Fishing Swets Lake in Cook County, Illinois

• Overview

  Cook County in Illinois is where Swets Lake sits. Land around it is rolling bush. It covers about 3 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Most waters listed here for Cook County are larger. For supplies, South Holland is 1.3 miles out. Chicago sits 18 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Swets Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Fish documented in Cook County include common carp, bluegill and green sunfish. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Work Swets Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 74°F and January near 22°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Ice-out usually falls in mid March, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Break-up near mid March, freeze-up near late December: that is the shape of an average year. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. That is the shape of the year on Swets Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Mapping shows parking within half a mile. This falls in or next to protected ground, so rules will be tighter than usual. For the carp, bait a margin spot and sit on it; corn and bread still work. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Thorn Lake, 0.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Where Swets Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.