Silver Lake, Illinois: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Madison County, Illinois, this is Silver Lake. It stands 505 feet above sea level. About 526 acres, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. Shoreline length is close to 8.7 miles, and each section fishes a little differently. On our Madison County list it sits near the top for size. The closest town, Highland, is 2.3 miles distant. The nearest city of size is St. Louis, 29 miles away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Silver Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Public occurrence data for Madison County names common carp, bluegill, green sunfish and channel catfish. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Silver Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 77°F and January about 28°F. The year gives four workable seasons without severe ends. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. The season on Silver Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. There is somewhere to leave the car, half a mile off. There is a jetty half a mile off, worth knowing on a busy day. Somewhere to sit and eat is half a mile out. Toilets show in mapping about half a mile away. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Failing this one, try Old City Reservoir, 0.3 miles away. Nothing here settles the position at Silver Lake for certain.