Fishing Ossami Lake in Tazewell County, Illinois

• Overview

  Tazewell County in Illinois is where Ossami Lake sits. It sits in mixed forest. About 5 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Morton at 1.6 miles is the nearest place to stop. It is 7.5 miles to Peoria, the nearest city. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple. The water is easy to walk round in a long session.

• Where to Fish on Ossami Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Survey and observation records for Tazewell County include common carp, white perch, goldfish, bluegill and largemouth bass. The county list is broader than any single water. The shape of Ossami Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 22°F to 75°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid March. Climate figures give an open season running mid March to late December. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. The season on Ossami Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Mapping shows a ramp about half a mile from the shore. A car park lies half a mile away, so the walk in is short. There is a jetty half a mile off, worth knowing on a busy day. There are picnic tables half a mile away. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Failing this one, try Libbys Lagoon Number 4, 2.2 miles away. Check the current arrangement for Ossami Lake.