Fishing Thompson Pond in Henry County, Illinois

• Overview

  Look for Thompson Pond in Henry County, Illinois. It stands 761 feet above sea level. About 8 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It is high ground by Illinois standards. For a base, Galva sits 8 miles out. Cambridge is 8.7 miles and Kewanee 15 miles. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Thompson Pond

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Fish documented in Henry County include johnny darter, green sunfish and common carp. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Thompson Pond gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 74°F in July and bottoms out near 20°F in January. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Break-up comes around mid March, and the run that follows is short and strong. Averages suggest open water from about mid March through to roughly mid December. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. On Thompson Pond the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. If the gate is shut, Nystrom Lake at 2.9 miles is the nearest alternative. What applies at Thompson Pond may have changed since it was mapped.