Plum Lake Fishing in Perry County, Illinois

• Overview

  In Illinois, Plum Lake falls inside Perry County. The water sits 449 feet up. The far bank is a conversation away, so keep low and quiet. Our Perry County list holds plenty of bigger water. Some 3.5 miles away sits Pinckneyville, the nearest settlement. St. Louis sits 60 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Plum Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Across Perry County, recorded fish include bluegill, johnny darter and slough darter. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. At Plum Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 78°F in July and bottom out at 30°F in January. Fishing continues through most of the calendar, with quiet spells rather than closures. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. Plan around that when you fish Plum Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Boats go in at Wesseln Lake, roughly 120 yards from the water. Parking within 50 yards means no long carry with tackle. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. There are picnic tables 80 yards away. Facilities include toilets around 100 yards from here. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Beehive Lake, 0.1 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Ask locally about Plum Lake if anything is unclear.