Lake Carlton Fishing in Whiteside County, Illinois

• Overview

  Lake Carlton is listed under Whiteside County, Illinois. It sits at 659 feet above sea level. With some 72 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The whole outline is near 1.9 miles, and most of it is walkable. It is the biggest water on our Whiteside County list. The town to know is Morrison, 2.4 miles out. Beyond it, Fulton at 10 miles and Clinton at 11 miles. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Lake Carlton

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Records held for Whiteside County cover common carp, johnny darter, green sunfish, smallmouth bass and white sucker. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. On Lake Carlton a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 19°F in January up to 73°F in July. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late March. Ice usually gives way near late March, and forms again about mid December. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Plan any trip to Lake Carlton around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. There is a slipway on the shore, half a mile from the water we list. There is a car park half a mile from the bank. A jetty or pier is mapped about 130 yards from here. A picnic spot sits half a mile from the bank. There are toilets mapped about half a mile away. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. If the gate is shut, Wares Lake at 9.7 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Lake Carlton.