Schiller Pond near Norridge: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Set in Cook County, Illinois, this is Schiller Pond. This is lake country bush ground. Surface area runs to about 6 acres — small enough to read in one session. Our Cook County list holds plenty of bigger water. Norridge is the closest place, 0.7 miles off. It is 12 miles to Chicago, the nearest city. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Schiller Pond

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Cook County records list common carp, bluegill, green sunfish, gizzard shad and goldfish among the fish reported. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. At Schiller Pond light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 74°F in July and bottom out at 22°F in January. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The lid usually goes in mid March, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid March and starts locking again about mid December. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Anyone fishing Schiller Pond regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Parking is mapped about 110 yards from the bank. Schiller Woods is the mapped fishing point, 100 yards out. A picnic site half a mile off makes this workable with family in tow. Public toilets are recorded roughly half a mile off. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. The nearest alternative is Peterson Lake, 3.2 miles out. Check the position at Schiller Pond before loading the car.