Strode Lake Fishing Guide, Fulton County, Illinois

• Overview

  Fulton County in Illinois is where Strode Lake sits. The surface lies 673 feet up. The water covers some 31 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. For a base, Canton sits 2.1 miles out. Then Farmington, 8.1 miles, and Cuba, 9.7 miles. Within a short drive: Rainbow Lake out at 0.2 miles, Veterans Lake a shade over 0.4 miles, Bond Lake out at 0.6 miles, Fitch Lake a shade over 0.8 miles and Wolf Pond out at 2.3 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Strode Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Across Fulton County, recorded fish include common carp, goldfish, white perch, bluegill and largemouth bass. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Strode Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 22°F in January up to 75°F in July. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Break-up comes around mid March, and the run that follows is short and strong. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid March in spring and again near mid December in autumn. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. It holds true on Strode Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. A boat ramp sits about half a mile from the water. Lakeland Park runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Rainbow Lake at 0.2 miles is the sensible second choice. None of that is settled for Strode Lake in what we hold.