Fishing Pine Lake in Pike County, Illinois

• Overview

  Pine Lake stands in Pike County, Illinois. Around the bank it is mixed woodland. It measures about 32 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Supplies mean a trip to Pittsfield, 1.1 miles off. Beyond it, Griggsville at 7.6 miles and Barry at 13 miles. This one is safely inside the county line. Nothing about the setting is dramatic, and that suits the fishing.

• Where to Fish on Pine Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Across Pike County, recorded fish include green sunfish, orangethroat darter and fantail darter. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Pine Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 76°F in July and bottoms out near 25°F in January. Temperature moves within a narrow band, and so does the fishing. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. That shapes the year on Pine Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. There is camping recorded roughly 30 yards off. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. For a change of water, Lake Pittsfield is 3.4 miles distant. Rules at Pine Lake are worth checking on the day.