Lake Metonga Fishing in Kankakee County, Illinois

• Overview

  Within Kankakee County, Illinois, you have Lake Metonga. It lies 709 feet above sea level. At 16 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Nearest place of any size is Grant Park, 0.5 miles away. Beyond it, Momence at 5 miles and Beecher at 7.3 miles. Within a short run: Mirror Lake 5.3 miles away, Monee Reservoir just 12 miles, Lake Bel-Aire 13 miles away, Redwing Lake just 14 miles and Cedar Lake 14 miles away. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Lake Metonga

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Public occurrence data for Kankakee County names johnny darter, redfin pickerel, rock bass, green sunfish and banded darter. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On Lake Metonga a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 73°F and January near 22°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Look for the thaw near mid March; the fishing lifts straight after. Climate averages put the opening at about mid March and the closing near mid December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. It holds true on Lake Metonga more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Mirror Lake sits 5.3 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the position on Lake Metonga before loading the car.