Fishing at Horton Lake, Hancock County, Illinois

• Overview

  Hancock County, Illinois, is where Horton Lake sits. It lies 607 feet above sea level. At 11 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Our Hancock County list holds plenty of bigger water. The nearest town is Nauvoo, 0.3 miles away. Beyond it, Fort Madison at 6.8 miles and Keokuk at 10 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Horton Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. County-wide records name green sunfish, white sucker and johnny darter. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Anyone new to Horton Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 23°F in January and 76°F in July. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Count the season from break-up, usually mid March. Break-up sits around mid March on average, with the water closing again about late December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. It holds true on Horton Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. A parking area is marked roughly half a mile out. Facilities include toilets around half a mile from here. Nauvoo State Park covers this ground, which means extra rules to check. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. If the gate is shut, Carthage Lake at 15 miles is the nearest alternative. Rules at Horton Lake are worth checking on the day.