Fishing at Lake Edward, Macoupin County, Illinois

• Overview

  Lake Edward lies in Macoupin County, Illinois. Country round the bank runs to rolling hill. About 8 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. For a base, Gillespie sits 2.3 miles out. St. Louis sits 42 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Lake Edward

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Species logged across Macoupin County include green sunfish, bluegill, white sucker and yellow bullhead. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. On Lake Edward the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 77°F on average, January about 26°F. Ice comes and goes from one year to the next. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. That is the shape of the year on Lake Edward. A settled week fishes better than a changeable one.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Old Mount Olive Reservoir, 3.8 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm access to Lake Edward locally before you travel.