Lake Holiday, Illinois: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The LaSalle County end of Illinois holds Lake Holiday. Height above sea level is 633 feet. Surface area runs to roughly 309 acres, so plan for one area rather than the whole. The perimeter runs near 6.5 miles, so plan the walk before you start. Of the waters listed here in LaSalle County, this is the largest. 0.2 miles away sits Lake Holiday, the nearest town. Aurora is the closest city, 21 miles away. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Lake Holiday

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. County-wide records name bluegill, green sunfish and smallmouth bass. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Fish Lake Holiday to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 73°F, while January sits near 20°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late March. Averages suggest open water from about late March through to roughly mid December. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. At Lake Holiday the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. If the gate is shut, Buck Lake at 2.2 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the position at Lake Holiday before loading the car.