Lake Number 5, Illinois: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Williamson County, Illinois, this is Lake Number 5. What surrounds it is farm and woodlot. The water covers some 27 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. There is roughly 1.5 miles of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Johnston City lies 1.9 miles from the water. Evansville sits 73 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Lake Number 5

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Across Williamson County, recorded fish include bluegill, green sunfish, longear sunfish, warmouth and orangethroat darter. The county list is broader than any single water. On this water that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 78°F, the coldest about 31°F. Fishing continues through most of the calendar, with quiet spells rather than closures. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. This water fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. For the carp, bait a margin spot and sit on it; corn and bread still work. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Sweet Lake sits 0.9 miles off and takes the overflow. Where this water is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.