Horseshoe Lake in Tazewell County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Tazewell County, Illinois, is where Horseshoe Lake sits. The surface lies 456 feet up. This is a pocket water of some 10 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. The closest town, South Pekin, is 4.7 miles distant. Further out sit Manito (5.3 miles) and Glasford (6.5 miles). Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Horseshoe Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Species logged across Tazewell County include common carp, white perch, goldfish and bluegill. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Read Horseshoe Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 76°F at the top of summer and 23°F at the bottom of winter. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. After mid March the shallows warm and the fish move up. The open-water window runs from around mid March to about late December in an average year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Plan around that when you fish Horseshoe Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Failing this one, try Powerton Cooling Lake, 4 miles away. The position on Horseshoe Lake is worth confirming on the day.