Lake Jasper Fishing in Jasper County, Illinois

• Overview

  Jasper County, Illinois, is where Lake Jasper sits. Land around it is rolling hill. At 14 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. The town to know is Newton, 2.9 miles out. Oblong follows at 11 miles, then Greenup at 17 miles. More in the same country: Sam Parr Lake 0.6 miles away, Newton Lake within 11 miles, Oblong Lake 11 miles away, Circle Pond within 14 miles and Nix Lake 15 miles away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lake Jasper

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Survey and observation records for Jasper County include green sunfish, channel catfish, bluegill, shorthead redhorse and black bullhead. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. At Lake Jasper light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 77°F; the cold one sits at 27°F. Fishing continues through most of the calendar, with quiet spells rather than closures. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. On Lake Jasper the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. You can launch from a ramp around half a mile away. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. For a change of water, Sam Parr Lake is 0.6 miles distant. Signs at Lake Jasper carry more weight than any list.