Fishing at Little Shadow Lake, Will County, Illinois

• Overview

  Little Shadow Lake stands in Will County, Illinois. The bank is 564 feet above sea level. It covers about 6 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Braidwood at 2.1 miles is the nearest place to stop. Beyond it, Lakewood Shores at 2.4 miles and Wilmington at 2.6 miles. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Little Shadow Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. County-wide records name common carp, green sunfish, threadfin shad and bluegill. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Little Shadow Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 74°F and January near 22°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid March. Break-up near mid March, freeze-up near late December: that is the shape of an average year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. It sets the rhythm of the year at Little Shadow Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Expect 0.9 miles away in from where the car goes. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Dinosaur Lake, 1 mile away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position on Little Shadow Lake before loading the car.