Fishing at Monee Reservoir, Will County, Illinois

• Overview

  The Will County end of Illinois holds Monee Reservoir. The setting is rolling bush on every side. With some 42 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Start from Monee, 2.2 miles down the road. Peotone lies 4.3 miles off, University Park another 5.3 miles. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Monee Reservoir

  Depth on file is 27 ft. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Will County records list common carp, green sunfish, threadfin shad and bluegill among the fish reported. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Anyone new to Monee Reservoir should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 21°F in January to roughly 73°F in July. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The lid usually goes in late March, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Break-up near late March, freeze-up near mid December: that is the shape of an average year. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. On Monee Reservoir that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public ownership means the bank is normally open to anglers. Boat access is recorded roughly half a mile away. Parking is close: a car park sits half a mile from the bank. A toilet block sits half a mile away. The water borders Monee Reservoir, so expect the reserve rules to apply. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. The nearest alternative is Lake George, 6.4 miles out. Treat access at Monee Reservoir as something to verify.