Fishing Mitchell Lake in Tazewell County, Illinois

• Overview

  Illinois holds Mitchell Lake, in Tazewell County. The surface lies 709 feet up. The water measures roughly 10 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. Nearest town is Mackinaw, 1.7 miles off. Heritage Lake is 2.5 miles away, with Morton at 6 miles. If this one is busy: Maraldo Lake after 2.1 miles, Brock Lake at 2.4 miles, Posey Ridge Lakes after 5.8 miles, Libbys Lagoon Number 2 at 6 miles and Spin Lake after 6.1 miles. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Mitchell Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Fish documented in Tazewell County include common carp, white perch and goldfish. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Read Mitchell Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 75°F, while January sits near 23°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Count the season from break-up, usually mid March. Climate averages put the opening at about mid March and the closing near late December. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Mitchell Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Failing this one, try Maraldo Lake, 2.1 miles away. Nothing here settles the position at Mitchell Lake for certain.