed. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Read Honey Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 72°F, with January the cold end at about 20°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Count the season from break-up, usually late March. Ice clears near late March and comes back about mid December in a typical year. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. On Honey Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is recorded parking some half a mile off. A pier 0.9 miles from here gives a platform over deeper water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Grassy Lake sits 1.1 miles off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for Honey Lake in what we hold.