Slurry Lake Number 1 Fishing Guide, Peoria County, Illinois

• Overview

  The Peoria County end of Illinois holds Slurry Lake Number 1. The country here is rolling bush. About 15 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Supplies mean a trip to Elmwood, 4.4 miles off. North Peoria sits 16 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Slurry Lake Number 1

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Records held for Peoria County cover common carp, white perch, goldfish, bluegill and orangethroat darter. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Read this water for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 75°F; by January the average is down near 22°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid March. The open-water window runs from around mid March to about mid December in an average year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. This water fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, Fresh Water Lake at 0.3 miles is the nearest alternative. For this water, the notice at the access point is the final word.