Lake Sunset, Illinois: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Lake Sunset lies in Lee County, in Illinois. It lies 902 feet above sea level. At roughly 5 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. On size it sits at the modest end of our Lee County list. The nearest town is Amboy, 4.8 miles away. It is 44 miles to Rockford, the nearest city. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Lake Sunset

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Fish documented in Lee County include johnny darter, white sucker and green sunfish. The county list is broader than any single water. Anyone new to Lake Sunset should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 72°F in July and bottoms out near 19°F in January. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late March. The lid tends to go about late March and return around mid December. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. On Lake Sunset that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Parking is not close: 0.9 miles from the bank, and no nearer option is mapped. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. The nearest alternative is Black Oak Lake, 0.7 miles out. Treat Lake Sunset as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.